Workshop / training run of show template.
A hands-on session where pacing, breaks and exercises make or break the day.
Doors at 9:00 AM.
A complete, timed run of show for a workshop / training. Every cue has an owner and a duration, so when you edit one, the show clock keeps the rest aligned.
- 9:00 AMArrivals & setupsetup · Facilitator15m
- 9:15 AMIntro & objectivessegment · Facilitator20m
- 9:35 AMModule 1 + exercisesegment · Facilitator1h
- 10:35 AMBreakbreak · Facilitator15m
- 10:50 AMModule 2 + exercisesegment · Facilitator1h
- 11:50 AMLunchmeal · Catering45m
- 12:35 PMModule 3 + group worksegment · Facilitator1h
- 1:35 PMRecap, Q&A & next stepssegment · Facilitator25m
- Define learning outcomesProgram6w before
- Book room and confirm capacityLogistics4w before
- Prepare materials and exercisesContent3w before
- Send pre-work and joining detailsGuests1w before
- Test tech, slides and handoutsProductionevent week
- Finalise the timed run of showProductionevent week
6 tasks, timed and grouped.
The weeks before, turned into a clear list with owners and due dates so nothing slips.
A workshop or training day runs on pacing more than any other event type, because the content is only useful if people can actually absorb it between exercises. The structure alternates roughly hour-long modules, each with a hands-on exercise, against short breaks and a lunch reset, and the entire day depends on those modules not overrunning. The common mistake is underestimating how long an exercise actually takes once a room full of people starts asking questions, which eats into the break or the next module and leaves no buffer before the final recap and Q&A, the part people usually remember most. The planning work happens well before the room is booked: learning outcomes get defined first, since everything else, materials, exercises and even room capacity, should support them rather than the other way around. A good workshop sends pre-work early enough that people arrive with context, and finishes with a timed run of show that has real buffer built in after the exercise-heavy modules, not just at the very end.
Frequently asked questions
How long should each module in a workshop be?
Around sixty minutes per module, including the exercise, is a common working default, with a short break afterward before starting the next one. Much longer than that without a break tends to lose focus, especially for hands-on exercises where people naturally want to discuss or ask questions rather than move straight on.
How many participants can one facilitator handle?
For genuinely hands-on exercises with individual feedback, somewhere around 15 to 20 participants per facilitator is a reasonable starting ratio, more if the format is mostly lecture with light group work. Beyond that, plan for a co-facilitator or teaching assistants so exercises do not stall waiting for help.
What is the biggest scheduling mistake in a workshop agenda?
Not building buffer time after exercise-heavy modules. Exercises almost always run a few minutes longer than planned once real questions start, and without slack in the schedule that overrun gets taken from the break or, worse, from the recap and Q&A at the end, which is usually the part attendees value most.
Use this template in Event70.
Start free and this run of show and checklist are ready to edit on a real event.
See all templates or read the planning guides.