UX & Product Creation Hub: When Is a Workshop the Wrong Tool to Use?

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Workshops are a powerful format for reimagining existing processes, exploring new directions, and engaging teams in creative, ethical collaboration.

But workshops must be applied consciously. In the wrong context, they can create misalignment or even unintentionally influence decisions—which is never acceptable.

🛠️ What Is a Workshop?

Google defines a workshop as an event where a group of people come together to share ideas, discuss, experiment, and collaborate—often in creative or work-related settings.

Workshops rely heavily on divergent and convergent thinking, which makes them great for exploration, but not for situations that require strictly rational or compliance-based decisions.

⚠️ When Is a Workshop the Wrong Tool to Use?

Any situation requiring rational, analytical, or rule-based decision-making should not be handled through a workshop.

These decisions need evaluation frameworks, evidence, and clear ownership—not creative ideation.

🏛️ 1. Influencing Senior Leadership Positively

Do not attempt to influence senior leadership by using workshops.

Leaders rely on clear, rational, well-structured decision-making formats — not creative facilitation.
A direct, well-prepared presentation outlining:

Use instead:

  • 🎯 The purpose

  • ➕ Pros and cons

  • 💡 The expected outcome

  • 🧭 How their support enables progress

Leaders have limited time and operate across multiple responsibilities. Respecting their time and decision-making process builds far more trust than a lengthy workshop.

🔄 2. Team Updates

Team updates do not need a workshop format.

Use instead:

Short, fast brush-up meetings that:

  • allow information to be retained more easily

  • take less time

  • reveal collaboration possibilities faster

  • show resource needs clearly

Use workshops for project kick-offs, problem exploration, or team-building — not updates.

📋 3. Action Planning

Action planning requires frameworks, sequencing, budgeting, and resource logic — areas that are not supported by creative methods.

Use instead:
Well-known project management tools and methodologies.
Project managers are trained to turn business inputs into structured action plans. Let them apply the expertise they are hired for.

🗺️ 4. Roadmaps

Do not waste workshop time on roadmapping.

Roadmaps should be created using formal prioritisation tools led by project managers or departmental leaders.

Workshops dilute prioritisation logic and slow down strategic thinking.

🔐 5. Never Finalise Rational Decisions Inside a Workshop

A workshop should end after the convergent phase. Final decisions require rational thinking: evaluation, risk assessment, ownership, timelines, and accountability.

Do instead:
End the workshop properly.
Then schedule a separate structured meeting dedicated to decision-making.

📈 Get Wiser

_____________________________

[1]. Pamela Hamilton, The Workshop Book, Pearson, 2016

https://www.google.com/search?q=workshop

Thanks Pixabay for the picture

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