Module title: Creative Workshop

Activity 1

This activity lends itself to group discussion. Ask the group to think about a time when a Creative Workshop would have been useful for their organisation or department. How might it have helped? Then ask how they might use a Creative Workshop for a particular initiative or project design they are currently involved with, or one that is in the future.

Activity 2

This activity could be carried out as an informal chat in pairs or small groups. Ask each pair or group to reflect on when you are at your most creative and innovative, and then think about what influencing factors you could replicate at the Creative Workshop. If you have time to prepare, think of some objects that might assist creative thinking and provide pictures to represent them, for example:

• a sofa (comfortable seating)
• jeans (comfortable clothing)
• 3D puzzles (something to play with while thinking).

Then in plenary go around the groups/pairs asking each to suggest one thing or choose a picture and describe how it contributes to a good environment for creative thinking. Invite further comments from the pairs or groups on what they can do in their own contexts to support a creative environment for a workshop.

Activity 3

This activity lends itself to working in small groups. Print A4-size pages with the six steps of the Creative Workshop on them (one page for each step). Give them to each group to arrange in the correct order on the floor or table. Ask each group to come up with a tip for each stage, like the example in Box 2.

Activity 4

Ask for suggestions from individuals who already have strong ideas about the Creative Workshops they would like to plan. Pick the best three or four and allocate them to small groups to work on together, presenting back at the end of the session.

Activity 5

Divide into four groups and ask each group to review one of the following four tools from the DIY Toolkit:

• Personas
• Promises and Potential Map
• Business Model Canvas
• Theory of Change.

Each group then adds its tool to its Creative Workshop plan with some guidance on where, how and why it is to be used.