User-Centric Experience Mapping

This week, I facilitated a manager workshop on how to grow and develop people and teams. One question sparked a great conversation: “How do you develop your people outside of formal programs?” It’s a great question. IMO, one of the highest leverage actions a leader can take is making small, but consistent actions to develop their people. While formal learning experiences absolutely a role, there are far more opportunities for growth outside of structured settings from an hours in the day perspective. Helping leaders recognize and embrace this is a major opportunity. I introduced the idea of Practices of Development (PODs) aka small, intentional activities integrated into everyday work that help employees build skills, flex new muscles, and increase their impact. Here are a few examples we discussed: 🌟 Paired Programming: Borrowed from software engineering, this involves pairing an employee with a peer to take on a new task—helping them ramp up quickly, cross-train, or learn by doing. 🌟 Learning Logs: Have team members track what they’re working on, learning, and questioning to encourage reflection. 🌟 Bullpen Sessions: Bring similar roles together for feedback, idea sharing, and collaborative problem-solving, where everyone both A) shares a deliverable they are working on, and B) gets feedback and suggestions for improvement 🌟 Each 1 Teach 1:  Give everyone a chance to teach one work-related skill or insight to the team. 🌟 I Do, We Do, You Do:Adapted from education, this scaffolding approach lets you model a task, then do it together, then hand it off. A simple and effective way to build confidence and skill. 🌟 Back Pocket Ideas:  During strategy/scoping work sessions, ask employees to submit ideas for initiatives tied to a customer problem or personal interest. Select the strongest ones and incorporate them into their role. These are a few examples that have worked well. If you’ve found creative ways to build development opportunities into your employees day to day work, I’d love to hear what’s worked for you!

The ultimate guide to creating transformational workshop experiences (Even if you're not a natural facilitator) Ever had that gut-punch moment after a workshop where you just know it didn’t land? I’ve been there. Back then, I thought great workshops were all about cramming in as much content as possible. You know what I mean: - Slides with inspirational quotes. - The theory behind the frameworks. - More activities than a summer camp schedule… Subconsciously I believed that: The more I shared, the more people would see me as an expert. The more I shared, the more valuable the workshop. And participants would surely walk away transformed. Spoiler: they didn’t. They were hit-and-miss. But then on a leadership retreat in 2016, I stumbled onto something that changed everything. Something so obvious it's almost easy to miss. But when you intentionally use them, it took my workshops from "meh" to "mind-blowing": Three simple principles: 1️⃣ Context-based Learning People don't show up as blank slates. They bring their own experiences, challenges, and goals. When I started anchoring my content in their reality, things clicked. Suddenly, what I was sharing felt relevant and useful — like I was talking with them instead of at them. 2️⃣ Experiential Learning Turns out, people don’t learn by being told. They learn by doing (duh). When I shifted to creating experiences, the room came alive. And participants actually remembered what they’d learned. Experiences like roleplays, discussions, real-world scenarios, the odd game... 3️⃣ Evocative Facilitation This one was a game-changer. The best workshops aren’t just informative — they’re emotional. The experiences we run spark thoughts and reactions. And it's our job to ask powerful questions to invite reflection. Guiding participants to their own "aha!" moments to use in the real world. (yup, workshops aren't the real world) ... When I started being intentional with these three principles, something clicked. Participants started coming up to me after sessions, saying things like: "That’s exactly what I needed." "I feel like you were speaking directly to me." "I’ve never felt so seen in a workshop before." And best of all? Those workshops led to repeat bookings, referrals, and clients who couldn’t wait to work with me again. Is this the missing piece to your expertise? - If so, design experiences around context. •Facilitate experiences that evoke reactions •Unpack reactions to land the learning ♻️ Share if you found this useful ✍️ Do you use any principles to design your workshops?

