What to send delegates before a course starts, and why it matters

Delegates who arrive without knowing what a course will cover, how it will be delivered and what is expected of them tend to spend the first morning orienting themselves rather than learning. A short briefing sent a week in advance, covering the outline, timing and any pre work, removes that friction entirely.

Including one or two short questions in the pre course briefing, such as asking delegates to note a specific challenge they want the course to help with, changes how they engage from the first session. It also gives the facilitator useful context before the group even arrives.

Venue address, parking or transport guidance, start and finish times, and what is provided versus what to bring, all seem minor but they remove genuine sources of stress for delegates travelling from out of town. For online sessions, a short technical check the day before avoids losing valuable minutes to login issues once the course begins.