Jul 06, 2021 Designing the Experience: The Importance of Thoughtful Sequencing

This summer I am facilitating a number of facilitation workshops for college student leaders. One of the most important topics we explore is the essential practice of sequencing which is of course relevant for both online and in-person facilitation. Here is a post from the blog archives on this subject. Excerpt from Chapter 3 of the Tips & Tools for the Art of Experiential Group Facilitation book by Jen Stanchfield (2016)

Throughout my book Tips & Tools for the Art of Experiential Group Facilitation, I compare the role of the facilitator to that of a chef. As with cooking, facilitation is an art that involves a combination of practice, observation, knowledge of theory, and creativity. Effective group facilitators act as good chefs do, adding together the essential elements in the right amounts at the right time to create a palatable and hopefully meaningful experience. Through careful observation of all the elements involved in a group’s personality and setting, the facilitator can intentionally choose and order activities to maximize learning opportunities. Many educators and facilitators call this important aspect of facilitation and teaching “sequencing.”

sequencing: the careful ordering of group activities based on the group’s needs, goals, and setting. 

Sequencing involves consciously and thoughtfully presenting activities in a specific order to maximize learning outcomes and maintain the emotional and physical safety of the group. Being observant and intentional in your planning, presentation, and evaluation of activities is an essential aspect of effective group facilitation, teaching, and team-building.

There is no one specific recipe for sequencing programs. There are as many variations as there are groups. Cooking allows a lot of room for creativity, style, and adaptation; however, there are essential rules and ingredients needed for a cake to rise or a sauce to thicken. The same is true with group facilitation. Approach sequencing as a dynamic process that takes into careful consideration the personality and dynamics of the group, your strengths and style as an educator, participant’s emotional and physical safety, the group’s goals and agenda, available activities and materials, allotted time, and the physical environment.

The timing and ordering of ingredients are key to the success of many dishes. Ingredients often need to be added in a certain amount, a specific order, and then cooked for just the right duration for best results. Effective facilitators are aware of the importance of activity choices, and the ordering and timing of experiences. They pay attention to the group development process and allow time for trust building. A good facilitator does as a chef does, rather than delivering a set menu for all situations, they adapt the components of facilitation to fit the specific needs, size and dynamics of their group.

The successful facilitator begins the group experience in a way that invites buy-in rather than forces participation. This process might look different for different groups. For example, with large groups I buck tradition and take research on the brain and learning into account. Rather than ask everyone to go around and introduce themselves first thing, I offer a series of partner and small group activities that give participants a chance to warm up and create connections with each other in a more organic way. When interpersonal connections and a sense of community are appropriately developed, sharing will go further and be more meaningful. Allow time for this to happen by choosing activities that build upon each other. When sequencing learning, be sensitive to the time of day and the physical comfort and attention span of group members.

Be clear with participants about the program’s expectations, the type of activities in which they will be participating, and give opportunities for group members to share their needs and expectations. There are a variety of ways in which this can be done—through pre-group information, at the beginning as part of logistics conversations about the schedule and breaks, and then throughout the program with regular check-ins with the group. It doesn’t have to give away the novelty of your approach. Think of it as empowering participants with needed information.

Balance the level of the activity or challenge with the participants’ abilities to meet it. Continually observe your groups to be sure the selected activities fit their needs, goals, and the specific situations. At the same time, be sensitive to individual group member’s needs for support. The time needed for participants to create relationships and build trust is different for every group. I carefully plan “indicator” activities at different phases of a program that give me a sense of the groups’ readiness to move on to the next phase of group development. For ex-ample, before going to a challenge course and teaching safety systems, facilitate a series of partner tag activities that involve moving around in a small space, appropriate physical contact, and the need for being aware of those around you. This introduces the idea of appropriate touch and close personal space important to the spotting techniques. It also helps evaluate whether the group is engaged and ready to take the responsibility of balancing fun with safe, focused behavior.

Flexibility in dealing with the unexpected is key. Listen to your group and be prepared to change your plan midstream in order to adapt to the ever-changing needs of the group and to take advantage of new opportunities for learning that emerge as a group works together. Careful sequencing maximizes participation by al-lowing people to engage at a pace that works for them. Experiential group work can be very powerful. If groups are ready to engage in the process, great things can occur. Conversely, if a group is not emotionally or physically ready to encounter certain learning adventures, the experience could be damaging or inhibit growth and learning.

Sequencing Suggestions

• Prepare a continuum of activities that build upon each other. Having activities in your “back pocket” allows you to be ready to deal with changes in direction and learning opportunities.
• Be flexible enough to throw out or let go of that well-developed plan if the group’s needs are different than expected.
• Be thoughtful about how you facilitate the “introductions” phase of a program. A whole circle go-around first thing can be intimidating to some and tedious to others. When the formal whole group introduction comes after some rapport-building activities, participants are more comfortable sharing and more curious about the other people in the room.
• Select some indicator activities to help you read and evaluate the group and decide the next best step in the group process.
• Let participants know what is expected of them and the type of activities in which they will be participating. Informed consent empowers people with choice.
• Continually observe your group and re-evaluate your plans in order to be sure the activities fit the needs and goals of the group and the specific situation.
• Be sensitive to the time of day and physical environment.
• Take time to build relationships and trust between group members.
• Talk with the program leader or previous facilitator about group goals, expectations, and personalities. Balance this information with your own perceptions and experience of the group.
• Be prepared for and ready to welcome the unexpected opportunities and challenges that arise in facilitation.
• Take advantage of teachable moments. Ongoing processing or reflection is key to moving learning forward. Reflective practice is best when it is a continual and dynamic part of your lessons, not just something done as a follow-up.

Recognize that each group is unique and participates in activities differently. Even when working with groups with similar characteristics, in the same setting, with the same program goals, I have found that the actual lesson plan changes with each group in response to that group’s particular personality and needs. Activities you carefully plan prior to a workshop or group session may be specifically relevant to one group’s personality and needs and not another’s. This is one of the exciting aspects of group facilitation.

There is great variety in group experience, and varying opportunities facilitate learning. With experience, facilitators develop the art of reading their group and adjusting activities in creative ways through-out group process to move learning and change forward. This is the beauty of experiential education, nurturing spontaneity of experience to take advantage of teachable moments. The art is in balancing this spontaneity and creativity with key ingredients and timing to make it all come together successfully.