12 Best Workshop Tools Every New Facilitator Needs

¡Hola, facilitadores novatos! So you’ve stepped into the exciting world of workshop facilitation – congratulations! Whether you’re leading your first team brainstorming session or preparing for a full-day strategic planning retreat, having the right tools in your facilitator toolkit can make the difference between a workshop that fizzles and one that sizzles.

Think of workshop tools as your trusted amigos on this facilitation journey. They help you capture ideas, engage participants, organize information, and create that special collaborative magic that makes workshops so powerful. But with countless options available, which ones truly deserve a place in your toolkit?

We’ve done the testing for you! This guide breaks down the essential physical and digital workshop tools that every new facilitator should consider, along with practical tips for using them effectively. No need to break the bank or overwhelm yourself – start with these fundamentals and build from there.

¡Vamos a empezar! (Let’s get started!)

Best Physical Workshop Tools: The Tactile Essentials

Despite our increasingly digital world, physical tools remain incredibly effective for in-person workshops. There’s something about tangible interaction that activates different thinking patterns and energy in a room.

1. Sticky Notes: The Facilitator’s Best Friend

Why they’re essential: Versatile, movable, groupable, and perfect for capturing individual ideas before sharing with the group.

How to use them effectively:

• Size matters: Stock different sizes – 3×3″ for standard ideas, 3×5″ for more detailed thoughts, and larger ones for headings or categories.
• Color code: Assign different colors to different types of ideas, teams, or categories.
• Quality counts: Invest in good quality ones that actually stick (Post-it® brand or equivalents) – nothing more frustrating than ideas sliding off the wall!
• Distribution: Give everyone their own pad to encourage equal contribution.
• Technique tip: Teach participants to write one idea per note, large enough to read from a distance, and use nouns and verbs (not just vague concepts).

Amigo Tip: Before your workshop, write starter examples on a few stickies to demonstrate the level of detail and writing style you’re looking for.

2. Markers & Pens: The Colorful Communicators

Why they’re essential: Visible writing enables shared understanding and gives participants tools to express their ideas with emphasis and clarity.

How to use them effectively:

• Marker selection: Stock thick markers (like Sharpies) for headlines and visibility from a distance, and finer-tipped markers for more detailed work.
• Color variety: Have at least 4-5 colors available to differentiate content, but avoid yellow (hard to see) for main writing.
• Quantity: Bring more than you think you need – they always seem to disappear or dry out!
• Access: Place them in the center of each table or create marker stations around the room.

Amigo Tip: Test your markers on your sticky notes before the workshop – some combinations bleed through or don’t dry quickly, leading to smudged ideas.

3. Flip Charts: The Visual Anchor

Why they’re essential: Perfect for capturing group insights, creating shared reference points, and maintaining a visual record of the workshop journey.

How to use them effectively:

• Preparation: Pre-write titles, frames, or templates before participants arrive to save time.
• Display strategy: Use one for the “working” content and another for “captured” decisions or insights.
• Spatial planning: Leave plenty of white space – a crowded flip chart is hard to read.
• Documentation: Take photos of completed charts throughout the day (before removing them) to maintain a digital record.
• Navigation: Number pages and create a table of contents on the first page for longer workshops.

Amigo Tip: Always check if your venue has flip chart stands available – they’re bulky to transport! Also, bring your own tape or sticky putty to hang completed pages.

4. Dot Stickers: The Decision Makers

Why they’re essential: Enable quick visual voting, prioritization, and consensus-building without complex systems.

How to use them effectively:

• Voting systems: Establish clear rules (e.g., “Everyone gets 3 dots to allocate” or “Place dots on your top 2 priorities”).
• Color coding: Use different colors for different types of votes (e.g., green for “support,” yellow for “concerns,” red for “blockers”).
• Size options: Smaller dots allow for more precise placement; larger ones are more visible from a distance.
• Distribution control: Hand out the exact number of dots per person to ensure equal input.

Amigo Tip: In a pinch, participants can use markers to make small dots instead of stickers, but having the real thing is much more efficient and engaging.

Best Digital Workshop Tools: The Virtual Essentials

For virtual workshops or hybrid environments, digital tools become your essential facilitator companions. These platforms help recreate (and sometimes enhance) the collaborative experience when participants can’t be physically together.

