2.1 Introduce plan
If the Creative Workshop is to be successful, its purpose and structure need to be understood by all participants. Help people to focus on a productive day by introducing the purpose and structure of the Creative Workshop. Outline the problem that you have come together to solve, and emphasise the importance of thinking inventively to move away from the current position. Reassure participants that this is a safe environment for sharing ideas and that nothing is off limits, however silly it might seem. You could illustrate this with an example of some particularly playful creative thinking.
If you are really organised you could also send out a summary with the joining instructions for the workshop. Box 1 provides a checklist to ensure you cover what you need.
Box 1: Creative Workshop checklist
- What is the purpose of the Creative Workshop?
- Who is attending the workshop? (This might be roles rather than names.)
- What is expected from participants? (Think about both preparatory work and during the workshop itself.)
- How will participants work together?
- How will they share their ideas?
- What materials and tools do you intend to use? (Provide necessary props like flip charts, marker pens, sticky notes and sticky tape.)
- How will you capture the results?
- What will happen after the workshop to make sure ideas become actions?
2 Planning a Creative Workshop