A lot of our workshops are run “offsite” in hotels or conference venues, here are the top 5 things we look for when booking a venue for a facilitated workshop. While none of these
Lots of space
We usually request a room with double the space a venue would normally offer, we want participants to be able to move around, work in small groups without disrupting others, grab a glass of water, stretch their backs, all without missing any of the action, to that end we request …
- No large boardroom table
- Refreshment station in the room
- Easy access to bathrooms
Access to fresh air
Having a garden or balcony to open and access for breaks is wonderful, a chance for participants to enjoy some green space and enjoy a lookout over a park, take a few minutes during a break to wander in a garden, enjoy the view can help them feel refreshed and ready to return to the workshop.
Natural light
A bright, naturally or sunlit space is very welcoming and much more conducive to a long session of heavy thinking and planning, a day in basement room with fluorescent lighting fills me with dread, how about you?
Usable walls
We love being visual and displaying the work we are generating as we go, lots of wall space for our worksheets, process maps, creativity, plans and brainstorming makes for a great space. Unfortunately many venues are reluctant to let anyone stick anything on their walls. Of course we can use our own boards and flipcharts if we need to.
Comfortable, movable chairs
Keeping the participants comfortable is going to make a workshop so much more productive for everyone and while we do encourage participants to wander around and work as they feel comfortable, it is inevitable that the majority will be sitting for most of the day, a bit of cushioning goes a long way
Being able to move chairs around to work in groups is much easier if they have wheels or skid bases rather than legs.
