For a successful workshop to be fully effective you will need:
- Between 6 and 20 participants, with a diversity of profiles to ensure adequate consultation and meet a minimal variety of viewpoints. Who to engage in the workshop will usually emerge from the interviews and as you establish the context for the innovation. As you realize where you want to focus, you will need to engage people who understand how those dimensions of the innovation do or don’t lead to enhanced sustainability.
- A face-to-face workshop is the best option. It may be possible not to get the people together for many reasons: some people may prefer not to come to the workshop for personal or professional reasons, inability to meet physically (Covid-19), etc. This should not discourage you, because you can adapt the process by having one or more people participate by video, holding more than one workshop or conducting an online workshop. For example, if you are a non-profit seeking to provide healthier food to the people you want to serve, you need to engage with them in the workshop to understand what kinds of food are culturally appropriate. You also need to include food producers and distribution people to figure out whether there are barriers on the supply side.
- A face-to-face workshop is the best option. It may be possible not to get the people together for many reasons: some people may prefer not to come to the workshop for personal or professional reasons, inability to meet physically (Covid-19), etc. This should not discourage you, because you can adapt the process by having one or more people participate by video, holding more than one workshop or conducting an online workshop. For example, if you are a non-profit seeking to provide healthier food to the people you want to serve, you need to engage with them in the workshop to understand what kinds of food are culturally appropriate. You also need to include food producers and distribution people to figure out whether there are barriers on the supply side.
- At least 1/2 day is necessary (3-4 hours including breaks).
- Make sure to choose a time and place for the workshop that makes participation as easy as possible. Late afternoon after-work workshops (17h-20h) can be a good option. You might want to offer childcare services to increase participation.
- Make sure to choose a time and place for the workshop that makes participation as easy as possible. Late afternoon after-work workshops (17h-20h) can be a good option. You might want to offer childcare services to increase participation.
- You need to do your best to provide an open and comfortable space for discussions where participants feel free to provide feedback and input throughout the process without limits.
- If this condition cannot be met for various reasons (power imbalances between actors, hierarchical relationships, social and cultural context, etc.), feel free to adapt the process in order to collect inputs from all the participants. For example, you can conduct interviews with people who feel less free to share their insights once the workshop is over to give them a chance to provide unfettered input for the impact pathway maps. Carefully organized breakout groups during the workshop can also address this issue.
- If this condition cannot be met for various reasons (power imbalances between actors, hierarchical relationships, social and cultural context, etc.), feel free to adapt the process in order to collect inputs from all the participants. For example, you can conduct interviews with people who feel less free to share their insights once the workshop is over to give them a chance to provide unfettered input for the impact pathway maps. Carefully organized breakout groups during the workshop can also address this issue.
- You will need to account for a wide range of accessibility needs.
- You will need facilitators to accompany and guide each working group.