One DHS People, Access and Culture · Learning path · I'm planning a session
Planning a learning or facilitation session
You have a session to lead and want participants to leave with something they can use in their work.
Outcome: By the end, you will have a reusable session plan with a clear objective, an activity based on real work, something useful participants can take with them, and access arrangements made in advance.
Situations that may fit this path
A training, huddle, or equity-at-work session you are running
A session that must produce application, not attendance
Six steps to work through in order
Begin with what participants will use — Use Ask to consider what participants should leave with and how to shape the session around that result. · Ask a question — program page /ask?path=gp-5
Consider community context (If relevant) — If the session centers Minnesota communities, use the relevant brief with care and stay within its stated limits. · Explore Minnesota Communities — program page /minnesota-communities
Choose practical resources — Use the session plan template, facilitation learning guide, and access checklist as needed. · Session plan template — program page /library/ja-facilitation-session-plan · Facilitation that leads to practical use — program page /library/lm-facilitation-application · Access checks before a session — program page /library/ja-access-checks
Draft your session plan — Include the objective, activity, work participants will complete, accessibility arrangements, and follow-up. Use the downloaded checklist to write your answers in a tool you normally use. This page does not save them.
Review your work — Confirm that participants will leave with something useful, the access arrangements are specific, and the follow-up has a date.
Talk it through with a consultant (optional) — A consultation can help when you would like another person to think through the session with you after using these resources. · Request a consultation — program page /support/request?path=gp-5
What a useful result looks like
Still needs work
Slides without time to practice
No useful work for participants to take with them
Controls or directions shown only with icons
Ready to use
A clear objective, practice with real work, and notes on assistive technology and plain language
Session plan
Useful work participants will leave with (required)
Describe what they will complete and how they will use it next.
Accessibility arrangements (required)
Consider captions or CART, materials shared in advance, alternatives to dragging or timed activities, plain-language slides, and text labels for every control.
What you chose not to assume about participants (required)
Note what you still need to learn about participants' needs and experience.
Who is responsible for follow-up (required)
Name who will learn whether participants were able to use what they completed.
Review your notes against
Every follow-up has a named owner
A next review date is set
This is connected to your specific work
Language, disability, and communication access were considered for this work
You named who was involved and the role they had
You noted what you chose not to assume
Participants leave with something they can use
Questions to bring to Ask
How do I plan a 60-minute session that produces something participants use?
What access arrangements should be in place before a session?
What should participants leave with that they can use in their work?