About This Course
Effective training is not simply the transfer of information — it is the deliberate design of experiences that change behaviour, build capability, and drive organisational performance. Yet many professionals who are asked to design or deliver training programmes have never received formal instruction in how adults learn, how to structure a curriculum, or how to facilitate a room with skill and intentionality.
TrainingComplex's Training Design, Facilitation & Adult Learning course addresses this gap directly. Over five intensive days, participants move from theory to practice, exploring the foundational science of adult learning, applying structured instructional design models, and developing hands-on facilitation skills through repeated practice and feedback. Every module is grounded in real-world application, ensuring that delegates leave not just with knowledge, but with tangible tools they can deploy immediately.
Whether you are an HR professional building internal training capacity, a subject matter expert transitioning into a training role, or an experienced trainer seeking to sharpen your craft, this course provides a rigorous and practical framework for designing and delivering training that truly sticks. TrainingComplex's expert facilitators bring decades of combined experience in instructional design, learning & development, and adult education to create a rich, collaborative learning environment.
Who Should Attend
- - HR and Learning & Development professionals responsible for designing or delivering internal training programmes
- - Subject matter experts who have been asked to train colleagues or teams and want a structured methodology
- - Corporate trainers and facilitators seeking to refresh and formalise their instructional skills
- - Training managers and L&D coordinators overseeing training functions in their organisations
- - Consultants who design and deliver capacity-building or technical assistance programmes
- - NGO and public sector staff involved in staff development, onboarding, or community training initiatives
Learning Objectives
- - Apply the principles of adult learning theory (andragogy) to the design and delivery of training programmes
- - Use the ADDIE and Bloom's Taxonomy frameworks to develop structured, outcomes-focused curricula
- - Write clear, measurable learning objectives aligned to organisational performance goals
- - Design engaging training activities, exercises, and assessments that cater to diverse learning styles
- - Develop professional training materials including facilitator guides, participant workbooks, and visual aids
- - Demonstrate effective facilitation skills, including managing group dynamics, handling difficult participants, and fostering psychological safety
- - Apply Kirkpatrick's Four-Level Model to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of training interventions
- - Integrate technology tools and blended learning strategies into training programme design
- - Deliver a short training session and receive structured, actionable feedback from peers and the facilitator
Course Modules
Module 1: Foundations of Adult Learning Theory
- Malcolm Knowles and the principles of andragogy
- How adults learn differently from children: motivation, experience, and self-direction
- Learning styles and neuroscience: what the evidence really says
- Creating a psychologically safe and inclusive learning environment
- The role of prior experience in adult learning: leveraging and challenging existing knowledge
- Motivational theories in workplace learning: self-determination theory and its practical implications
Module 2: Needs Assessment and Training Gap Analysis
- Defining the performance gap: moving from symptoms to root causes
- Conducting Training Needs Assessments (TNAs): surveys, interviews, and observation
- Prioritising training versus non-training solutions
- Aligning training objectives with organisational strategy and KPIs
- Stakeholder analysis: identifying and engaging sponsors, managers, and learners in the TNA process
- Documenting and presenting TNA findings to secure organisational buy-in
Module 3: Instructional Design Using the ADDIE Model
- Overview of the ADDIE framework: Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate
- Writing SMART learning objectives using Bloom's Taxonomy
- Sequencing content for maximum comprehension and retention
- Choosing the right instructional methods for each learning objective
- Applying cognitive load theory to simplify complex content without losing depth
- Iterative prototyping and pilot testing: refining design before full rollout
Module 4: Designing Engaging Training Activities and Materials
- Principles of active learning: case studies, role plays, simulations, and group tasks
- Developing participant workbooks, job aids, and facilitator guides
- Designing effective visual aids and presentation slides
- Adapting training design for diverse audiences and accessibility needs
- Scaffolding learning: structuring activities so complexity builds progressively across a session
- Writing realistic and contextually relevant scenarios that connect training content to on-the-job application
Module 5: Facilitation Skills and Techniques
- The difference between training and facilitation: roles and mindsets
- Opening and closing a training session with impact
- Questioning techniques, managing silence, and drawing out participation
- Handling challenging behaviours: dominant participants, disengagement, and resistance
- Using non-verbal communication and spatial awareness to maintain group attention and signal transitions
- Flexing facilitation style to match group readiness, confidence levels, and the nature of the content
Module 6: Managing Group Dynamics and Classroom Energy
- Understanding group development stages (Tuckman's model) in a training context
- Using energisers, icebreakers, and transitions effectively
- Reading the room: adjusting pace, energy, and method in real time
- Facilitating cross-cultural and multigenerational groups
- Managing subgroup dynamics: cliques, side conversations, and uneven participation patterns
- Building psychological momentum across a multi-day programme to sustain engagement over time
Module 7: Blended Learning and Technology-Enhanced Training
- Introduction to blended learning models and their application in corporate settings
- Selecting and using digital tools: LMS platforms, Kahoot, Miro, Padlet, and Zoom
- Designing pre-work, self-paced modules, and post-training reinforcement activities
- Best practices for virtual and hybrid training facilitation
- Applying the 70-20-10 model to blend formal training with on-the-job practice and social learning
