Workshop Organisation - Contextualisation

Contextualisation is a fancy word for the process of making sure that your training programme blends easily and effortlessly into the local situation.

No two groups of trainees is ever exactly the same so even if you have dealt with the topic many times before your materials will probably need fine tuning - if only to the extent of being able to give local illustrative examples. The more that you can demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the details of the local situation the more the trainees are likely to value what you say.

You may also discover that what the organisers want is not the same as what the trainees want or what you feel that they really need - so you might have to act as go-between/ advisor as part of the process of negotiating your Terms of Reference.

If you have good answers to each of the following questions then you can be confident that you are well contextualised.

What do the Organisers want?

If there are no official terms of reference are you as the trainer clear about what is expected of you? If not ask. (See Workshop Organisation - the Logistical Aspects)

What Administrative Support and Materials are already available?

Are you on your own or are there people who can help you? (See Workshop Organisation - the Logistical Aspects)

What do the trainees know?

Has a needs analysis already been done (eg an output from a previous workshop)?
Can you visit some trainees in their workplace to get a better feel for their self defined training needs. What about their customers? Is serious research required here?

Is there a need to brainstorm and conceptually map at the beginning of the workshop?

What does the trainer know?

What is the trainer's conceptual map before preparing for the workshop?

What reference materials are to be consulted? (Local and National)

Are there previous workshop agendas/outputs or research findings?

What literature should be addressed? (Written/Electronic; published/grey)

What videos & resource materials etc might be consulted

What materials are already available within the organisation?

Which local 'experts' might be usefully consulted?

What is the trainer's conceptual map after preparing for the workshop?

What are the aims and objectives of the workshop in terms of:

the desired changes in knowledge skills and attitudes of the participants and how will we know if we have been successful?

the concepts developed and recorded and materials produced for use at future workshops and/or as circulars, exemplars, Newsletter or Journal articles etc

Have the logistics been attended to?

Work your way systematically through the logistical aspects at an early stage. Leaving things to the last minute can be very stressful.

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