Organizing the workshop logistics entails making reservations for venue and catering, preparing the required workshop material and setting up the venue for the workshop. Well-organized logistics are important so that the facilitator can focus her/his attention on the content and participants of the workshop.
Venue and catering
- The venue should be large enough to do group work and put up pinboards or brown papers on walls. As a rule of thumb, count 3 m2 per participant. Make sure the venue is accessible at least 2 hours before the start of the workshop or the evening before.
- Catering: Organize two coffee breaks and lunch near the workshop venue. Due to limited time during the workshop, the catering should be conveniently located and on time.
Workshop material
- Check if the venue has beamer and pinboards available. If they have enough pinboards, make sure you have enough pins. If no, buy enough blue tack gum or liquid glue.
- Bring photo camera and assign someone the responsibility to take photos during the workshop.
- Prepare all the material as required in steps 1 through 7 (see also checklist).
Final preparations before the workshop starts
- Check if the beamer is working and copy all presentations you will use to the computer present at the venue. Have them all open so you can switch between them quickly.
- Make seating arrangements (islands of tables seating 4-6 participants each work best).
- Hang up all brown papers according to available space. Make sure you have all brown papers hanging that you need before the next big break (e.g. lunch break), when you can rearrange if there is not enough space in the room.
- Hang up all risks on brown paper, arranged along the 6 risk areas. On day two hang up all integrity tools on brown paper, in alphabetic order.
- Put empty flipchart paper and the objectives of steps 1-7 on flipchart stand.
- Distribute enough colour cards and pens on the tables.