If you have not reached out to us yet, please see if the Frequently Asked Questions section below answers your enquiry. We definitely want to hear from you, so if you cannot find a good answer to your question or questions, please contact us by clicking here.
The Basics
1. What is the minimum and maximum number of participants for Dress Rehearsal?
The session can be run with as few as 8 to 9 participants, though the simulation will have better complexity with at least 11 to 13 participants. Theoretically, there's no maximum, though you'll start to run into room size and logistical challenges above 100 to 105 people. Sessions of 140 to 150 people can be very exciting, provided space and logistics are handled correctly.
2. How long is a Dress Rehearsal session?
The main session can be run in one full day, for example, 8:30am to 5pm. That includes an introduction, the simulation (which takes up almost all of the morning and the better part of the afternoon), and some debrief discussion in which participants relate their learning and experience back to their jobs.
Optionally, a 2 to 4 hour detailed debrief can be held the following morning in which participants look more broadly at their teams and organizations and make some specific action plans regarding what they've learned.
If you can spare the time, we recommend adding the morning debrief. It's amazing how much more clearly participants can summarize and apply their learning after they've had a night to rest and reflect.
On the other hand, we have run many, many one-day sessions and we know just where to focus when all we have is a single day.
Optionally, a 2 to 4 hour detailed debrief can be held the following morning in which participants look more broadly at their teams and organizations and make some specific action plans regarding what they've learned.
If you can spare the time, we recommend adding the morning debrief. It's amazing how much more clearly participants can summarize and apply their learning after they've had a night to rest and reflect.
On the other hand, we have run many, many one-day sessions and we know just where to focus when all we have is a single day.
3. How does team structure work in a Dress Rehearsal session?
The group is broken into teams of 7 to 14 people, each of whom work as one organization using one simulator set. People are not reassigned between groups throughout the day but they do have the opportunity to interact with peers on other teams. More importantly, they interact extensively in small groups within their organization.
Every team has an overall leader, called the "Conductor," and an organization chart with two layers under each leader. In sessions with two tables or more, a "Facilitator" helps to coach and manage each table.
Participants always hold the Conductor role(s); they can also hold the Facilitator role(s). Both require pre-training as outlined below in FAQ #6 (Participant Pre-work).
Optionally, the Facilitator role(s) may be played by members of our team. However, participants in the role uniformly report that they enjoyed the process, and it is our experience that they learn at least as much as other participants do. For that reason, and to save cost, we generally recommend using your team for the role instead of ours.
Every team has an overall leader, called the "Conductor," and an organization chart with two layers under each leader. In sessions with two tables or more, a "Facilitator" helps to coach and manage each table.
Participants always hold the Conductor role(s); they can also hold the Facilitator role(s). Both require pre-training as outlined below in FAQ #6 (Participant Pre-work).
Optionally, the Facilitator role(s) may be played by members of our team. However, participants in the role uniformly report that they enjoyed the process, and it is our experience that they learn at least as much as other participants do. For that reason, and to save cost, we generally recommend using your team for the role instead of ours.
4. What are the Space Requirements for a Dress Rehearsal?
The configuration must have enough space for each team of 7 to 14 to gather around their simulator and to gather away from it. The gatherings around the simulator must all happen in the same room. The gatherings away from it may be in the same room, in neighboring "breakout rooms", or even in sizable, unused hallway spaces.
Imagine, as an example, taking two typical "classroom style" training tables of 5' x 2' and placing them side-by-side to form a thick rectangle. If you had enough room for people to stand an all sides of the rectangle, and enough room for them to create a circle of chairs next to it (as opposed to around it), that's a perfect space for one team of 7 to14 people. Multiply that by the number of teams you'll have and you have an idea of the room size needed.
Imagine, as an example, taking two typical "classroom style" training tables of 5' x 2' and placing them side-by-side to form a thick rectangle. If you had enough room for people to stand an all sides of the rectangle, and enough room for them to create a circle of chairs next to it (as opposed to around it), that's a perfect space for one team of 7 to14 people. Multiply that by the number of teams you'll have and you have an idea of the room size needed.
5. What are the A/V and Setup Requirements for a Dress Rehearsal?
Each team of 7 to 14 people needs a table, chairs, and sufficient space as defined above in FAQ #4 (Space Requirements). Additionally, each team needs a flip-chart, markers, and pens or pencils for participants. All other materials are provided by Group Harmonics as part of the training.
