Sophie Steiger
AI & Innovation in Facilitation
Sophie explores where intelligent tools meet human collaboration. She writes about AI-assisted workshop design, the evolving role of the facilitator, and how platforms like Workshop Weaver are changing what's possible.
8 articles by Sophie Steiger
The Perfect Kickoff Workshop Agenda
A proven half-day kickoff workshop agenda — with check-in, context setting, team alignment, working agreements, and first steps.
The Hidden Cost of a Poorly Planned Workshop
Map the full cost of undercooked workshops: participant salary × hours, opportunity cost of unmade decisions, follow-up meetings, and reputation erosion for external facilitators.
What Systemic Complexity Actually Means for Your Workshop Design
Can structured prompts and AI pattern-matching surface organisational dynamics that humans — embedded in the system and subject to its politics — wouldn't name out loud?
Icebreakers That Don't Insult Your Participants' Intelligence
This article shows how to open workshops with warm-up activities that work for senior participants and time-pressed groups. It focuses on principles for professional warm-ups rather than a list of activities.
The Meeting You Should Have Instead of a Workshop
Argues that workshops are over-used and many situations would be better served by a focused meeting, async document, or 1:1 conversations. Includes a decision tree for choosing the right format.
The Second-Workshop Problem: When Clients Want to Run It Again Without You
This article addresses the professional facilitator's dilemma when clients want to replicate a successful workshop themselves. It explores business models and how to protect value while maintaining client relationships.
The 72-Hour Rule for Workshop Follow-Up
This article examines what happens in the three days after a workshop ends and why this window determines whether outcomes stick or dissolve. It presents a practical 72-hour follow-up protocol for professional facilitators.
The Workshop Formats You Think You Need AI For (But Don't)
This article makes the case that certain workshop types don't benefit from AI planning tools, and that's fine. It provides clear decision criteria for when AI helps and when simple templates are enough.