# Meeting Facilitation

> Facilitate effective meetings, workshops, and elicitation sessions with clear agendas, objective handling, and follow-ups

- Skill: `danhvb/meeting-facilitation` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add danhvb/meeting-facilitation`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/danhvb/meeting-facilitation/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: danhvb (https://skillmd.com/u/danhvb)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/danhvb/meeting-facilitation

---


# Meeting Facilitation Skill

## Purpose
Run productive, focused meetings that achieve their objectives. A critical soft skill for BAs who spend 30-50% of time in workshops and interviews.

## Types of BA Meetings
1.  **Discovery/Elicitation**: "Tell me what you need."
2.  **Workshop**: "Let's solve this problem together."
3.  **Review/Walkthrough**: "Is this correct?"
4.  **Prioritization**: "What comes first?"
5.  **Sign-off**: "Do you agree?"

## The 3 Ps of Facilitation

### 1. Preparation (Before)
- **Purpose**: Why are we meeting? (If no purpose, cancel).
- **Product**: What is the output? (e.g., A list of requirements, a process map).
- **People**: Who must be there? (Decision makers, SMEs).
- **Process**: Agenda. How will we work?

**Agenda Template**:
1.  **Introduction** (5m): Goal, Rules.
2.  **Context** (10m): Where we are now.
3.  **Activity/Discussion** (40m): Brainstorming, Mapping, etc.
4.  **Review** (10m): Validate findings.
5.  **Next Steps** (5m): Action items.

### 2. Performance (During)
- **Start on time**.
- **Set Ground Rules**: "No phones", "One conversation at a time", "No bad ideas".
- **Manage Time**: Use a timer (Timeboxing).
- **Manage Personalities**:
  - *The Dominator*: "Thanks John, I want to hear what Sarah thinks."
  - *The Silent One*: "Mike, how does this affect your team?"
  - *The Tangent*: "Great point, let's park that in the Parking Lot to stay on track."
- **Visuals**: Use whiteboards, screen sharing. Don't just talk.

### 3. Processing (After)
- **Send Minutes**: Within 24 hours.
- **Action Items (3Ws)**: **W**ho does **W**hat by **W**hen.
- **Parking Lot**: Follow up on parked items.

## Facilitation Techniques

### Brainstorming
- **Rules**: Quantity over quality initially. No judgment.
- **Method**: Sticky notes (Miro/FigJam). 1 idea per note. Group affinity mapping.

### Root Cause Analysis (5 Whys)
- Keep asking "Why" to dig deep into a problem statement.

### Fist of Five (Voting)
- Quick consensus check.
- **5 fingers**: Love it.
- **3 fingers**: Okay with it.
- **1 finger**: Block/Disagree.
- **Result**: If anyone shows < 3, stop and discuss constraints.

### Dot Voting
- Give everyone 3 dots.
- Place dots on ideas they like best.
- Visual heat map of priorities.

## Handling Difficult Situations
- **Deadlock**: "Let's list the pros/cons of both options." or "Can we try Option A for 2 weeks?"
- **Disengagement**: Call a break. Ask a provocative question. Change the format.
- **Conflict**: Acknowledge valid points on both sides. Focus on the *problem*, not the *person*.

## Tools
- **Lark Meetings**: Auto-notes/recording.
- **Miro/Mural**: Virtual whiteboarding.
- **Voting Tools**: Polls inside Zoom/Lark.

## Checklist for Success
- [ ] Is the goal clear?
- [ ] Are the right people invited?
- [ ] Is the agenda sent in advance?
- [ ] Did we capture Action Items?