The room needs, at a minimum, a PC projection system with audio capability for video clips. For sessions with two or more teams, a microphone for the presenter is needed, ideally a wireless lavalier if available. For sessions with three or more teams, it is often advisable to have at least two projection screens for better visibility. It is not necessary to have any "back of room" A/V personnel on site during the session, though our presenters can certainly work with them if they are in place.
The room needs, at a minimum, a PC projection system with audio capability for video clips. For sessions with two or more teams, a microphone for the presenter is needed, ideally a wireless lavalier if available. For sessions with three or more teams, it is often advisable to have at least two projection screens for better visibility. It is not necessary to have any "back of room" A/V personnel on site during the session, though our presenters can certainly work with them if they are in place.
6. What participant prework or preparation is required for a Dress Rehearsal?
For most participants, none. If your participants are managing complex work, interrelated projects, and/or conflicting demands, they have done all the prework they need to find tremendous benefit in the session!
Participants playing the role of "Conductor" as defined in FAQ #3 (Team Stucture) will require 30 minutes of training. We schedule this as a closed session, in the same room, immediately before the program starts. For example, we may do Conductor training from 8:00am to 8:30am and start the full session at 8:30am.
Participants playing the role of Facilitator as defined in FAQ #3 (Team Structure) will require 3 hours of preparatory training. This is best held in person, the day before the session.
Participants playing the role of "Conductor" as defined in FAQ #3 (Team Stucture) will require 30 minutes of training. We schedule this as a closed session, in the same room, immediately before the program starts. For example, we may do Conductor training from 8:00am to 8:30am and start the full session at 8:30am.
Participants playing the role of Facilitator as defined in FAQ #3 (Team Structure) will require 3 hours of preparatory training. This is best held in person, the day before the session.
7. What organizer prework or preparation is required for a Dress Rehearsal?
First, room setup, as outlined above in FAQ #4 (Space Requirements) and FAQ #5 (A/V and Setup Requirements). Along with this goes obvious logistical items like notifying participants and forecasting attendance.
Second, for sessions with more than one team, Facilitator pre-training as outlined above in FAQ #3 (Team Structure) if the intent is to use participants as Facilitators.
Third, organizers provide input into participant roles. At a minimum, they must define who will play the Conductor and Facilitator role(s) so that preparatory training can be arranged as described in FAQ #6 (Participant Prework). For sessions with multiple teams, organizers may choose to predefine the membership of each team as well, as there may be good reasons either to keep people together who normally work together or to intermix them.
Second, for sessions with more than one team, Facilitator pre-training as outlined above in FAQ #3 (Team Structure) if the intent is to use participants as Facilitators.
Third, organizers provide input into participant roles. At a minimum, they must define who will play the Conductor and Facilitator role(s) so that preparatory training can be arranged as described in FAQ #6 (Participant Prework). For sessions with multiple teams, organizers may choose to predefine the membership of each team as well, as there may be good reasons either to keep people together who normally work together or to intermix them.
8. Can I become a Dress Rehearsal Instructor? If so, how difficult is it? How do I do it?
Yes. Anyone with experience facilitating group sessions can run a Dress Rehearsal session. While the simulation looks extremely complicated from the outside, the reality is that most of the difficult work is handled by the course materials and structures. The instructor’s main role is to set up, tear down, manage the environment, and observe participants for specific cues to ensure their progress. While this is very different from traditional instructional delivery, it’s not really any more difficult. In fact, some instructors feel that it’s easier to deliver a Dress Rehearsal session than a more traditional lecture-based training.
Train-the-trainer requires that you first experience the simulation as a participant, and then complete a training program of about 1 day in duration that will prepare you to run the session.
Train-the-trainer requires that you first experience the simulation as a participant, and then complete a training program of about 1 day in duration that will prepare you to run the session.
9. Is Dress Rehearsal affordable?
In this type of work, what counts as “affordable” is in the eye of the beholder. Our clients who regularly conduct live, face-to-face trainings and conferences report that this session is priced competitively with others like it – and, in fact, many have told us they’ve gotten more for the money from Dress Rehearsal than with other sessions they’ve run. On the other hand, clients whose development activities are primarily web based and virtual may need to budget more, or at least more carefully, for this type of live session.