My workshop feedback method has a 100% response rate — and uses zero forms. I ditched post-workshop surveys because… no one filled them out and the ones who did wrote things like “Great workshop 🤗 ” (helpful… ish ⁉️ ). So now I use my four-question, four-colour sticky-note system at the closing of a workshop. It’s fast, visual, and human. It surfaces real language, real commitments, and real insight. Reflection becomes baked into the workshop instead of bolted on. Here’s the magic. I ask everyone to respond to these phrases individually 🟡 “I learned / liked / aha!” - Quick bursts of insight. One idea per sticky. No faffing. 🟢 “I will…” (What ideas do you plan to implement immediately?) - The gold. Actual commitments. I can instantly see what’s going to live beyond the room. 🔴 “I wish…” (What support do you need or what else do you wish we had explored today?) - Constructive, honest improvement ideas and what they need to succeed post-workshop. Better than any anonymous text box. 🔵 One word (What single word best describes your overall reaction to the session?) - These become my word cloud*, and it tells me the emotional temperature in one glance. Then, in small groups, participants choose their top insights, star them, and share them with the room. It turns into this joyful moment where you can see what activities really landed and what learning truly stuck. Impact? • I can literally see what resonated. • The “I will…” notes show behaviour change starting before people even leave the room. • The “I wish…” notes help me evolve each workshop immediately. • And the one-word cloud gives me a pulse check that’s surprisingly accurate. (see word cloud from 10 workshops* - 210 words - in comments) Yes, I still type them all into a spreadsheet by hand (there’s something human and connective about reading people’s handwriting). Then I let AI help me spot themes and patterns. It’s simple. It’s human. It works. And gives clients tangible, meaningful insights... Curious: how do you gather feedback that actually helps you get better? #PlayMore #JudgeLess #feedback #facilitation

In the last 9 years of training and facilitating professional groups, I’ve learnt that delivering a workshop is not just about sharing knowledge — it’s about orchestrating an experience for the participants which open up avenues for them to draw insights for themselves. Each moment calls for a different hat, and knowing which hat to wear and when is what transforms a session from good to great. I swiftly change my hats when in a workshop, these are some of the roles that I take up often- The Storyteller — When concepts feel abstract, stories bring them to life. A personal anecdote, a metaphor, or a well-timed parable can make ideas unforgettable. Stories ignite emotions, and emotions drive transformation. The Subject Matter Expert (SME) — There are moments when authority is essential. As the SME, I distill complex ideas into simple, relatable insights. Here, precision, clarity, and confidence reign supreme. The Energizer — Energy dips are inevitable, but as the energizer, I inject the room with enthusiasm. It might be an icebreaker, a playful activity, or simply a shift in tone. Momentum matters. The Actor (Theatre in Training) — Embodying a persona makes the experience visceral for participants, encouraging them to confront and solve real-world challenges. The Coach — Not every insight can be taught; some must be discovered. Here, I shift to a coach’s hat — listening deeply, asking probing questions, and letting participants arrive at their own 'aha' moments. This is where ownership of learning happens. The Mindfulness Guide — In moments of overwhelm or tension, I pause and guide participants to reconnect with presence and calm. Silence, breathing exercises, or reflection time are more powerful than many realize. The Detective — Every group is different. I watch for non-verbal cues, unspoken tensions, and subtle resistance. Identifying these dynamics early allows me to tailor the approach on the fly. The Facilitator of Dialogue — No trainer is the sage on the stage, it is essential to harness the group's wisdom. The Challenger — Growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones. As the challenger, I nudge participants to step beyond their limits, question assumptions and see new perspectives. The Motivator — At the end of the day, every participant needs to leave inspired. I remind them of their potential, highlight their wins, and leave them with a sense of possibility. Each of these roles is a hat I wear with intention, but to serve the participants' growth. Essence is not in wearing every hat at once; it’s about knowing which one to wear at the right time. #CorporateTraining #MasterFacilitator #Storytelling #LeadershipDevelopment #LearningAndDevelopment #Coaching #FacilitationSkills #HumanToHuman #facilitation #workshop #session #softskills #BehaviouralTraining #Training Women's Web LinkedIn for Learning

