7. Purpose Informing method: a way to share or
exchange information between parties!
Building method: a way to solve a problem,
develop a plan, reach a decision, etc.
Roles Informally defined roles Formally defined roles
Scope Typically covers many issues with more
shallow coverage!
Deeper, focused coverage of one issue at a
time!
Length Measured in hours or half hours: 1/2 hour to 2
hours
Measured in days or half days: 1/2 day to 3
days
Prep Much shorter, determined by length and
nature of meeting
Hours of prep time per workshop hour
Meetings vs Workshops
Meetings Workshops
8. Effective workshops are
Focused
On specific questions
Actionable
The results obtained enable you to
take action
Systematic
Planned, well organized, with a goal
and a method
Objective
Minimal researcher
10. Workshops are milestones
To build buy-in On Pre-sales (for service
companies)
Kick off projects or certain
key stages
At decision-making points
11. SIX STEPS FOR WORKSHOP PLANNING AND EXECUTION
Articulate the goal
Document what information you
need in the form of questions
Align processes to groups of
questions
Conduct the workshop.
Process the information
Act
Workshop planning
The workshop
Post Workshop
1
2
3
4
5
6
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ux-workshop-agendas/
12. The building blocks of an effective
workshop design:
Goals
The desired outcome or end
result
Questions
The information that
needs to be gathered in
order to reach the goal
Processes
The activities the attendees
will do
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ux-workshop-agendas/
15. TYPICAL UX WORKSHOPS
Understanding
Workshop
Empathy
Workshop
Design Studio
Prioritization
Workshop
Design Critique
— Understand
business
requirements
— Gather existing
knowledge
— Create consensus
on plans and
priorities
— Understand who
customers or
users are
— Gain clarity and
consensus on user
needs,
motivations and
behaviors
— Build empathy
between
stakeholders and
users
— Generate a wide
set of ideas
rapidly through
sketching
— Incorporate cross-
disciplinary
perspectives
— Refine design or
solution ideas
— Refine and rank
features or ideas
— Create focus
— Build consensus
on which goals,
ideas or users to
prioritize
— Evaluate existing
content or
designs with user
needs as a lens
— Rapidly identify
quick fixes for
optimizing
— Note necessary
long- term
evolutions or
optimizations
Typical Design Process Timeline
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ux-workshop-agendas/
16. What:
Understand the current state, and create
consensus for milestones and plans
UNDERSTANDING
When:
At the beginning of a project or significant key
stages of a project
Who:
The core project team, plus any project
sponsors or champions!
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ux-workshop-agendas/
What should the output be?
A documented understanding of the current
state, as well as an action plan for moving
forward
As-is CJM
Value Proposition
Canvas
Stakeholder
Mapping
Business Model
Canvas
Lightening
Demos
Opportunity
Assessment
Workshop
17. What:
Understand and prioritize user needs before
designing a solution
EMPATHY WORKSHOP
When:
Before design begins. If stakeholders are
involved, before/as project is scoped.
Who:
Core team members, key stakeholders, and
users, if possible. Anyone with key
knowledge of user research.
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ux-workshop-agendas/
What should the output be?
Shared, documented understanding of user
needs, and, if time allows, a translation of how
those apply to the project at hand!
As-is CJM
Personas
Workshop
Needs
Statements
Empathy
Mapping
18. What:
Build consensus on which features customers
(or other stakeholders) value most, and
prioritize them
PRIORITIZATION
When:
Anytime critical decisions need to be made;
when teams need to agree on an action plan
Who:
Core team members and key decision
makers!
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ux-workshop-agendas/
What should the output be?
Consensus on how to move forward with a
path, set of features, etc., after each team
member has had a chance to contribute
$100 test
Prioritization
Grid
Story Mapping
Roadmap
Workshop
Impact Mapping Forced Ranking
19. What:
Rapidly generate a wide set of ideas that
incorporates cross- disciplinary perspectives
DESIGN STUDIO
When:
During any “diverge” or “prototype” phases of
the design cycle
Who:
The power of design studios is varied
perspective, so as diverse of roles as
possible.
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ux-workshop-agendas/
What should the output be?
After the team has diverged and explored
many ideas, a design direction should be
agreed upon and chosen.
$100 test
Prioritization
Grid
Story Mapping
Roadmap
Workshop
Impact Mapping Forced Ranking
20. What:
Ensure design decisions align to user needs
and prioritize short- and long- term fixes
DESIGN CRITIQUE
When:
Before new design projects or before deciding
on a design direction; design reviews
Who:
A small group of people (keep the size
informal and intimate) who are critical to the
design process!
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ux-workshop-agendas/
What should the output be?
Agreement on a direction for a new design (or
next phase of the design)!
Six Thinking Hats
Usability
heuristics
Silent Critique
Feasibility
validation
33. Planning
Participants
How Many? Who Are
They? Reason For
Attending?
Icebrakers
How To Position Chairs &
Tables?
Rules & Guidelines
Which Are The Agreed
Rules Of Engagement?
Time & Schedule
Agenda, Duration &
Timekeeping
Props & Materials
Exercise Material, Bells &
Name Tags
Space & Size
Is There Enough Work
Space? How To Position
Chairs & Tables?
Briefs & Instructions
How Clearly Do The
Instructions Describe The
Task?
Analog Tools
This type is too small for
presentations.
34. How Many?
Who Are They?
Reason For Attending
Background
Role
Position
PARTICIPANTS
35. Basic principles on which future
action will be based.
–Be timely: start and end the session on
time, take brief breaks, and be ready to start
when breaks are over.
–Respect each speaker: don’t take part in
side conversations; listen and ask clarifying
questions.
–Discussion and criticism should not be
focused on people
–Turn on your empathy
–All ideas are good!
–Be supportive rather than judgmental
–HAVE FUN :)
GROUND
RULES & GUIDELINES
36. 1 week before (better)
On beginning of workshop
– What are your expectations
from the planned
workshops?
– What to you want to avoid
during the workshop?
– What is the best expected
result of the workshop for
you?
EXPECTATION
38. These interactive sessions
are widely used to help
attendees to get to know
each other, feel more
comfortable in a group and
have some fun before the
official program starts
– Introduction Interviews
– Two Truths and a Lie
– Time for a Story
– Human Bingo
ICEBRACKERS
41. How Clearly Do The
Instructions Describe The
Task?
– Include a reminder of the goal or
mission of the workshop
– Explain each activity and why it
was chosen
– Provide key insights revealed
from each activity
– Provide captures of artifacts
(photos) whenever possible
– Include next steps and/or
decisions that were made
BRIEFS/INSTRUCTIONS
55. Planning
Ending
Wrap-Up & Closing
Summary Of The Session
Projector & Digital
Devices
Projector, Computers &
Adapters
Stories
Anecdotes & Cases
Relevant To The Workshop
Clothes
What Makes You Feel
Comfortable & Look
Credible?
Breaks
Pauses That Allow Rest,
Coffee & Conversations
Deliverables
Will Participants Produce
Or Present Something?
Sharing
Participants Present The
Outcome Of Their Efforts
Evaluation
How To Evaluate The
Workshop?