creating-a-participantfacilitator-guide-templates-and-tools-final.pdf

Creating a Participant/
Facilitator Guide
ATD MEMBER-ONLY TOOLS

Introduction
Creating a participant guide, including guidance for the facilitator, is a great way to support the valuable
learning experiences you provide. A participant/facilitator guide may include traditional components such as
text and illustrations as well as additional support material such as an appendix with references and job aids.
Keep learning objectives and the learner experience in mind to promote the transfer of the learning to the job.
When establishing the elements of a participant/facilitator guide, consider these points:
Determine Support Materials

Include reference materials: When creating participant/
facilitator guides, make choices regarding material to include
to optimize training time. No two learners are the same. To help
address varying backgrounds, interests, and responsibilities,
include references such as links to use outside training as well
as organizational or research material to appeal to a variety of
learners.

Create job aids: Creating job aids to include in the participant
guide/facilitator guide allows learners quick reference to relevant
material on the job. Confirm the delivery method, as interactive
digital job aids may provide quick access and annotation
opportunities to meet learners’ needs on the job.
Promote “Chunking”

Outline relevant headings: When creating an outline, document
relevant headings to help organize the content into manageable
chunks. Facilitators can use these headings as guideposts for the
flow, and learners can use these headings for quick reference.

Use lean text: Present the words in brief segments to manage
cognitive load. The lean text promotes form and function,
appealing visually and providing access to salient points.
Use Illustrations

Select effective images: Use learning objectives to determine
images that add to the learning experience. Highlight connections
to help learners understand concepts. Consider the source of
illustrations—internal creations or external purchases.

Display process diagrams: In addition to relevant images, display
process diagrams to guide learners through procedures they will
use on the job. Process diagrams can illustrate steps as well as
decisions with associated consequences, showcasing ideal effects.
Focus on the Job

Use learning objectives as a guide: Learning objectives, aligned
with desired organizational outcomes, serve as a foundation for
what to include in a participant/facilitator guide. When choosing
content, ensure it supports learners’ success on the job.

Address processes: To support a focus on the job, include
processes that align with ideal performance. Include steps,
decisions to be made, and annotated illustrations of situations
learners will experience on the job.
Find more tools at td.org/MemberTools CREATING A PARTICIPANT/FACILITATOR GUIDE | 2
Creating a Participant/Facilitator Guide
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Creating an Outline
Staring at a blank screen can be daunting, so use an outline to get started. Begin by creating a
framework for your participant guide or documenting notes for guiding your facilitator. Which
one you do first may depend on your comfort level with the material, how much content you
already have, and the facilitators’ needs. Review your analysis findings to decide whether to
create facilitator guidance before developing the content for the participant guide.
The participant guide helps learners during the learning experience and offers reference
material on the job. Consider these steps when creating a participant guide outline:
Hierarchical Structure
Use the results of your task analysis
to support a structure of modules,
lessons, and topics. For example:
Compare Titles with Learning
Objectives to Confirm:
 alignment
 targeted content.
Create a Map to Support
Learning Needs with:
 text
 illustrations
 exercises.
JOB
RESULTS
MODULE
TITLES
TASKS
LESSON
TITLE
KNOWLEDGE
AND SKILLS
TOPIC TITLE
SUPPORTS
Sequencing Options
Focus on the Job

Arrange content according to performance.
 Illustrate the ideal approach.
By Topic

Organize by on-the-job experiences, not in
any particular order.
 Support learning objectives.
By Tasks or Features

Use for brief sessions with
stand-alone concepts.
 Establish value.
 Provide reference material.
 Support e-learning and microlearning.
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The facilitator guide gives instructors a plan for the learning experience. Instructors use
the pointers, notes, and directions to prepare for and lead the program.
Consider these steps when creating a facilitator guide outline:
Course Pointers
Outline the course agenda and timing, including the:

overall plan

progress milestones.
Create a supplies list to confirm:
 equipment

learning materials.
High-Level Module Notes
Preparation:

Confirm policies and procedures.

Document success stories.

Outline demonstration.
Specific module timing:

Follow course agenda.

Illustrate the timing of breaks and exercises.
Purpose statement:

State the benefits for the learner and the
organization.

Establish a module introduction statement.
Key points:

Highlight expectations.

Confirm content.

Assess comprehension.
Directions Throughout Module
Specific lesson timing:

Highlight at the beginning.

Offer a checkpoint.

Outline demonstration.
Presentation tool use:

Indicate slide or other visual aid (diagram or chart).