- Addressing learner engagement and accountability challenges specific to self-paced and asynchronous formats
Module 8: Training Evaluation and Measuring Impact
- Kirkpatrick's Four-Level Evaluation Model: Reaction, Learning, Behaviour, Results
- Designing pre- and post-training assessments and feedback tools
- Using data to demonstrate training ROI to leadership
- Continuous improvement: using evaluation findings to redesign programmes
- Phillips' ROI Methodology: isolating the effects of training from other organisational variables
- Building manager involvement into evaluation: tracking on-the-job behaviour transfer over time
Module 9: Live Facilitation Practice and Peer Feedback
- Delivering a 10-minute training segment on a topic of the participant's choice
- Structured peer feedback using the SBI (Situation-Behaviour-Impact) model
- Self-assessment against a professional facilitation competency rubric
- Developing a personal facilitation improvement plan
- Facilitator observation techniques: how to receive and integrate feedback in the moment without becoming defensive
- Reflective practice as a professional habit: using learning journals and after-action reviews to accelerate growth
Requirements & Prerequisites
- A minimum of two years of professional work experience in any sector
- Basic familiarity with Microsoft PowerPoint or a similar presentation tool
- No formal instructional design qualification is required; relevant experience in training, HR, or a technical field is sufficient
- Participants should come prepared to practise facilitation in front of the group — an open and growth-oriented mindset is essential
Training Methodology
- This course is delivered through a highly experiential, participant-centred methodology that mirrors the adult learning principles taught throughout the programme. Each day combines short, focused conceptual inputs with structured group activities, individual design tasks, peer review sessions, and live facilitation practice. Participants work in small groups to design training segments and deliver them in a safe, supportive environment, receiving real-time feedback from both the master facilitator and their peers. Case studies drawn from corporate, NGO, government, and educational contexts are used to illustrate key instructional design decisions. Video analysis of facilitation techniques, a practical toolkit of templates and frameworks, and daily reflection journals are integrated throughout to consolidate learning and encourage personal application. By the final day, each participant will have designed and delivered a complete mini-training session and produced a portfolio of training design artefacts ready for use in their workplace.
Organisational Benefits
- - Improved quality and consistency of internal training programmes across departments
- - Reduced reliance on external training vendors through stronger in-house design and facilitation capacity
- - Higher learner engagement and knowledge retention resulting from evidence-based instructional design
- - Faster onboarding and skills transfer as training materials become more structured and purposeful
- - Greater alignment between training interventions and measurable business outcomes
- - A shared language and methodology for L&D across the organisation, enabling collaboration and quality control
- - Enhanced confidence and professionalism among staff who are tasked with training responsibilities
Where Is Training Design, Facilitation & Adult Learning Training Offered?
This course runs in-person across: Mombasa, Riyadh, Cape Town, Kigali, Lagos, Naivasha, Accra, Kampala, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg, Arusha, Pretoria, Addis Ababa, Kisumu, Zanzibar, Nakuru, Nairobi, Dubai, Abuja, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.
Upcoming Schedules
| Location | Format | Dates | Price |
|---|
| Live Virtual |
Online |
19 Sept 2026 – 11 Oct 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Mombasa, Kenya |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,500 |
| Cape Town, South Africa |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Kigali, Rwanda |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Lagos, Nigeria |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,500 |
| Naivasha, Kenya |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Accra, Ghana |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Kampala, Uganda |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,300 |
| Johannesburg, South Africa |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,500 |
| Arusha, Tanzania |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,100 |
| Pretoria, South Africa |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,300 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,400 |
+238 more dates — view live schedule →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a background in training or education to attend this course?
No formal background in training or education is required. The course is designed for professionals who are new to training roles as well as experienced trainers looking to formalise their skills. A minimum of two years of professional work experience in any field is sufficient.
Will I receive a certificate upon completion?
Yes. Participants who attend all five days and complete the facilitation practice session will receive a TrainingComplex Certificate of Completion in Training Design, Facilitation & Adult Learning. The certificate can be used for professional development portfolios and CPD records.
Is there a practical component, and will I have to facilitate in front of others?
Yes — live facilitation practice is a core component of this course. On Day 5, each participant delivers a short training session and receives structured feedback from peers and the master facilitator. This is conducted in a safe, supportive environment specifically designed to encourage growth rather than judgment.
What materials will I take away from the course?
Participants receive a comprehensive course workbook, a set of instructional design templates (including TNA forms, lesson plan templates, and evaluation tools), access to a digital resource library, and their completed training design portfolio developed during the course.
Can this course be delivered in-house for our organisation's L&D team?
Absolutely. TrainingComplex offers customised in-house delivery of this course for teams of six or more participants. The content can be tailored to your organisation's specific sector, training context, and internal frameworks. Contact TrainingComplex directly to discuss a bespoke training solution.