5. Virtual Whiteboarding: The Digital Canvas

Top tools: Miro and Mural

Why they’re essential: These digital canvases allow multiple participants to collaborate visually in real-time, mimicking (and extending) the functionality of physical sticky notes, whiteboards, and flip charts.

How to use them effectively:

• Pre-build templates: Create your workshop frameworks beforehand with clear instructions and examples.
• Orientation time: Allocate 5-10 minutes at the start for a tutorial on basic functions for new users.
• Simplify: Just because these tools can do amazing things doesn’t mean your first workshop should use all the features. Start simple.
• Screen sharing: Regularly zoom out to show the “big picture” so participants understand where their work fits.
• Mouse tracking: Use the cursor tracking features so participants can follow your movements.

Amigo Tip: Create a “playground” area in your whiteboard where participants can practice using the features before diving into the actual workshop activities.

6. Video Conferencing: The Connection Creator

Top tools: Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet

Why they’re essential: These platforms provide the foundation for virtual interaction, enabling face-to-face engagement, breakout discussions, and content sharing.

How to use them effectively:

• Comfort with features: Master breakout rooms, screen sharing, polls, chat, and reactions before your workshop.
• Connection guidelines: Establish clear expectations about cameras, microphones, and participation at the start.
• Engagement monitoring: Use gallery view to see everyone and gauge energy/engagement.
• Technical support: If possible, have a co-host manage technical issues while you facilitate content.
• Record (with permission): For participants who miss sections or for your own reference.

Amigo Tip: Create a simple slide with technical troubleshooting tips (how to reconnect, adjust audio, etc.) that you can share at the beginning and pull up if participants have issues.

7. Interactive Polling: The Engagement Energizer

Top tools: Mentimeter, Poll Everywhere, and Slido

Why they’re essential: These tools quickly gather input from all participants, create word clouds, generate graphs of opinions, and add an interactive element to presentations.

How to use them effectively:

• Prepare questions in advance: Build your polls before the workshop starts.
• Start simple: Begin with an easy icebreaker poll to get everyone comfortable with the tool.
• Mix formats: Use different question types (multiple choice, scales, open text, word clouds) for variety.
• Real-time insights: Take a moment to discuss results as they come in – don’t just move on.
• Pacing: Use polls to break up longer segments and re-energize the group.

Amigo Tip: If you’re using multiple digital tools, create a simple “Tool Map” document for participants that explains which tool you’ll use for what purpose throughout the workshop.

8. Collaborative Documents: The Co-Creation Companions

Top tools: Google Docs, Microsoft Office Online, and Notion

Why they’re essential: These enable real-time collective writing, editing, and organizing of text-based information and serve as a persistent record of workshop outcomes.

How to use them effectively:

• Structure in advance: Create templates with headers, guiding questions, and sections.
• Permission settings: Ensure everyone has appropriate access before the workshop starts.
• Multiple documents: For larger groups, create separate documents for different breakout teams to prevent overcrowding.
• Visual cues: Use color coding, highlighting, and comments to organize information.
• Action tracking: Include specific sections for next steps, owners, and deadlines.

Amigo Tip: When giving instructions for collaborative document work, be extremely specific about where participants should add their content to avoid confusion.

Hybrid Workshop Essentials: Bridging Physical and Digital

For workshops with both in-person and remote participants, additional tools help create an equitable experience for everyone.

9. Document Camera or Smartphone Stand: The Bridge Builder

Why it’s essential: Allows remote participants to see physical materials, sticky notes, and whiteboard content in the room.

How to use it effectively:

• Positioning: Set up with clear view of the main working area.
• Testing: Check that remote participants can actually read what’s being shown before the workshop.
• Lighting: Ensure adequate brightness without glare.
• Movement: Assign someone to adjust the camera as the workshop activities shift locations.

Amigo Tip: Even a basic smartphone in a stand positioned strategically can be enough for small groups – no need for expensive equipment when starting out.

10. Timer: The Timekeeper

Why it’s essential: Helps maintain pacing, provides structure, and ensures you cover all planned activities.

How to use it effectively:

• Visibility: Use a timer that everyone can see (physical or shared on screen).
• Transparency: Share timing expectations for each activity (“We have 15 minutes for this section”).
• Consistency: Actually stick to the timer to build trust in the process.
• Warning signals: Give a 2-minute warning before time is up so groups can wrap up thoughts.