Most training programs create excitement. Very few create measurable business impact. A few months ago, I worked with an organization that had a very specific challenge. Their frontline teams were attending workshops, feeling motivated, taking notes but when it came to actual performance on the field, their sales conversion was very low. Great energy. Poor execution. Something was missing. So before designing the learning intervention, I asked one simple question: “What’s the real context in which your people operate daily?” Not the role. Not the job description. Not the competencies. The context. What pressures do they face? What conversations are toughest? Where do deals collapse? Who influences decisions? What behaviours matter most on the ground? The organization opened up. We mapped real scenarios. We shadowed calls. We watched interactions. We decoded customer psychology. We understood the reality behind the numbers. Only then did we build the training journey. Not generic content. Not textbook concepts. Not motivational theory. But a program designed exactly around their on-ground realities. The impact. Over the next eight weeks, something changed. Sales conversations became sharper. Objections were handled with more confidence. Teams spoke value, not price. Managers reinforced learning consistently. The conversion saw a huge jump and this was created not by more training, but by the right training. The lesson is simple: Content informs. Context transforms. Workshops don’t create results. Relevance does. When learning mirrors the real world, people don’t just listen they apply. When they apply, organizations grow. What’s one area in your team where you feel content is high but context is missing? If your organization wants training that delivers real, measurable outcomes let’s talk.

Skill Development is Broken. Here's How to Fix It. A client once ran a leadership training for a mid-sized manufacturing company. The participants were engaged, took notes, and seemed enthusiastic. One month later? Less than 10% remembered or applied what they learned. This isn’t their fault. It’s a system problem. 📌 Here’s what doesn’t work: ❌ A one-day workshop with no reinforcement. ❌ Generic training that doesn’t match real-world challenges. ❌ Passive content with no accountability for application. 🚀 So when they came to us, here is what we did instead: ✔️ Shifted from one-time sessions to learning nudges delivered over months. ✔️ Created scenario-based microlearning, where managers had to solve real workplace challenges. ✔️ Integrated peer coaching, so learning became part of their daily routine. 🔥 The result? ✅ 15% of managers applied new skills within 6 months. ✅ Teams reported faster conflict resolution and better decision-making. ✅ The company saved thousands in lost productivity from ineffective leadership. 💡 What’s the best (or worst) training experience you’ve had? Drop a comment! 👇

Why most workshops fail before they start. It's not the facilitator. It's not the content. It's not the activities. It's what happens before anyone walks in the room. I've seen brilliant facilitators deliver perfect sessions that changed absolutely nothing. And I've seen average facilitators run simple workshops that transformed how a team operates. The difference was never the day itself. It was the design flaw that most people don't think about. Most workshops are designed like this: → Pick a topic → Build an agenda → Choose activities → Deliver the session → Hope something sticks That's an event plan. Not a change plan. The flaw is that the workshop gets designed in isolation. Nobody asks these three questions that determine whether it works: Question 1: "What specific problem are we solving?" Not "team communication" or "leadership development." Those are themes, not problems. → Vague: "We need to improve collaboration." → Specific: "Decisions that should take 2 days are taking 3 weeks because nobody knows who has final sign-off." If you can't describe the problem in one sentence with a measurable symptom, you're not ready to design a workshop. You're ready to design a survey. Question 2: "What will be different on Monday morning?" → Not: "People will feel more aligned." → Instead: "Each team will leave with a written decision-making protocol that names the decision owner for their top 5 recurring decisions." If you can't describe what Monday looks like, the workshop won't work. Question 3: "What happens on Day 15?" The workshop is not the intervention. The workshop is the launchpad. → Who checks in on the commitments made in the room? → What's the structure for accountability? → When is the first follow-up session? If the answer to all three is "we haven't thought about that yet," you're about to spend thousands on something that evaporates by Monday. Here's what a properly designed workshop looks like before Day 1: → A specific, measurable problem to solve (not a theme) → A clear picture of what changes on Monday → A follow-up system designed before the session, not after → Pre-work that gets participants thinking about the problem in advance → A sponsor who owns the outcomes, not just the budget The session itself is the easy part. Anyone can fill 3 hours with activities. The hard part is making sure those 3 hours actually matter 3 weeks later. That's the difference between a workshop and expensive theatre. ___ Save this for later (three dots, top right). Share with friends → ♻️ Repost. Get consultant-grade workshops every Sat → https://lnkd.in/eSfeUapJ

