Pre-Workshop Preparation Checklists

The Week Before Your Workshop Determines Its Success … After leading more than 1,000 workshops across the world, there’s one golden rule I’ve learned: Preparation, preparation, preparation. The week before your workshop is not the time to relax — it’s the moment to make or break your success. Here’s what great preparation looks like: • Know exactly who will be in the room — their names, their roles, their personalities, and their interests. • Understand their stakes — what motivates them, what worries them, what they hope to get out of the session. • Design your flow carefully — tailor your techniques and tactics to fit the group, not just the agenda. • Practise, practise, practise — rehearse key moments, transitions, and how you’ll handle tricky situations. • Visualise success — mentally walk through the day: how will you open, how will you energise, how will you land your key messages? Even after 1,000+ workshops with the proven FORTH Innovation Method I still practise before every session I facilitate. Not because I’m nervous — but because respecting the group means showing up 100% prepared. Great workshops are not spontaneous magic. They are the result of disciplined preparation behind the scenes. The real work happens before you even enter the room. #Preparation #WorkshopFacilitation #Leadership #InnovationWorkshops #FacilitatorTips #WorkshopDesign #PracticeMakesPerfect #designthinking #innovation

🧠 “I’m New to the Domain – What Should I Even Ask?” As a Business Analyst, you’ll sometimes walk into a requirements workshop feeling underprepared—especially when the domain is unfamiliar. The anxiety of “What if I don’t know what to ask?” is real. Here’s how to still drive value in such situations👇 ✅ Do a Pre-Workshop Domain Dive Before the session: Read existing project documents: BRDs, SOWs, project charters, or confluence pages. Even 30 minutes of reading can give you a decent grasp. Google industry basics: If you're in mortgage underwriting, digital payments, or healthcare claims, spend time understanding the lifecycle and key terminology. 📌 Example: When BA joined a telecom billing project, BA didn’t know postpaid vs. prepaid differences. A quick YouTube video + wiki deep dive helped BA join conversations confidently. ✅ Connect with a Friendly SME or Tech Lead Book a 20-min 1-on-1 with someone already on the project: Ask: “What do you wish someone had told you when you joined this project?” Get a lay of the land: major pain points, jargon, stakeholders to watch. 📌 Example: In one ERP implementation, a quick chat with the QA lead helped BA understand the order flow before the actual workshop. ✅ Use the Magic of Frameworks to Ask the Right Questions When unsure, fall back on structure: 🛠 5W1H: What, Why, Who, Where, When, and How 🎯 Business Process Flow: “Can you walk me through a day in the life of…?” 🔍 SIPOC: Who supplies input, what process occurs, what output is expected, and who is the customer? 📌 Example: Instead of asking “What features do you need?”, BA asked “What triggers this process?” and “What happens next?” It opened up the full workflow! ✅ Prepare a Lightweight Workshop Agenda Even if you’re unsure, create structure: 👉 Briefly state the goal of the session 👉 Share a rough process flow diagram or checklist 👉 Allocate time blocks: current process, pain points, must-haves, next steps 📌 Example Agenda: ➡️ Intro & Objectives (5 min) ➡️ Current Process Overview (15 min) ➡️ Challenges in Current System (20 min) ➡️ Key Metrics/Outcomes Expected (10 min) ➡️ Wrap-up & Next Steps (10 min) ✅ Have Visuals Ready Sketch a draft process map, journey map, or even just boxes with arrows: 👉 Visuals act as conversation starters 👉 Stakeholders will correct and elaborate 📌 Example: BA once brought a whiteboard sketch of the approval workflow. It wasn’t 100% accurate, but stakeholders eagerly started correcting it—instant engagement! ✅ Set the Tone: "Help Me Help You" Being new is not a weakness—it's a chance to observe without bias: “I’m new to the project, which puts me in a great position to identify gaps. I’d love to learn from your experience—can you walk me through how this actually works?” 📌 This humble approach invites collaboration instead of scrutiny. 🔚 Wrapping Up: Don’t Fear the Unknown Even if you're new to the domain: Structure your curiosity Listen deeply Document religiously Follow up clearly BA Helpline

