A seminar may be defined as a

gathering of people for the purpose of

discussing a stated topic. Such
gatherings are usually interactive sessions
where the participants engage in discussions
about the delineated topic. The sessions are
usually headed or led by one or two
presenters who serve to steer the discussion
along the desired path.
* A seminar is a lecture or presentation
delivered to an audience on a particular topic
or set of topics that are educational in nature.
It is usually held for groups of 10-50
individuals. A seminar is frequently held at a
hotel meeting space or within an office
conference room.
* (Meriam Webster) A meeting in which
you receive information on and training in a
particular subject; it is a class offered to a
small group of students at a college or
university
• a seminar may be for the purpose of education, such
as a lecture, where the participants engage in the discussion
of an academic subject for the aim of gaining a better insight
into the subject.

Other forms of educational seminars might be held to impart

some skills or knowledge to the participants.
the purpose is usually to inspire the attendees to
become better people, or to work towards
implementing the skills they might have learned
from the seminar. For instance, a business
seminar with a financial theme could be for the
purpose of teaching small business owners how to
pitch to investors or to write a solid business plan,
and to motivate them to get started right away.
Sometimes, seminars are simply a way for
businessmen and women, or other like-minded
people, to network and meet other attendees
with similar interests. Such seminars provide
opportunities for the attendees to make some
potentially valuable contacts that can help them
move to the next level in their careers or
endeavors
There are a number of activities that are involved in preparing a
seminar / workshop these activities can be organized into three (3)
stages:

1. Preparation

2 .Implementation

3. Evaluation
1. Determine the budget available to host event

2. Determine the theme / topic to be discussed at the

seminar / workshop

3. Contact and secure the relevant Presenter(s)

4. Identify target group and number of participants

required

5. Secure venue – (site visit of venue to ensure it is

adequate)

6. Finalize event details – (breaks, resources needed)

7. Contact relevant Ministries, Departments or target
group to inform them of event – (time, date, venue,
duration, break information)
8. Follow up on 6 to ensure the information was received
9. Finalize list of persons attending
10. Source and prepare all necessary resources needed by
organizer and Presenter
– (books, manuals, projectors, name tags, etc)
11. Secure caterer to provide meals if not included in
venue package
12. Contact Accountant and request a ‘Local Purchase
Order’
Funding is an integral part of any event, since the amount of funding available for
the hosting of the event will determine a number of factors in planning the event.

1. Venue
2. Duration
3. Number of participants
4. Equipment – (Presentation Media)
5. Informational packets / Materials
6. Availability of refreshments
7. Expertise of Presenter
 The seminar topic should address an issue / concern
which has stimulated the interest of the business sector or
the wider society. The selection of the topic should
naturally lead to the seminar objective. The objectives in
turn will scope of the seminar and should deal specifically
with those areas that are pertinent to the achievement of
the seminar objectives.
 The success of the seminar greatly depends upon the quality of
the Presenters, therefore, you should choose speakers whom are
appropriate for the topic chosen. Ideally, the speaker should be
someone at the top of their field or someone who possesses an in-
depth knowledge of the particular area either academically or
professionally. The Presenter should be informed of the seminar scope
and its desired objectives in order to facilitate their preparation of the
actual material they will be presenting. The material to be presented
should be accurate and up-to-date. This will undoubtedly influence the
equipment and visual media to be used in the presentation.
Confirmation of speaker participation should be sought at this point.
Points to consider:
1. Expertise / strong research background
2. Ability to convey knowledge to a large audience
3. Unbiased and non-partisan (do not invite
speakers that are aligned with a particular
cause / group)
4. Honorarium
5. Travel expenses
6. Identify alternative speaker as a precaution
The characteristics of participants will influence the structure,
content and activities
undertaken in a workshop. Some key questions to be taken
into consideration:

1. What is the size and the composition of the group?

2. What are the ages, ethnicity, gender and teaching
experience of the participants?
3. What is their level of interest?
4. What are their needs?
5. How to mitigate problems that might arise?
6. Personality types of group?
7. What is the best way to get the message across?
The type of seminar being presented will
influence the venue that is chosen. The
facilities of the venue should be able to
comfortably accommodate the participants
while taking into consideration the needs of
the Presenter and the budget.
Points to consider:
Cost
Capacity
Security
Computer accessibility
Lighting & Acoustics
Audio / visual requirements
Temperature
FINALIZE DETAILS

CONTACT RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS /

PARTICIPANTS

FOLLOW UP

PREPARE FINAL LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

RESOURCES
All resources required for the seminar is acquired or sourced at this
stage.

Checklist:

• Projectors, Laptop
• Flip charts
• Software – Microsoft PowerPoint
• Stationery – markers, pens, notepads
• Handouts
• Name tags
1. Arrive early at venue to ensure the
following:

ü Furniture is arranged as desired.

üName tags of participants are laid out.
ü Participants’ informational packets are laid
out.
ü Equipment and material required by Presenter
are ready and working.
ü Completion of Registration forms (if
necessary).
2. Welcome address and introduction of Presenter:

Ø The facilitator formally welcomes all participants to the

seminar.
Ø The facilitator gives a brief synopsis of the seminar.
Ø Explanation of their role in the seminar.
ØAnswers any queries the participants may have.
- The seminar time schedule
- Refreshment times and location
- What they are expected to do
- Planned activities that require their participation
Ø Introduces the Presenter and gives an insight into his
background.
Ø Hands over the seminar to the Presenter.
3. Conducting the seminar

The Presenter should consider the following:

v Seating arrangements
v Presentation style
v Workshop methods
v Visual Aids
HANDOUTS
VISUAL AIDS

A visual aid is something your audience can

see that aids your speech content. Visuals
should be proof read to ensure there are no
errors or discrepancies.
POINTS TO CONSIDER
 • Font
The font should be big enough to
be see n from the ba ck of the
venue.
Titles should be in a larger font
than the body of the information.
Keep
similar text the same size from
one visual to the next.
 • Color
Care should be taken in choosing
the colors for your presentation
especially, if you will be using
slides. The tried and proven
‘colors’ for slides are white on
blue and black on white.
 • Background

The background should form a contrast in

relation to the text used.

• Layout

The slide should not be overcrowded with

information. Information should be spaced so
that it is easy to read.
 Text

Use point form or short simple phrases instead

of sentences or paragraphs.
Using all capital is harder to read therefore use
a combination of upper and lower case
lettering. Each visual should have:
- One main point
- One thought per line
- No more than 5-7 words per line
- No more than 5-7 lines per visual
 Graphs and Tables

Graphs and tables are the best way to summarize large

quantities of raw data. You should note the following:
- Simplify the data
- Show only the essential information
- Be consistent in style and terminology, font,
color
- Data elements should be the thickest and the
brightest colors.
Frames, grid lines, axis lines, and error
bars should be lighter in color and weight
- X and Y axis lines should end at the last data
point
An evaluation is an important part of any workshop
for two reasons. First, evaluations provide concrete
feedback to the facilitator about how the workshop
was received. This information should be considered
in the planning of future workshops. Second,
evaluations require the participants to reflect upon
the workshop, including the facilitation, content,
processes, facilities, how they might use what they
have learnt, etc.
An evaluation process which allows you as the
facilitator to participate would continue the process
of sharing and group activity which should have been
established through the workshop.
THE FOLLOWING STEPS ARE LEVELS OF EVALUATION:

Level I: Opinions and Satisfaction

Level II: Competence Measures
Level III: Performance
Level IV: Outcome Measures