Dealing with Problematic People in Design Workshops

It is quite common for participants to go off-topic during workshops. This usually happens when people don’t have the right platform to make themselves heard. For example, your design discussion may be steered towards marketing efforts by a marketing team member who hasn’t had a chance to express their views outside of the workshop. As a facilitator, you should follow the following recommendations:

• Do not openly reprimand participants for going off-topic
• Try to identify the cause of distraction by asking the distractor to clarify their point
• Gently try to reframe the conversation if it becomes clear that it is off-topic

For example, you may ask the erring marketing team member to elaborate on why they believe marketing efforts must be discussed on priority. You never know; their answer might be relevant to your workshop’s goals! If it’s not, simply remind them to offer their suggestions on the topic being discussed at hand.^[1] You may also ask them to place their ideas in the parking lot for later discussion.

Some participants are naturally more vocal than others. And some might simply not be trained in proper group discussion etiquette. This can be prevented by establishing a “speak one at a time” rule at the beginning of your workshop. Also, allocate time for everyone to speak up, taking turns.

If, despite this rule, participants keep speaking over one another, you may gently remind them of your ground rule and ask them to wait their turn to speak. If things get chaotic, remove verbal contributions from everybody and opt for written contributions that equalize participation from the entire group.

Constantly buzzing phones can be a major source of distraction to participants. Ask people to put their phones on silent and avoid checking their messages and email during the workshop.

However, keep in mind that this might not always be possible. Some participants might still have to be available to other team members who aren’t at the workshop. So, unless the distraction is huge and frequent, be mindful of this and let it slide.

You may reiterate your “no-phones” request if any major disruption continues. And if, despite your request, some attendees fail to comply, you may politely ask them to take their conversation outside and return when they are done.

Some participants may withdraw from participating because they feel dominated by other participants. It’s the facilitator’s job to get them to participate by:

• Calling them out individually and directing a question/task to them.
• Assigning a set number of deliverables that they should turn in at different points of the workshop.^[2] For example, you can make it mandatory that each participant put up at least 3 ideas on the whiteboard during a brainstorming session.

Some people may not be participating because they are missing information about a particular activity or don’t fully understand it. If you find anyone not making progress, stop and help them out with the instructions and expected outcomes again.

Your workshop might sometimes contain individuals who contest every idea that is brought to the table. As a first step, it’s a good idea to assume that these participants are well-meaning by nature — they might just be lacking self-awareness. In some cases, participants might also be influenced by the need to “prove their worth” to the room.

Redirect the conversation if this happens occasionally. If it is a recurring issue, approach the participant individually during one of your breaks and try to find out what their expectations from the workshop are.

Hopefully, this should set them back on track by orienting them with the goals of the workshop and providing them with any clarity that is needed. If their belligerent behavior continues despite your intervention and disrupts the workshop, you may finally ask them to leave the room.

Individuals who are not able to speak up in a group don't necessarily lack valuable insights. So, don’t discount quiet participants during your workshop. Instead, focus on conducting activities that help them open up and feel comfortable sharing. Splitting them up into groups of 2-3 or including individualistic activities like brainwriting and postup can help them voice their insights more freely.

If this isn’t possible, try addressing them directly and asking them for their input. For example, “(Person’s Name), I know you got some great experience in this, and we would really like to hear what you think,” is a great way to get them to speak up without being too pushy. Another strategy is to approach them privately during a break and find out if there’s anything you can do to make the environment more conducive for them to speak up.^[3]

Dominant participants are usually those who interrupt people, overemphasize their own ideas, repeat themselves over and over again, and talk over other participants in general. A dominant participant might be that way because they possess a certain level of authority within your team (a CEO, for example). Alternatively, they may be a subject matter expert or just eager to participate.

You can deal with dominant participants by:

• Laying out the rules for interaction before the workshop and reiterating them when someone begins to dominate the conversation
• Communicating and reiterating your workshop goals and desired outcomes so that everyone remains on the same page throughout the workshop
• Inviting dominant participants to only certain parts of the workshop
• Breaking up the group into smaller teams with balanced personalities^[4]

Usually, participants who seem uninterested in the workshop lack clarity on the value of the workshop and the activities being conducted. They tend to feel that their contribution and/or the workshop is pointless.

The best course of action here is preventative. Clearly communicate the goals of your workshop in advance, right when you send out the invites. The workshop facilitator must also explain the value of each participant's contribution to the workshop’s activities and make them feel heard and included during the workshop.