"Begin With the End in Mind" is NOT Only a Cliche

Stephen Covey's book "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" is so rich in content that I find myself still using and learning from it 11 years after my initial read.  I cannot count the number of times I have referenced "begin with the end in mind" when coaching Subject Matter Experts (SME's) to develop training, advising colleagues on how to create powerful presentations or creating training myself.  It's not just a cliche.  It can be a powerful tool in the presenting and training worlds.

As an instructional designer for over 10 years, each time I sit down to create a training, I "begin with the end in mind".  What do the learners need to know, do, and apply when they walk out of training?  What is the end experience you are striving to create for them?  There is so much information on every topic imaginable, it is often difficult to sift through it all to decide what is important. 

Whether you are creating a training, a presentation or simply an agenda for a meeting, there are some helpful questions to ask yourself that will allow you focus on the end goal—thereby saving you time, while producing an impactful facilitation.

​Step 1: Analyze
Who is my audience? What are the audience's characteristics that affect the content and how it is delivered? What is my topic?  What is the amount of time allotted for the facilitation? What is the goal of the facilitation?  Why would the participants want to attend the facilitation?

Step 2: Create/Develop
What are the objectives that will fulfill the goal of the facilitation?  What do participants need to know/be able to do when they leave? How do you plan to accomplish the objective(s)? 

Step 3: Execution/Delivery
Is PowerPoint visually helpful for this facilitation?  Is this meeting necessary or will an email accomplish the goal(s)? Would an activity help the participants better understand the content?  Does this facilitation need to be face-to-face, or can it be online or a webinar?  How can I deliver the content without being a boring lecturer?

Asking yourself these questions before you even begin to sift through the plethora of information will help you focus and create a better product.

After all these years, I still get lost sometimes in the sea of information.  I get caught up in reading, learning, the "ooh shiny" moments, and the "that's not what I'm looking for" frustration.  What do I do?  Take a deep breath.  Regain focus.  And remind myself to "begin with the end in mind". 
 
By: Michele Hillary