Designing and Delivering Experiential Training

 

The GRASP method to designing and delivering training

When designing a training session or workshop, I use the GRASP method as a guide. The elements don’t have to be followed in the order they are spelled out, but I often begin with the G and the P.

GRASP stands for Goal, Relevance, Application, Structure, and Participation.

Goal

What is the overall goal and purpose of the exercise or training?

  • What learning are you hoping to draw out through this particular activity?
  • Why are you doing it at all? Is the purpose clear from the beginning, or will it emerge during the exercise or debrief?

Relevance

How is the exercise relevant to the overall training and to the participants themselves?

  • How are they likely to connect with the activity and the embedded learning?
  • What debrief questions will help them link the experience to their real life and work?

(Tip: strong, well-phrased debrief questions often make the difference between “fun activity” and “meaningful learning.”)

Application

How can participants apply the learning to the real world?

  • Can they write about it, talk about it, or set goals to practice it?
  • Can you build in moments where they commit to specific next steps?

Application turns insight into action.

Structure

How will you structure the setup and delivery?

  • Consider the physical environment and the social setup.
  • What is the sequence — beginning, middle, and end?
  • How will you wrap it up so people remember it?

Some ways to close a session include: Summarizing key learnings, Sharing a graphic, acronym, or story, Presenting research or evidence that reinforces the point.

Always ask yourself: What do I want participants to experience, feel, think, do, or change? Prepare your questions to elicit these outcomes.

Participation

How can you keep participants actively engaged throughout?

  • Can you capture their attention from the start and maintain it?
  • How can you build in regular shifts of activity, ideally every 10–20 minutes?

Examples of participatory methods include:

  • Breaking into small groups for discussion
  • Pair-and-share reflections
  • Writing down key takeaways
  • Role plays or simulations
  • Experiential exercises
  • Walking discussions
  • Short questionnaires or quizzes
  • Reflection or journaling time
  • Peer teaching (participants explain concepts to one another)
  • Group brainstorming in smaller teams
  • Structured debates on opposing concepts
  • Action planning exercises
  • Asking open-ended questions
  • Summarizing in small groups (e.g., “In 3s, recap what we covered in the last 45 minutes”)


 




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