What is Event Design & Facilitation?
An exercise in clarifying the specific objectives of an event (meeting, workshop, training, conference, retreat, etc.), and then designing, preparing for, and facilitating toward those objectives.
Events can range from strategic meetings to multi-stakeholder workshops to technical and procedural trainings to all-encompassing sectoral or cross-sectoral conferences!
From fuzzy objectives to clear objectives to content, format, timing, and finally smoothe facilitation, all aimed toward these objectives, while ensuring overall learning and enjoyment!
Event design consultation
A 2- to 3-hour engagement where we discuss your event, clarify objectives together, brainstorm on session formats, and share potential challenges, overarching guidance, and little-known tips and tricks
The consultation might target specific complications or new elements, such as a multilingual group, a virtual event, or multi-stakeholder decision-making process.
Agenda co-design
A collaborative process,
including some sensemaking steps, where we
clearly define objectives that consider informational, application-based, and relational gains, and then
design backward to content
and session structures
that target these objectives, often ending in a highly detailed "run-of-show" to guide the event rollout
Event facilitation
Leading a smooth
event experience for all,
ensuring that we lead learners and any other collaborators
(presenters, moderators, AV support staff) through the event, including ensuring smooth and thought-provoking transitions, managing time and expectations, adapting sessions on the go as needed, and noting areas for improvements and pivots in the coming hours and days of the event
Event co-facilitation and facilitation coaching
A collaborative facilitation of the training (as described above),
with an internally designated co-facilitator, along with intentional support for building the co-facilitator's facilitation skills through practice sessions, intentional goal-setting and debriefings, and other coaching formats