Using SmartLab AI Event Workflows

Insights

May 28, 2025

Workshop design takes time. And energy. And usually, more tabs than you’d like to admit.

Even experienced facilitators can lose hours building custom activities—deciding what format to use, how to explain it, how long it should take, and how to capture outputs. Multiply that by a series of sessions or different participant groups, and the creative lift becomes a logistical drain.

That’s why SmartLab includes a library of ready-to-use activity modules—designed to help you deliver high-impact experiences without reinventing the wheel every time.

These aren’t generic templates. They’re flexible, facilitator-tested activities that can be dropped straight into your session flow, adapted on the fly, and run smoothly in hybrid or virtual environments.

Here’s how they work—and why they save more than just time.

Pre-Built, Professionally Designed

SmartLab’s activity modules are based on common workshop needs—things like generating ideas, prioritising, reflecting, aligning, and deciding.

Each module comes with:

  • A clear activity purpose
  • Simple instructions and timing guidance
  • Built-in collaboration tools (sticky notes, voting, feedback, etc.)
  • The ability to edit content, labels, structure, and visuals

This means you don’t have to start from scratch—but you’re not locked into someone else’s format either.

Popular module types include:

  • Icebreakers and check-ins
  • Idea generation boards
  • Strategy canvases
  • Group prioritisation grids
  • Retrospective and reflection tools
  • Decision-making frameworks

Save Time Without Losing Customisation

Facilitators often face a trade-off: use pre-set tools that aren’t quite right, or build something from scratch that takes too long.

SmartLab’s modules are designed to be both plug-and-play and purpose-built. You can customise any part of an activity to match your group, context, or objectives—without losing the benefits of built-in structure.

This is especially useful for:

  • Repeat sessions where the content is similar but the audience changes
  • Fast-turnaround workshops where time is tight
  • Supporting co-facilitators or producers with clear activity scaffolding
  • Ensuring consistency across a series or programme

Keep the Flow Moving

One of the most powerful things about SmartLab’s activity modules is how seamlessly they integrate into your session.

No switching between tools. No sending people off to different platforms. No waiting for boards to load or links to be clicked. Each activity lives inside your session timeline, and transitions are smooth and responsive.

This helps you:

  • Maintain momentum and group focus
  • Reduce tech friction and participant confusion
  • Respond in real time by swapping or skipping modules as needed
  • Keep everyone—remote or in-person—on the same page

Designed for Hybrid, Built for Inclusion

SmartLab’s activity modules support different input types (typing, voting, anonymous submission) so everyone can engage, whether they’re extroverted or reflective, remote or in-room.

Facilitators can:

  • Monitor engagement in real time
  • Collect input silently or aloud
  • Capture and export outputs for follow-up or reporting
  • Give everyone a voice, without needing everyone to speak

This makes the modules especially valuable in hybrid sessions where participation can otherwise become uneven.

Activity Design That Keeps You Focused on the Group

Facilitators thrive when they can focus on the group—not the interface. SmartLab’s ready-to-use activity modules reduce the mental load of session design and delivery, so you can stay present, adaptive, and creative.

Whether you’re running a strategic sprint, a leadership workshop, or a virtual team retrospective, SmartLab gives you the activities you need—ready when you are.

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