Provide thumbnail sketches.
Words to Use
Consider the necessary level of detail:
 need for consistency

support for subject matter experts (smes)

guidance for new facilitators
Examples of script and instructions:

SAY: provide text to communicate to learners

DISCUSS: illustrate concepts to support an
exchange with learners

ASK: list questions such as opening polls and
knowledge checks

DO: outline instructions for actions such as
demonstrations and exercises
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Using a Template
You’ve decided what you want to include and how you want to approach your participant/
facilitator guide. Now it is time to begin creating the actual materials. Using a template,
including confirming the format of facilitator guidance, promotes an efficient development
process and creates consistency in formatting.
Here are a few tips:
Confirm Branding Requirements and the
Availability of Existing Templates:
Meet with your marketing department or those who are
responsible for communication or documentation. Determine
whether your organization already has standard documents from
which you could create a participant guide.
Seek Approval of New Designs:
If you do not have an organizational standard, create sample
designs and present the samples to your stakeholders. You may
choose to circulate the examples digitally or hold a meeting
to gather feedback. Edit your samples accordingly before
developing the participant/facilitator guide. Involve facilitators
who will use the facilitator guides to determine what will work
for them.
Include Hidden Text for the
Facilitator Guidance:
When you use hidden text, you may have to get creative with
formatting. For example, having multiple pages of facilitator
guidance will diminish the value of one participant/facilitator
guide. Instead, use any white space available such as on the side
of the participant guide text under headings, in tables reserved
for learners to document notes, and at the bottom of participant
guide text. Another idea is to format the hidden text in a different
color, so it stands out when printed or viewed electronically.
Confirm the Production Process:
Templates can support the production process. To complete
compilation of the participant guide/facilitator guide, consider
including title pages for the whole course and individual modules,
a table of contents, an index, and an appendix. The templates
you use may include styles for these additional elements to
produce polished materials.
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Reviewing Samples
The following are examples of participant/facilitator guides for your consideration.
Note the callouts, highlighting various items you may wish to include in your materials.
Facilitator Action Items
ASK: What do you use to help you as you prepare a training delivery? Are you using a
model or outline?
SAY: Everything we do can be described as a process—the steps taken to reach the end
result. When we follow the process, it leads to desired or planned results. Trainers have
a process to achieve results.
DO: Provide an overview of the training cycle and explain that it can guide their training
cycle for training deliveries, and will also serve as the structure of this three-day course.
SAY:

Starting with Purpose and Assessment, the steps of the trainer’s process build on
one another. A trainer must be certain that training is the best solution, and this will
be clarified using Purpose and Assessment.
 The Planning and Preparation step is the key to success for everything, including
training.
 The Presentation and Facilitation step may be seen as the trainer’s core product,
although there are many other critical aspects fro a totally successful result.

Even though the presentation continues to be the easiest to observe, Evaluation
and Performance is truly the measure of success.
A trainer’s process beings with the knowledge that training
is the solution. Starting with understanding the purpose,
trainers move through a cycle: Purpose and Assessment,
Planning and Preparation, Presentation and Facilitatoin, and
Evaluation and Performance.
PURPOSE AND
ASSESSMENT
PRESENTATION
AND
FACILITATION
PLANNING AND
PREPARATION
EVALUATION
AND
PERFORMANCE
TRAINING
CYCLE
EXPOSITORY TEXT
ILLUSTRATION
Participant Guide Sample
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Activity 3: Assumptions
and Applications
Module 2: Planning and Preparation
Participant/Facilitator Guide Style Tips
Confirm Delivery Method: Determine whether learners and
facilitators will receive materials in hard copy or electronically.
If electronically, investigate the devices used since this may
inform style choices. For example, create an editable pdf for
learners’ notetaking opportunities and format for viewing
facilitator guidance on a mobile device.
Determine a Writing Style: Be clear and concise, using brief
sentences and simple words. Confirm the desired tone with
stakeholders to maintain engagement with your learners.
Format for Quick Reference: Learners want to access relevant
information with ease during the learning experience and as
a resource back at work. Use information mapping principles,
such as structuring material into tables or bulleted lists, to
promote access to details in the content.
Establish Consistent Formatting: While we address the use
of templates, consider the learners’ perspective. Consistent
formatting provides ease of access to the material, saving
learners’ time.
Annotate Guidance: Use lean text and limit the number of
notes in an image or diagram to what learners need to know,
not everything there is to know. To provide explanations,
consider connecting to tables that contain expository text.
Embrace Graphic Design Fundamentals: Visual appeal
supports the learning experience by making your materials
easy to digest. For example, using styles helps you quickly
format text and graphics and promotes consistency
throughout your participant/facilitator guide.
Assumption
What would you do in your training programs to
address this assumption?
Adults learn because they
want to or have to learn.
Trainers must clearly state the answer to “What’s in
it for me?”
Adults have different
learning styles.
Design to accomodate all the learning styles by
including variety with technology, such as slides and
sounds for in-person and online sessions; modify
your training style.
Adults learn best in an
informal atmosphere.
Provide a climate of mutual respect, support, and
friendliness; be non-judgemental. In online sessions,
make sure that learners understand how they can
participate at any time using the chat feature,
in addition to having opportunities to use other
interactive tools such as the text tool to write on
the presentation screen and polling features.
Instructions
Trainers turn assumptions into application to ensure that adults have the most success
possible in every learning setting. What is your responsibility in each instance below?
TABLE
FG: FACILITATOR
GUIDANCE
ACTIVITY TITLE
MODULE TITLE
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