Delivery Matters

Stories behind workshop plans,
sticky notes and markers.

Author: James Smart

What to keep in mind when hiring a facilitator

When a group faces tough challenges, effective facilitation can help create space for inclusive and engaging change. But when should you consider bringing in a professional facilitator to host a workshop or event? How can you ensure it's a worthwhile investment of your time and money? In this guide, we'll explore what to keep in mind when choosing to hire a facilitator, what to expect from them, and give you some idea of the cost of a facilitator's services too! Understanding the role of a facilitator Before diving into the specifics of hiring, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of what a facilitator does and how they'll be able…

What is facilitation? Definition and principles

Facilitation is a powerful skillset that helps improve collaboration, generates results and improves group dynamics. But what does it truly mean to facilitate and approach situations like a skilled facilitator? How can managers, leaders and anyone running meetings and workshops learn to bring a facilitative approach to their work? In this post, we'll share a definition of facilitation before exploring the key principles of facilitation you can use to embody the approach successfully, whether you're looking to have more effective meetings, handle conflict and do more productive group work. Below, we'll explore the meaning of facilitation in simple terms while also giving you a better sense of the core principles…

How to have a productive kickoff meeting (and empower your team!)

Have you ever been a part of a group project that went nowhere or was badly organized to the point of chaos? Perhaps no one knew who was accountable for what, everyone had a different idea of the goals, or the final results were poor. So, what went wrong? When it comes to empowering your team to do great work and complete projects, one of the most important things you can do is hold a kickoff meeting. With a comprehensive project kickoff, you can position your team for success, create alignment and structure, and build resiliency to potential issues. By creating clarity, excitement, and preparedness in this short, focused meeting…

40 problem-solving techniques and processes

All teams and organizations encounter challenges. Approaching those challenges without a structured problem solving process can end up making things worse. Proven problem solving techniques such as those outlined below can guide your group through a process of identifying problems and challenges, ideating on possible solutions, and then evaluating and implementing the most suitable. In this post, you'll find problem-solving tools you can use to develop effective solutions. You'll also find some tips for facilitating the problem solving process and solving complex problems. What is problem solving? Problem solving is a process of finding and implementing a solution to a challenge or obstacle. In most contexts, this means going through a…

A photograph of a trainer delivering content.

What is Instructor-Led Training? ILT Complete Guide

When designing and delivering employee training, one size rarely fits all. While some skills and topics can be effectively taught in a self-paced environment, instructor-led training continues to be a great way to impart knowledge and skills experientially. But how do you ensure instructor-led training is engaging and cost-effective at scale? Whether you’re working in a virtual or live environment, this guide to instructor-led training will help you and your trainers deliver exceptional training experiences. We'll share share best practices, actionable insights and help you decide when instructor-led training is right for you and your team. What is instructor-led training? Instructor-led training (ILT) is a learning format where an instructor or…

What is instructional design? (+ examples and tips!)

Instructional design is a systematic and theory-backed approach to creating engaging and impactful learning experiences. Whether you’re designing eLearning courses or employee training programs, effective instructional design is a surefire method of meeting business goals and developing effective learning solutions. But what is instructional design exactly? In this guide, we'll start with a practical definition of instructional design. We'll explore the role of instructional designers, learning models and theories, and also share real-world examples and best practices to help you craft more effective learning experiences. What is instructional design? Instructional design is a systematic process of designing and developing effective instructional materials and learning experiences. Instructional design involves analyzing learner…

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How to create an effective instructional design storyboard

A well-structured instructional design storyboard is the foundation of any successful online course or elearning project. It forms a blueprint that allows everyone involved in the project to understand the learning flow, offer contributions and then implement the design in your elearning authoring tool with ease.In this guide, we'll share a complete process for creating effective elearning storyboards. We've included tips for the course design process and a heap of instructional design storyboard templates to help you optimize your elearning development process. Let's dive in. What is an instructional design storyboard? An instructional design storyboard serves as a design blueprint for an instructional design project or elearning course. This typically…

9 Instructional design principles and how to use them

Robert Gagne’s instructional design principles were first proposed in 1965. Though the world has changed a lot in that time, the way we learn is fundamentally the same. Together, these nine principles are a science-backed framework for creating effective learning experiences, whatever your learning format. Whether you’re creating elearning courses, training sessions or working in blended environments, this guide will help you understand how to deploy these instructional strategies and engage your learners. We’ll explore each principle in turn and provide practical examples and advice for applying them in your instructional design process. Good instructional design is an art and a science. Even if you’re new to learning design, chances…

Photograph of participants playing a training game.

24 engaging training games and activities

Creating the ideal conditions for learning isn’t easy. Trainers need to balance information sharing and theory with experiential activities in order to create effective learning experiences. Training games are a great way to engage trainees with interactive activities that help facilitate the learning process. In this guide, we'll share our favourite training activities alongside tips for engaging trainees. You'll leave with practical ideas for improving your next employee training and add new methods to your toolkit. Let’s dive in! What are training games and activities? Training games and activities are interactive activities designed to engage trainees and create a more memorable and engaging learning experience. These games are experiential in…

How Thrive Impact uses SessionLab to help NGOs create sustainable change

Thrive Impact is an agency whose mission is to solve nonprofit leader burnout and enable NGOs to enact meaningful change. They’ve helped more than 50 organizations increase revenue, realize positive culture change and create sustainable impact.CEO Tucker Wannamaker and the 10-person team at Thrive Impact use SessionLab to support their process and design the workshops and training sessions that form the foundation of much of the work they do. Let’s explore how SessionLab helps Tucker and his team create impactful learning experiences and save time in their design process. Designing engaging learning flows Whether it’s guiding a team through a strategic planning session or running NGO leadership training, the journey…

How to plan and run a virtual workshop

Virtual workshops are a powerful tool for bringing together participants from around the world and collaboratively achieving your goals. But how do they work? What are the best practices for running engaging virtual sessions that keep Zoom fatigue at bay and create genuine innovation and solve problems? Whether you're a team leader, business professional, or facilitator, knowing how to plan and run a virtual workshop effectively is a valuable skill in today's digital landscape. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through how to run a virtual workshop that is engaging and impactful. What is a virtual workshop? A virtual workshop is an interactive and collaborative process that is conducted…

13 Best Meeting Management Software For Effective Meetings

Good meetings make your work easier, not harder. They help teams remove blockers, get stuff done and feel more aligned. Done well, meetings can become the beating heart of an effective organization. But how? Whether you're a project manager or team leader, the right meeting management software can make managing efficient meetings easy and save you valuable time. In this guide, we'll explore the best meeting management software, each offering unique features to help you plan, execute, and optimize your meetings effectively. Good meetings are how the best teams align, make decisions and discuss what's important to them. The majority of employees spent up to one third of their work…

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