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10 learnings/tips on running workshops with lots (50+) of people. #1: Split the group into teams and select a captain per team. Pre-brief the captain and make them responsible for outcomes. This is a secret weapon and distributes your workload massively.
#2: Take someone on your team that has no moderation/facilitation responsibilities. They must know the agenda and materials inside out and just setup/breakdown every exercise. They set the time timers and generally problem solve. This is a key team member, not a runner.
#3: Time box within exercises and have large time-timers displayed throughout the room. This adds momentum "10 minutes to complete part one!" and gives everyone a visual reference of where they're at and how long they have left. "50 minutes to do X" in a massive group is death.
#4: Play music during focused work times. A small group can work well in silence but 50+ people can't. Once they're muttering and looking at phones you start to lose energy and momentum. Give them something to bop along to and the time flies much faster.
#5: Do use non-awkward icebreakers. We just got 65 German engineers to draw each other without looking at the paper in 30 seconds and they were rolling in the aisles and re-energised after lunch. Find something simple and go for it. It really works with big groups.
#6: True of any workshop but especially big groups - have super tight preparation. You need a by-the-minute detailed script for the day with who does what, when, both front and back stage. This will save lots of heartache and stress. Do the work to make it look effortless.
#7: Tell people exactly what to do and how. If you want to have a good laugh tell 6 teams of 8 people to rotate one place clockwise. Chaos will unfold. Make your day/instructions explicit and very difficult to misinterpret.
#8: Capture everything. One advantage of a big group is the volume of output that can be quickly generated. Take every poster/worksheet/blind drawing and have your non-moderator stick on the wall. When they return from lunch they'll be astounded at the amount of material created.
#9: Create an incentive. A lot of corporates are getting sick of endless workshopping so some sort of tangible next step or outcome can help a lot. EG "At the end of the session you will all vote for the best idea, and the winning idea gets $100k funding from the company"
#10: Make it fun. Find creative ways to add energy or a bit of the unexpected. I'm not giving away what we do - you're creative, you think of something. But, attendees will remember the fun, unusual stuff, not the rigorous important stuff, so don't forget to include it!
