We recently wrapped a blended cohort project that kicked off with an in-person meeting during a larger summit and expanded into 4 monthly online live facilitated sessions. The client leveraged our services to design the experience and to provide strategic consultation throughout.
The cohort focused on preparing multi-agency teams to do community activism and meet the requirements of large grants they were recently awarded. The subject matter that was complex and critical and would have a significant impact on the lives of real people.
We knew the program needed to build connections, give overwhelmed professionals a space to work through challenges, and help those professionals reach their end goals-- not just teach them some definitons. We included a lot of hands-on activities, discussions, and project-based learning, as well as online community to support these needs.
With that, also came the need to embrace sentiment analysis and continuous improvement throughout the cohort. Facilitators and designers had a strong, scaffolded plan of action and community strategy to drive the program, but the experience continued to evolve over the course of the program.
Evolution comes with a time and energy cost, though. Faciltiators had to schedule in preparation time and debriefs, identify content in the coming weeks that might need to be adjust based on learner feedback and interests, adjust facilitator guides, and collaborate with our team to edit learning materials.
The question I asked the client team during our final meeting was:
"Was the effort worth the impact?"
To which we got an emphatic, "YES!"
But that moment of asking them if their work was worth what came from it was a moment of reflection for our team. We began to define how we determine when the energy is worth the impact in training, particularly with cohorts and facilitation. Because it isn't always.
And that is how our Impact-Energy Matrix was born.
The Impact-Energy Matrix
The Impact-Energy Matrix is a practical tool that helps you prioritize training tasks and initiatives by balancing their potential impact against the energy or resources they require.
Here’s how it works:
High Impact, Low Energy (Quick Wins): These are the tasks that give you the most bang for your buck. They’re easy to implement but make a big difference—think of them as your low-hanging fruit.
High Impact, High Energy (Major Projects): These are the game-changers. They require a significant investment of time and resources but have the potential to really move the needle. Plan and execute these carefully.
Low Impact, Low Energy (Low-Hanging Fruit): These tasks are quick and easy but don’t make a huge difference. They’re nice to have done but won’t change the world.
Low Impact, High Energy (Avoid/Delegate): These are the tasks that take up a lot of energy without delivering much in return. Wherever possible, delegate these or reconsider their necessity.
Using the Impact-Energy Matrix helps you stay focused on the tasks that drive the most value, ensuring that your efforts are always aligned with your goals. It’s all about working smarter, not harder.
Impact-Energy Matrix for Facilitation
Let's take a look at how common facilitation tasks get prioritized according to the Impact-Energy Matrix.
High Impact, Low Energy (Quick Wins)
These are the activities that significantly enhance the learning experience with minimal effort from the facilitator:
Using Polls or Quick Feedback Tools: Instantly gauge learner understanding and engagement through simple polls or feedback tools (e.g., Mentimeter, Slido).
Establishing Ground Rules: Setting clear expectations at the start of the session to create a focused and respectful learning environment.
Incorporating Relevant Anecdotes or Examples: Sharing quick, real-world examples that resonate with learners to reinforce concepts without extensive preparation.
Encouraging Peer Discussions: Prompting learners to discuss topics in pairs or small groups, which promotes engagement and deeper understanding with minimal facilitator intervention.
High Impact, High Energy (Major Projects)
These are significant facilitation tasks that require considerable effort but greatly improve the learning experience:
Real-Time Customization of Content: Adapting the session content on the fly based on learner needs or feedback, ensuring the material remains relevant and impactful.
Facilitating Complex Group Activities: Leading intricate group exercises or role-plays that require close monitoring and guidance but deeply engage learners.
Providing Personalized Feedback: Offering detailed, tailored feedback to learners during or after sessions, which requires time and attention but significantly enhances learning outcomes.
Moderating an Online Community: Actively managing and engaging with an online learning community. This can involve facilitating discussions, addressing questions, and ensuring a positive, productive environment. While highly impactful, it requires consistent effort and attention to maintain the community’s quality and engagement.
Low Impact, Low Energy (Low-Hanging Fruit)
These are low-effort tasks that, while easy to do, don't dramatically change the outcome of the session:
Basic Icebreakers: Simple introductory activities that warm up the group but don’t necessarily contribute to deeper learning.
Routine Administrative Announcements: Making logistical or housekeeping announcements, which are necessary but have little direct impact on learning.
Providing Pre-Made Handouts: Distributing pre-prepared handouts with little customization or interaction, which offers limited added value.
Tracking Attendance: Marking attendance, which is a routine task that doesn’t influence the session’s quality but is required.
Low Impact, High Energy (Avoid/Delegate)
These tasks are energy-intensive but don’t significantly enhance the facilitation experience and are best minimized or delegated:
Overloading with Extra Content: Trying to cover too much material in a single session, which can overwhelm learners without adding significant value.
Overly Detailed Session Summaries: Creating and delivering extensive summaries at the end of the session, which can be time-consuming and redundant if the main points have been covered effectively.
Managing Technical Issues Alone: Troubleshooting extensive technical problems during the session without support, which can derail the flow and distract from facilitation.
Handling All Administrative Tasks: Taking on all administrative duties (e.g., managing participant lists, coordinating follow-ups) that could be delegated to support staff, freeing up energy for facilitation.
When we look at our cohort plan, we can see why the energy demands were high while it was a significantly impactful program. Facilitators had to do just about everything on this list except those listed in the low impact, high-energy column.
Again, the energy was worth the impact.
Applying the Matrix
As you build, particularly if you're going to build a cohort experience like the one we've outlined, consider your organization's priorities and the potential impact your program has. Then, use the Impact-Energy Matrix to determine if the energy required makes sense for this use case.
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