Another important factor in affordability is the question of who is delivering the session. When our team delivers, of course, you pay for our time in addition to materials. If you’re planning to run multiple sessions, train-the-trainer may be an option (see FAQ #8 - Become a Dress Rehearsal Instructor). Once certification is complete, your cost is limited to simulator rental and materials for attendees.
Generally speaking, if you have a development budget for your group, if you’re accustomed to bringing experts and trainers on-site, and if you’ve got a clear business need for the benefits of Dress Rehearsal, the pricing won’t be an obstacle.
Another important factor in affordability is the question of who is delivering the session. When our team delivers, of course, you pay for our time in addition to materials. If you’re planning to run multiple sessions, train-the-trainer may be an option (see FAQ #8 - Become a Dress Rehearsal Instructor). Once certification is complete, your cost is limited to simulator rental and materials for attendees.
Generally speaking, if you have a development budget for your group, if you’re accustomed to bringing experts and trainers on-site, and if you’ve got a clear business need for the benefits of Dress Rehearsal, the pricing won’t be an obstacle.
10. How much will a Dress Rehearsal disrupt the work flow of our daily business?
Like any live training, Dress Rehearsal takes place in a group setting, and asks participants to focus on the task at hand. Since the simulation is designed to mirror the workplace, each person has a role to play and responsibilities to his or her team. So, you won’t want people stepping in and out of the program throughout the day to take calls or resolve issues back at work.
Once the program has ended, the positive impact begins. We’ve had groups who, using what they learned, reworked a few regular meetings within a couple of weeks to make them more effective. Other clients have reported an increase in communication and clear language around resource sharing that was notably absent prior to working through the simulation together.
The question you have to ask yourself, and the question we’ll be asking you in our intake discussion, will be whether the benefit is worth the cost. Does your group face the kind of challenges the training is designed to address, and will Dress Rehearsal help? If so, you should see a net improvement to your daily work flow within a few weeks to a month. If not, you shouldn’t conduct the session. And that’s the same question you should ask about any live training session you’re contemplating.
Once the program has ended, the positive impact begins. We’ve had groups who, using what they learned, reworked a few regular meetings within a couple of weeks to make them more effective. Other clients have reported an increase in communication and clear language around resource sharing that was notably absent prior to working through the simulation together.
The question you have to ask yourself, and the question we’ll be asking you in our intake discussion, will be whether the benefit is worth the cost. Does your group face the kind of challenges the training is designed to address, and will Dress Rehearsal help? If so, you should see a net improvement to your daily work flow within a few weeks to a month. If not, you shouldn’t conduct the session. And that’s the same question you should ask about any live training session you’re contemplating.
11. Can we use a Dress Rehearsal as a live working session for our current issues?
Yes, and no. The simulation itself has its own context and framework, and doesn’t allow time for anything but solving the problem at hand. That’s by design and it’s what makes the learning so tangible and permanent – participants learn from experiences analogous to their workplace challenges, without having to manage the baggage associated with their specific issues at work.
In the debrief discussions – particularly if you opt for the extended debrief and application session the following morning – there’s more room to bring current issues into the discussion and make plans to address them.
It’s also worth mentioning that, if what you want is a real, action-learning session – one in which your team works together on the specific issues they face, while learning and experimenting with new behaviors – we offer that as a separate product. It’s not Dress Rehearsal, but it is something we do, and you can contact us here to learn more about it.
In the debrief discussions – particularly if you opt for the extended debrief and application session the following morning – there’s more room to bring current issues into the discussion and make plans to address them.
It’s also worth mentioning that, if what you want is a real, action-learning session – one in which your team works together on the specific issues they face, while learning and experimenting with new behaviors – we offer that as a separate product. It’s not Dress Rehearsal, but it is something we do, and you can contact us here to learn more about it.
Still Interested?
If after reading about Dress Rehearsal, you think it would work well for your team, our next step is an intake discussion. In it, we’ll talk to you about the reasons you think it’s a fit, answer your questions about the simulation, and learn about your group size, timing, and other logistics. That will allow us to come to the conclusion together about whether the program would be beneficial to you, and for us to get specific with you about pricing and logistics. If you decide to move forward from there, we will provide you with a formal proposal/statement of work for budget approval and related purposes. Please click here to give us a little more information and we will reach out to you soon! Thank you for considering Dress Rehearsal!
2. We did not answer your question?
If after reading through the FAQ's, you still have more questions about the program, please click here, complete the short questionnaire, and we will respond with the information you request. Thank you for considering Dress Rehearsal!
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