Advanced Facilitation Techniques

Abstract

Group dynamics and group decision-making are key components of project and organization success. Unfortunately, many groups struggle to communicate and achieve their desired outcomes. Facilitation is the key skill that allows business analysts to support groups to find success.

This 2-day course explores the role of the facilitator in helping groups to set and achieve their collective goals. Using experiential learning, this course allows students to work with various facilitation techniques such as visioning, sequential questioning, gallery walk, and multi-voting. In addition to presenting facilitation best practices and theory, this course allows students to develop their constructive feedback and leadership skills. At the completion of the course, students will have completed a multi-session facilitation of a group problem-solving project.

The contents of this course are aligned with the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) core competencies.

Learning Objectives

Participants will gain practical skills to:

  • Define facilitation and the role of the facilitator
  • Create collaborative client relationships.
  • Plan appropriate group processes.
  • Create and sustain a participatory environment.
  • Guide a group with clear methods and processes.

 

Who Should Attend

The Advanced Facilitation Techniques course is appropriate for individuals who are:

  • Business Analysts
  • Project Managers
  • Senior Managers, Product Managers
  • Developers, Quality Assurance resources
  • Subject matter experts, other project resources

 

Prerequisite

There is no formal pre-requisite for this course; however, as this is an advanced course, it is expected that participants have relevant work experience and training to draw upon to help them understand how to incorporate the new practices introduced in this course into their work practices. 

Materials

The course binder contains presentation content, case studies, exercises, and suggested solutions.

What You Will Learn

Introduction

  • Define the role of the facilitator.
  • Distinguish process from content.
  • Identify the client of the facilitation.

 

Create Collaborative Client Relationships

  • Develop a working partnership with the client.
  • Use the visioning technique to establish goals for the facilitation.
  • Design facilitation application to meet client needs.
  • Use the sequential question technique to diagnose the client need.
  • Manage multi-session event effectively.
  • Use the appreciative review technique to assess client feedback.

 

Plan Appropriate Group Processes

  • Select clear methods and processes.
  • Use the troubleshooting technique to identify weaknesses in the approach.
  • Prepare time and space to support group processes.

Create and Sustain a Participatory Environment

  • Communicate effectively in participatory and interpersonal environments.
  • Use facilitated listening to develop the listening skills of clients.
  • Ensure inclusiveness by honoring and recognizing diversity.
  • Use written brainstorming to include participants with varied communication styles.
  • Manage group conflict.
  • Use the needs and offers dialogues technique to mediate negotiations.
  • Evoke group creativity.
  • Use the gallery walk technique to encourage group creativity.

 

Guide the Group to Appropriate and Useful Outcomes

  • Guide the group with clear methods and processes.
  • Use constructive criticism to evaluate decision options.
  • Facilitate group self-awareness about its task.
  • Use exit surveys to promote self-awareness.
  • Guide the group to consensus and desired outcomes.
  • Use decision grids to evaluate decision options.
  • Use multi-voting to reach group consensus.

 

Wrap Up

BA Courses