This document provides a checklist for planning a workshop. It includes questions about the purpose and desired outcomes of the workshop, potential risks, knowledge and participants needed, what success will look like, hot topics to address, opportunities to exploit, the appropriate process, and logistical details. The checklist is designed to help the workshop owner and facilitator prepare an effective workshop design by answering these questions together.

1. W . O . R . K . S . H . O . P . S
paul@howmightwe.co.uk © Paul Wigley
How Might We… ? Office: +44 (0)1483 723 833 Mobile: +44 (0)7778 058 026
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Your W.O.R.K.S.H.O.P.S design checklist
The following checklist is designed to help you as the ‘owner’ and your facilitator
prepare for your workshop. Answering these questions should provide you both with
what you need to select the appropriate participants and for your facilitator to create an
effective workshop design. This checklist is not exhaustive. You might like to add your
own questions. Work through these questions with your facilitator.
Q U E S T I O N A N S W E R
WH Y ?
Why do you as the ‘owner’ want to
do this?
What is your purpose for having
this workshop?
How might you avoid holding a
workshop? - What other ways are
there to achieve what you want?
OU TC O M E S ?
What are your desired outcomes
from the workshop and beyond?
What are your expected key
deliverables?
Who and what will you expect to
be different after the workshop?
How will you ensure these changes
are sustained?
RIS K S?
What are the potential risks of
holding the workshop?
What issues might you or other
participants raise during the
workshop?
How might you minimize any of
these before the workshop?
KN O W L E D G E ?
What knowledge do you need in
the workshop?
What are the appropriate
ingredients and who can provide
them?
What mix of people do you need to
give the right balance?

2. W . O . R . K . S . H . O . P . S
paul@howmightwe.co.uk © Paul Wigley
How Might We… ? Office: +44 (0)1483 723 833 Mobile: +44 (0)7778 058 026
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Q U E S T I O N A N S W E R
SU CC E SS ?
What will success look like to you
the ‘owner’?
What will success look like to each
of the rest of the participants?
What will success look like to your
facilitator?
HO T T O P IC S ?
What are the hot topics that need
addressing sensitively?
How might you reduce the heat
before the workshop?
How might you purposely
increase the heat to ensure any
hot topics are dealt with?
OP P OR T U N IT Y ?
What opportunities are there that
you might want to exploit?
What opportunities might be
exploited before the workshop?
What opportunities might be
exploited during the workshop?
PR O C ES S ?
What process is appropriate to
get the participants to the desired
outcome?
Will the participants need to learn
this process?
How might participants start to
learn about any required process
before the workshop?
SIG N - O FF ?
Who will attend this workshop?
When will it run? Where will it
run? Who will organise the
administration of it?
Agree an initial outline agenda
prepared by your facilitator and
any administrative details.
Sign that you are satisfied and
that you know what you and your
facilitator expect from each other.