My workshops got 10x better when I started doing this: Understanding that people's brains work differently We spend so much time understanding user's needs, but we often forget about the people we work with. → What do they need? → How do they work best? → How can we be more inclusive? → What could they struggle with? The truth is, workshops can create pressure and anxiety. ...thinking of ideas against a timer, in tool you've never used, then presenting to the group when you can barely draw a stickman? No thanks. People can spend the whole time panicking about whether their idea looks "good" rather than actually having space to ideate and let the ideas flow (I've definitely felt embarrassed to present my ideas that I didn't think were "good enough") Our brains are all beautifully unique, so our workshops should support that. That means, ideation shouldn't be a one-size-fits-all approach Instead, we can create encourage people to ideate in whatever format suits them: → Draw ideas on paper and take a photo → Write ideas down on post-it notes → Create scrappy wireframes → Use screenshots of apps / websites as references Anything that helps people communicate their ideas! The best workshops are the ones where everyone feels confident to share their ideas and can be heard 💛

The single most powerful thing you can do to deliver High-ROI workshops: (I had this drilled into me nearly two decades ago — then promptly forgot or ignored the advice early on — and hundreds of workshops later, ultimately realized how important and non-negotiable it is.) THIS —> Crystal-clear Desired Outcomes Whether these are learning outcomes or hard outcomes or transformational outcomes (or any other kind), the fundamentals are the same: 1. Be Clear, Specific, and Concise No corporate-jargon-lingo-buzzword speak. Be as clear as possible with as few words as possible. (But don’t drop important words or we’ll start sounding like corporate bullet points and not human beings.) 2. Make them verifiable. ”Understand the new sales strategy” isn’t verifiable. "Explain the three pillars of the new sales strategy and map them to our current client accounts” IS verifiable. We can objectively observe that it’s happened. No fuzzy-business. 3. Ideally 3. No more than 5. There will inevitably be even more value delivered, but this value “comes along for the ride.” When I design for a smaller number of desired outcomes, it always leads to better success. (Also, the rule of three's is somehow always right.) 4. Avoid abstract words. Words like “clarity,” “buy-in,” “energized,” “understand,” or “progress.” Instead of using these words, let’s ask ourselves “what would we SEE that proves it?” and write THAT instead. 5. Ladder everything else in the workshop up to these outcomes. If it doesn’t ladder to the outcome, push back on whether it really needs to be included, or if you just “like it.” (I have a lot of exercises I love to do, because they always go over well. Doesn’t mean they should be included.) Bonus tip… Explain the VALUE of the outcome, too. “The group will [OUTCOME], so that [BENEFIT].” Bonus Bonus tip… Some people like to say, “by the end of the session, participants will…” But that’s arguably short-sighted. The most valuable outcomes are results that come days, weeks, months, and years AFTER the workshop. Design with that in mind, and things get stronger. — Hi! I’m Tim, and I share tips on how to facilitate High-ROI workshops. Please follow or connect if you’d like more. 🙌 

Improve long-term program success with one simple technique: retrospectives. A project’s success isn't just measured by the final deliverable—it’s about learning from every step of the process. One of the best ways to drive continuous improvement is by holding lessons learned workshops to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how to do better next time. Here are three practical steps to get the most out of these workshops: 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Don’t wait too long after the project wraps up. Fresh insights are critical, so gather the team while the project is still top of mind. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲, 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Encourage team members to be candid about challenges and successes. Set the tone for honest discussions by framing the workshop as a tool for learning, not blame. 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Organize the feedback into actionable categories (e.g., communication, timeline, resources) and make sure key lessons are captured in a way that can influence future projects. Pro tip: Use these lessons learned when you kick off new projects. Incorporating past insights ensures you're not repeating mistakes and are continuously improving your processes. #ProgramMangement #LessonsLearned #ContinuousImprovement