I created two adult workbooks.  These books had questions with fill-in-the-blank spaces for answers that guided the users step-by-step to a final product.   The first workbook was on how to write a speech, and the second one focused on moving a small group through a series of conversations that resulted in decisions.

The first workbook was to help 18-year-old Afghan youth leaders to write a speech the day before a public event.  A training session was not possible. The workbook seemed the best way to make the speech writing easy for each leader and not overwhelm them.  The content of the workbook included a brief explanation, and the fill-in-the-blank section included:

• My opening story about how/why I got involved
• The top three priorities for youth in my province
• A list of two or three points that show the importance of each priority
• Summary: Our priorities are…, and youth needs government to… and this is important because…
• Thank you

I have subsequently created a workbook for Central Bank mid-level managers working in small groups who needed to review and create website content.  In an ideal world, I would be there with a whiteboard to facilitate a discussion resulting in a series of decisions. The workbook provided direction without facilitation.  The fill-in-the-blank questions included:

Your Content Pages

• List visitor priorities for your navigation page: in terms of content, indices, charts, photos, and any other Ideas
• Inventory your existing pages: Identity what to re-write, delete, and combine with other pages
• Create a list of new pages to create
• Brainstorm the terms to include in the site glossary
• Review your recommendations with the website project manager

The middle managers were educated and not easily overwhelmed.  However, they had limited time and were faced with an unfamiliar task.  The workbook provided them with a format where they could make and note decisions logically without struggling over process issues.

I am now working with national and state coalitions with varying degrees of literacy who desperately need their crisis communications process. A presentation with a workbook is in their future.