Coordinating events as an EA isn’t just about logistics — it’s about creating an experience that reflects leadership and drives impact. I built this EA Event Coordination Checklist to keep myself sane during high-stakes events. From budget to vendor contracts, travel plans to thank-you notes — every detail matters. Curious: what’s the one thing YOU never forget when planning an event? Checklist: (Because flawless events don’t just happen — they’re planned.) 1. Pre-Event Planning - Define the objective: What does success look like for leadership? - Secure budget approval and track expenses. - Select venue (with backup options). - Confirm date/time with all key stakeholders. - Draft initial agenda and timeline. 2. Logistics & Vendors - Book catering (confirm dietary restrictions). - Arrange audio/visual needs + run tech checks. - Secure hotel blocks/transportation for guests. - Review contracts (hidden fees, cancellation terms). - Build contingency plans (weather, tech, travel delays). 3. Communication & Guests - Send invitations and track RSVPs. - Provide travel info, hotel details, and contact numbers. - Prepare executive briefing: attendees, bios, talking points. - Assign roles/responsibilities for on-site support. 4. On-Site Execution - Arrive early for setup and final walkthrough. - Test microphones, projectors, video conferencing. - Ensure signage, seating, and registration are ready. - Keep copies of agenda, attendee list, and emergency contacts. - Handle last-minute changes calmly and invisibly. 5. Post-Event Follow-Up - Send thank-you notes and/or post-event surveys. - Share key takeaways and next steps with leadership. - Reconcile budget and vendor payments. - Document lessons learned for next time. ✨ Pro Tip: Always plan for what could go wrong — if nothing does, you’ve just earned peace of mind. #ExecutiveAssistant #EventPlanning #LeadershipSupport

I’ve trained 2,000+ people using remote workshops in Miro. Here are my best practices to keep large, complex sessions organized (instead of chaotic): ✅ 𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐨𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 I always send a short video + Talktrack before the session. Participants learn the basics of Miro so we don’t waste time troubleshooting. ✅ 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 Only show elements they need at the moment. Keeps the board clean and prevents accidental edits. ✅ 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 = 𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 We solve Miro logins, permissions, and “where do I click?” questions before we dive into strategy. ✅ 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 I structure boards so I can see all teams working in parallel — makes facilitation 10x easier. ✅ 𝐎𝐧-𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 An organizer in the room can handle tech hiccups without interrupting the flow. ✅ 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 “Bring everyone to me” and “Follow” buttons are lifesavers when people get lost. I recently used these steps in an 8-hour GTM Power Hour workshop with 15 companies. 👉 Want these frameworks to run your workshops? Get the Go-to-Market Blueprint I co-created with Miro: https://lnkd.in/ditgkh26 Curious: What are your go-to practices when running remote workshops in Miro? #miropartner #miro

What you do before a workshop makes a huge difference in how well the workshop goes. Here's what I've learned are three essential pre-workshop prep items: 🎯 First, before you even sign on a new client, make sure you’re talking to the right person. If you’re talking to someone who needs someone else’s approval to hire you, you’re not talking to the right person. And if that’s the case (it often is), ask if you can get access to the decision maker, even if it's just for 15 minutes. Having that conversation will help you understand how your workshop connects to the business needs and not just, for example, the UX team’s needs. 📊 Second, poll the workshop participants in advance. I didn’t do this at first because I didn’t think people would give me access to their teams. Now it’s a mandate. I don’t expect every team member to fill out my pre-workshop survey, or to fill it out completely. But even incomplete information gives me a better idea of who I’ll be working with in the room. ✏️ Finally, as you’re polling participants, make sure to meet them on their terms. Once I was going around, meeting senior designers in advance of a workshop and asking them to share their hypotheses for a project. One designer flat-out refused: “No, you can't expect me to come up with my hypotheses live with you in this 30-minute conversation. Can you just send me a document and I can write my thoughts down on my own time?" I needed that feedback to learn that workshop participants all have different needs, both before and during the workshop. For other facilitators: what additional prep do you do before a workshop, or before you’ve even signed on a client? Mehdi, would you edit or add to this list? Said any tech check-y things we should be thinking about?