facilitation skills for IT professionals

Delegates will learn
  • How to understand various facilitation techniques and processes
  • How to appreciate when and how to use facilitation for best effect
  • How to use a structured approach during facilitated meetings
  • How to manage people dynamics effectively
Style

An extremely participative 3-day workshop with the opportunity to use a variety of facilitation techniques and processes.  This course provides delegates with a toolkit of different facilitation skills plus the knowledge of which tool best fits specific situations.

Target Audience

IT staff who wish to use facilitation for maximum effect.

Topics

SETTING THE SCENE

  • Introduction
  • Business drivers for effective communications
  • Communications defined
  • Responsibilities of the sender and the receiver
  • Profile of an effective communicator
  • Personal assessment (preliminary)

INTERPERSONAL ASPECTS – PART 1

  • Managing group dynamics
  • Setting meetings roles and responsibilities

BEST PRACTICE FACILITATION

  • Using a 7-stage facilitation framework

USING WORKSHOPS TO FACILITATE

  • Running problem solving/team building workshops
  • Running Visioning workshops

LARGE SCALE FACILITATION

  • Facilitating with large groups
  • Using facilitation at kick-off meetings
  • Using facilitation at company-wide events

FACILITATION AND PROJECTS

  • Using facilitation as a project management tool
  • Planning Meetings
  • Estimating Workshops
  • Risk Workshops
  • Project Team Meetings
  • Defining user requirements using facilitation
  • Using ‘brown paper’ techniques for process mapping
  • Facilitation for structured walkthroughs and reviews

INTERPERSONAL ASPECTS – PART 2

  • Ensuring balance and control during facilitated meetings
  • Avoiding group burnout
  • Handling difficult people during facilitated meetings

ACTION ORIENTED FACILITATING

  • Recording actions
  • Using a Responsibility Matrix

ADVANCED FACILITATION

  • Incorporating simulations into facilitated meetings
  • Using ‘board games’ in facilitated meetings

SUMMARY & CONCLUSION

  • Key learning points
  • Personal assessment (final)
  • Action planning