How not to run a workshop
They say you learn more from your mistakes than you do from your successes. Amen to that. They also say that you should be man (or woman) enough to admit your mistakes. So here I am, bearing my soul to the internet, saying I screwed up and have learnt valuable lessons.
Yesterday I ran my Research Methods for IA workshop for OZ-IA, and whilst I was actually quite happy with the content, the timing was off big-time. Luckily my gracious guests for the afternoon agreed with this summary, the feedback forms were overwhelmingly positive for the content, materials and myself…but the time allocated was totally inadequate. You see, I tried to cram a whole day into half a day.
Why did I do such an idiotic thing? Why did I break one of the fundamental rules of workshops (and lots of other things) and not keep it simple? Well there are lots of excuses I could give, like when I first planned the workshop it was for a full day, or that I’m so used to doing full-day workshops that my ‘internal rhythm’ was set to that, or that this is my first workshop I’ve designed entirely on my own from the ground up, or that I’ve been burning the candle from both ends lately and didn’t give this as much thought as it deserved. But they’re not the real reasons.
The real reason is that I try to pack too much in because I want to tell people everything. I was trying to be everything to everyone. And that’s not achievable.
Moving forward I know I need to do this workshop over a whole day. Given more time it would have gone brilliantly, and I need to make sure I do it that way from now on. But the reverse is also true, if I only have half a day then I need to tailor the content to half a day. I shall be ruthless for my next workshop, which is on a different topic, paring it right down and allowing plenty of time for activities and Q&A.
Another lesson I’ve learnt through doing this workshop is how much harder it is to do all this on your own. My previous workshops with Step Two were much easier, in that the groundwork had already been done and there were more hands to make light work of tasks such as printing, creating card sorting cards, shipping materials to the venue etc.
And I also learnt that I should take help from those around me, even if it means putting aside time when in the thick of it, to stop and talk it through and get advice. Particularly my long-suffering wife, who is an organisational master. I, being hopeless at organising things, should have consulted her when preparing for the workshop.
For my first time out of the gates on this particular horse, it could have gone better. Whilst this jockey didn’t exactly fall right off his mount, he did get dragged along a bit. But you know what they say, you need to get back in the saddle, and I’m certain that if I keep refining this workshop it will serve me well.
And I truly hope, so because I really like running workshops. I get to help others by passing on my knowledge and experience; it causes lovely warm fuzzy feelings.
About the author
Patrick Kennedy is a user experience strategist and design researcher based in Sydney Australia. He leads research activities that improve the user experience of cross-channel products and services; helping both designers and business decision makers in bringing those products and services to fruition. Read more.
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