Amigo Tip: Online timers with visual countdowns like Online Stopwatch can create a sense of gentle urgency that keeps activities moving.

Planning & Preparation Tools: The Behind-the-Scenes Essentials

Great workshops don’t happen by accident – they require thoughtful planning tools to design the experience before participants arrive.

11. Workshop Planning Templates: The Design Foundations

Top tools: Workshop Amigo Agenda Template, SessionLab, or simple spreadsheets

Why they’re essential: These provide structure for thinking through the entire workshop flow, timing, materials, and facilitation notes.

How to use them effectively:

• Start with objectives: Clearly define what success looks like before planning activities.
• Time blocking: Allocate realistic timeframes for each segment, including transitions.
• Materials planning: List all tools, templates, and resources needed for each activity.
• Energy mapping: Plan the flow to alternate between high and low energy activities.
• Contingency plans: Include backup activities or “time buffers” for flexibility.

Amigo Tip: Create a detailed facilitator guide for yourself with talking points, key questions, and transitions, but also make a simplified version to share with participants.

12. Feedback Collection: The Improvement Engine

Top tools: Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, or creative feedback methods

Why they’re essential: These help you learn what worked, what didn’t, and how to improve future workshops.

How to use them effectively:

• Targeted questions: Focus on specific aspects you want feedback on, not just general satisfaction.
• Mixed formats: Use both rating scales and open-ended questions for depth.
• Real-time options: Consider collecting some feedback during the workshop while experiences are fresh.
• Action orientation: Include questions that help you improve (e.g., “What’s one thing that would have made this workshop more effective for you?”).
• Sharing back: When possible, summarize key feedback themes to participants and what you’ll change based on their input.

Amigo Tip: Keep feedback forms short (5 minutes or less to complete) to increase response rates.

Building Your Facilitator Toolkit: Start Small, Grow Thoughtfully

As a new facilitator, don’t feel pressured to acquire every tool at once. Start with the essentials that align with your typical workshop format (virtual or in-person) and gradually expand as you gain experience and encounter new facilitation needs.

The Absolute Starter Kit:

For In-Person Workshops:

• Multiple pads of sticky notes (3×3″, different colors)
• Thick markers (black + 2-3 colors)
• Dot stickers (one pack)
• Flip chart paper
• Workshop plan template (digital or printed)

For Virtual Workshops:

• Reliable video conferencing platform you’re comfortable navigating
• Digital whiteboard account (free tiers available)
• Simple polling tool
• Collaborative document capability
• Digital timer

Cost-Conscious Considerations:

Facilitating doesn’t have to be expensive! Here are some budget-friendly approaches:

• Start with free tiers: Most digital tools offer free options with limitations that are perfectly adequate for beginning facilitators.
• Office supplies in bulk: Watch for sales on sticky notes and markers, as these are recurring expenses.
• DIY alternatives: Cut up colored paper instead of buying more sticky notes; use free online timers instead of paid apps.
• Borrow before buying: If your organization has an existing supply closet or subscriptions, use those before purchasing your own.
• Prioritize versatility: Invest first in tools that can be used for multiple purposes.

Beyond the Tools: The Human Element

While having the right tools is important, remember that you are the most essential element in successful facilitation. Your energy, listening skills, question-asking ability, and presence matter more than any sticky note or digital platform.

The best facilitators know when to use a tool – and when to set it aside and simply foster human connection. As the Spanish saying goes, “La herramienta no hace al maestro” (The tool doesn’t make the master).

Final Amigo Tips for New Facilitators:

• Practice with tools before using them: Nothing undermines facilitator confidence like struggling with unfamiliar tools in front of participants.
• Have backups: Technology fails, markers dry out. Always have Plan B ready.
• Simplify: It’s better to use fewer tools well than many tools poorly.
• Seek feedback: After workshops, specifically ask which tools/methods were most and least effective.
• Observe others: Attend workshops facilitated by others to see different tools in action.
• Join the Workshop Amigo Telegram Community to connect with other facilitators and share tool recommendations and experiences!

What are your essential workshop tools as a new facilitator? Have we missed any of your favorites? Share your toolkit essentials in the comments below!

¡Buena suerte en tu viaje de facilitación! (Good luck on your facilitation journey!)