Workshops are more than Agendas

Say and think what you want about workshops, but I am still surprised by how often workshops are treated as if the only thing that matters is the agenda.

Is a workshop even the best format for what you are trying to accomplish? Or is your workshop just a - really expensive - meeting that should have been an email? Does the work need to be immediate and synchronous, or could it be asynchronous, either in independent work sessions or via collaborative tools?

Who is actually needed and can contribute value? Is somebody invited because of their title or because of their knowledge or skills in particular areas relevant to the project. Stakeholder alignment is one thing, and breaking down siloes is important, but stakeholder bloat is just as common in such arrangements.

But beyond these hopefully obvious questions, there are some other too often overlooked aspects.

I have seen my fair share of workshops with food being catered that makes all participants crash around early afternoon. Soggy pizzas, tons of cookies and muffins, or sandwiches galore. As someone with food allergies, I also cannot emphasize enough how important it is to check in with participants about dietary restrictions and preferences. I still recall a vegan participant not having anything to eat until I randomly discovered a protein cookie in my backpack that I had previously grabbed at the airport.

All too often workshops get placed in whatever room happens to be available, with little consideration for the room’s impact on the workshop. Imagine running a co-creative session and not having a whiteboard. Or trying to encourage previously siloed organizations and their LOB leaders to collaborate more closely, but having a room that only has fixed rows like a lecture hall with everybody facing forward. Or trying to do ideation and being in a windowless room in a basement. This includes not just the space but also materials provided.

Yes, agendas are important. So is determining whether a workshop is even necessary. So is inviting the right people. So is catering and setting up the right type of environment.

Any other crucial faux-pas or aspects you can think of?