Run Your First Design Workshop in 72 Hours
A practical sprint plan for designers, PMs, and reluctant facilitators
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About this book
You just got assigned a workshop. Maybe your manager dropped it on you in a meeting. Maybe a stakeholder said "we should do a working session" and everyone looked at you. Whatever happened, you've got roughly 72 hours to plan, prepare, and run a design workshop — and you've never done this before.
This book is your sprint plan. Not a philosophy book about facilitation theory. Not a 300-page reference guide you'll read someday. A day-by-day roadmap that gets you from "I have no idea what I'm doing" to "I just ran a workshop and it actually worked."
What you'll learn
- check_circle A clear workshop objective that tells participants exactly what they'll walk out with
- check_circle A participant list with the right people (and not the wrong ones)
- check_circle A timed agenda with activities that match your goal
- check_circle Facilitator scripts so you know what to say when you open the room
- check_circle Step-by-step instructions for four proven techniques
- check_circle A plan for the moments when things go sideways
- check_circle A follow-up template to send within 24 hours
Chapters
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01
You've Got 72 Hours
Your sprint plan overview — what to do each day from assignment to delivery.
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02
Day 1 — Define and Scope
Write a clear objective, choose the format, pick participants, and send the brief.
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03
Day 2 — Design Your Agenda
Build a timed agenda using the five-part structure. Pick activities and plan the energy arc.
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04
Day 3 — Set Up and Prepare
Room setup, materials, tech check, and your pre-workshop run-through.
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05
Day 4 — Facilitate
Opening the room, managing time, handling silence, and closing strong.
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06
Get Buy-In Fast
Pitching your workshop to skeptical stakeholders and getting the green light.
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07
What Happens Next
The follow-up, capturing decisions, and building momentum for the next one.
Bonus: Emergency Facilitator's Cheat Sheet
Quick-reference cards for when you need answers fast, mid-session.
Who this is for
Designers
Who've been asked to run a collaborative session for the first time.
Product Managers
Who need to align a cross-functional team around a decision.
Reluctant Facilitators
Who got volunteered and need a plan that actually works.
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Comments & Discussion
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Recent Comments (3)
This workshop was incredibly effective for our remote team! We adapted it slightly for a virtual setting and it worked wonderfully. The key was breaking into smaller breakout rooms.
Great resource! One tip: prepare all materials the day before to avoid any last-minute rushes.
Used this for our quarterly planning session. The structured approach really helped us stay on track!