Delivering a Co-Development workshop

Running a co-development workshop

There are three key roles when coaching co-development:

• Coach / Facilitator – You create a safe environment and support the group to share their experiences and ideas
• Client – Each member of the group will take it in turns to play the client who sets out the issue they would like to discuss
• Consultants – All other members of the group will be the consultant and listen to the person chosen to be the client, then share their thoughts and suggestions

The group will have the opportunity to take turns being the ‘client’ and discuss any issue they would like help with. The rest of the group help tackle the issues being discussed and workshop different approaches.

Selecting a client

As the coach / facilitator, you will go around the group and ask if anybody has an issue they would like to share and discuss. You can prioritize who goes first by urgency and ask the group to vote on a chosen subject that should be a real, topical or unresolved issue.

Tip: Check what they would like to get out of being the client. For example, do they expect to be supported, challenged or questioned?

Presenting an issue to discuss

Before they share an issue with the group, it can help to take a short break and ask the person selected to be the client to prepare some notes. This will help them to be clear on what they would like to say, as they will only have about 10 minutes to present their issue.

If possible, they should include an overview of the situation, how it impacts on them, how it makes them feel and what steps they have already taken to address it. It can also help if they can add in any results achieved and what difficulties (if any) they encountered.

Tip: If possible, ask them to think of a headline statement or title (this can be humorous) that quickly sums up their issue.

During the co-development workshop

You guide the overall process and create a safe environment where everybody has the confidence to share information. It is vital the group get the most out of their time together, so ask everybody to follow SLQU and respect the opinion of others:

• Silence – No prejudices
• Listening – Active non-verbal
• Questioning – Open and supportive
• Understanding – Different viewpoints, reality and beliefs

At the end of the workshop

It can be helpful to get feedback on impressions of the session from the group and ask them to share what they have learned. Remember, whoever played the client will have an opportunity to provide an update on progress at the start of the next session.

Tip: It may be helpful to check in with them ahead of the next session to see how they are doing and ensure they will be ready to present back to the group. But remind them to keep their quick update brief as it should not become a new discussion.

Closing the final session

When coaching co-development, the group will normally meet for half-day workshop sessions between three and six times over a six month period. The final session is an opportunity to bring everybody together one last time for an update on the progress being made (if anybody is working through an issue discussed with the group) and to reflect back on what they have each learned from their time together.

A variety of approaches can be used for the final feedback session on what they have learned and should include a mix of the following:

• Individual perspective
• Sub-group thinking if similar issues were raised
• Whole group feedback

Tip: Ahead of the final session you may want to quickly check in with each member of the group to help them prepare for their final update. You can also ask them to think about the things they have learned from their time in the group.

Optional: If you scheduled the correct number of sessions required by the group, they will have exhausted the issues they want to share. This will depend largely on the complexity of issues being discussed and any progress made, so you may wish to offer some ongoing or ad-hoc support if needed. This can be through 121 coaching or by offering the opportunity for any individuals interested in continuing to join a new group.

Whatever the reason for people joining a co-development workshop, your role as the coach or facilitator is to help everybody get the maximum benefit from the experience. And no matter if they are a group of individuals who do not know each other, or a group of colleagues who regularly work together, they should all gain valuable insight.

This may be the first time they are getting insight from a range of different perspectives or viewpoints and should give them the opportunity to share and explore issues with others in a safe environment, so they can find the solution that works for them.

Further reading:

If you would like to set up and run co-development sessions, check out our kit in the online shop:

• Kit – Running a co-development session – This kit has everything you need to set-up and run a co-development workshop, designed to bring a small group of people together to discuss issues they would like to share and explore with others.

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