Concluding Initial Insights

Congratulations on completing Initial Insights, the first phase in planning and building your Immunization Demand Strategy!

Next, you’ll work with workshop participants to develop your Immunization Demand Strategy.

Before your first workshop, make sure all steps in Initial Insights are complete. Skipping them can affect your strategy. Use this checklist:

Module A: Build a Team: Have a core team to lead the DSB process with team members skilled in facilitation and coordination to keep everything on track.

Module B: Gather Data: Review data before the workshops to avoid repeating work and ensure your strategy is based on evidence.

Module C: Plan and Invite Participants: Invite the right people to strengthen your strategy with their input, approval, and support.

Module D: Manage Finances: Budget for key costs like venues and stipends.

Module E: Organise Logistics: Plan early for the two workshops. Book venues, send reminders, and organise details to ensure a successful event.

📝 As you move from Initial Insights to workshop planning, review the Tips for Facilitation and Stakeholder Engagement.

Tips for Facilitation

1. Be prepared: before the workshops, take time to get comfortable with the facilitators. Familiarise yourself with each activity, and practice facilitating with your core team. Review the daily agendas and customise them if necessary, allowing time for breaks, lunch, and energisers. Select icebreakers in advance (see Tip 4 for examples), and prepare any decisions you’ll need to make ahead of time.
2. Set up clear expectations and ground rules from the beginning: start with clear instructions and establish expectations for the workshop. Introduce ground rules, like focusing on one conversation at a time and using the “Yes, and…” approach to build on others’ ideas rather than dismissing them.
   1. Remind participants that everyone’s input is valued, and that listening to diverse perspectives strengthens the group’s outcomes. Be ready to repeat or clarify as needed—because clear instructions help everyone feel comfortable, especially in a diverse group. You can even write these expectations on chart paper and showcase it at the front of the room.
3. Manage energy and engagement levels using icebreakers and energizers: workshops can be tiring, so monitor energy levels and use energisers to keep participants focused.
   1. Begin each day with an icebreaker to help people relax, and have an ice breaker after lunch breaks. Add shorter energisers as needed if the group's energy dips between modules.
   2. Here are a few examples (1,2, 3), but feel free to use any that you like!
4. Navigate power dynamics for greater inclusivity: workshops bring together participants with different personalities, roles, and backgrounds, which can create power dynamics. Here are a few strategies to help ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute.
   1. Encourage quieter participants: If someone seems hesitant to speak up, invite their input by asking directly “What do you think about this point?” Assigning them roles, like notetaker, can also help build confidence. Small group discussions and paired activities can make it easier for quiet participants to share their thoughts.
   2. Manage vocal participants: If someone dominates the conversation, gently manage their input by inviting others to respond or by encouraging written contributions. Use prompts like “That’s one viewpoint—let’s hear others” or “Do you agree, or do you have a different perspective?” to make room for additional voices.
   3. Support underrepresented groups: If gender or role-based dynamics are present, consider using groupings that encourage balanced participation, such as women-only discussions or mixed groups that balance government and community perspectives. Pay attention to dynamics and ensure that all voices, particularly those from marginalised or minority backgrounds, feel valued.
   4. Addressing power hierarchies: When participants may defer to others due to perceived power dynamics, consider using a structured turn-taking approach. Each person is given a chance to speak once. This ensures that all voices are heard, rather than only the most dominant ones. Additionally, facilitators must actively intervene to invite quieter participants into the discussion, as fostering inclusive participation is a key part of their role.
5. Keep track of time, but discreetly: consider wearing a watch. If there’s a clock in the room, ensure it’s visible but not too obvious to participants, since watching time move slowly can sap energy and focus. If you’re familiar with the plan, managing time will be easier—but remember to adjust to the participants’ pace to keep on track.
   1. If they are slow on certain activities, use a timer to gamify the task, for example, by saying: “You've got five minutes... ready, set, go!” If you’re a few minutes ahead or behind, it’s not a big problem.
   2. If you’re quite far behind and energy is low, take a quick energising break to let everyone recharge and spark creativity.
   3. For longer tasks, keep participants on track by letting them know how much time is left at fixed intervals—for example, at the halfway mark, and at the last ten and five minutes. This will allow participants to plan and wrap up the exercise more comfortably.
6. Be flexible at all times: workshop schedules aren’t fixed, so be sure to adapt to the group’s pace and engagement. Some groups work quickly, while others need more time for reflection. The goal is to achieve each module’s objectives, even if that means adjusting the agenda. If you're running behind or notice a drop in energy, introduce a short break or energiser to keep the momentum going.
7. Enjoy the process: workshops offer a unique chance to learn, connect, and facilitate meaningful dialogue. Approach each session with curiosity and a sense of fun, knowing that your role is to guide and inspire. With solid preparation and a responsive approach, you’ll help create a rewarding experience for all.

Tips for Engaging Stakeholders

To ensure effective stakeholder engagement, consider practical aspects such as:

Respecting local norms: effective stakeholder engagement requires a nuanced understanding of the individual and group dynamics in your workshop.

• Pay attention to the power structures stemming from government hierarchies or cultural norms around authority. Tailor the language and facilitation style to address these dynamics and ensure all voices are heard. For example, enabling anonymous responses, introducing smaller breakout groups, or incorporating standing activities could help flatten perceived hierarchies and foster more open engagement.
• Consider practical aspects such as the timing and structure of workshop sessions. Align these with local work schedules and religious practices, incorporating appropriate breaks to maintain participants’ focus and energy. For example, if required, plan for breaks to allow for childcare or prayer, where necessary, to maximise comfort and attention of participants. An approach that is sensitive to your participants’ needs will foster trust and receptiveness.

Learning preferences: tailor your approach based on the learning and idea-sharing preferences of your audience.

For instance, some regions may favour collaborative group discussions, while others may benefit from individual reflection time. Similarly, storytelling may resonate more than data-driven presentations in certain contexts. In this manner, adapt the activities in the toolkit to reflect the most effective learning strategies for your participants.

Pacing and support: be mindful of varying levels of familiarity with the toolkit’s concepts.

Adjust the pace and focus of your sessions to provide extra support where needed. Be flexible and responsive to the needs of your participants. Remember, you are the expert here!

You’ve completed Phase I: Initial Insights 🎉

Now that you’ve completed these steps, you’re ready to start Workshop 1. We’ll guide you through each step and help you prepare along the way.

Thank you for your hard work so far—good luck with the next phase of your DSB journey!