If you have Fun goals: if the goals are mainly "fun" it is often OK to just present

the task and "see how it goes", making changes to the activity as you see fit

If you have Learning goals: if the goals are mainly "learning and development",
then you open another can of worms! - consider more sophisticated design and
sequencing of your program. You may want to deepen your understanding of
experiential learning principles and facilitation skills.

Create a Non-threatening environment: encourage a non-threatening social

environment in which everyone feels welcome to participate (consider using
warm-ups, icebreakers, and get-to-know-each other activities first). Experiencing
social support during a program has been found to be an important factor in
determining outcomes (Neill & Dias, 2001).

Rules: explain the "rules and guidelines" clearly for the task; don't underestimate
the importance of clear information in multiple formats to help an activity run
smoothly; but the challenge is to present these rules in a nurturant, growthpromoting way, as opposed to autocratic, school marm style.

Framing/debriefing: consider whether to "frame" and/or "debrief" the activity

(see facilitation & processing). Framing is creating a story or scenario or
metaphor around the activity. The "frame" in many uses is selected to be
isomorphic - that is, consistent with the back-home life. So, a bucket of water
may come to represent money (or love), for example. The initiative task then
comes to mean something quite different, as the money (or love) is handled and
transported through various obstacles and challenges. Debriefing refers to some
form of discussion or "reviewing" of "what happened and what was learnt".
Debriefing is quite common, but not always recommended. Sometimes it is better
not to debrief and to move on to the next activity, or to approach the "review"
more subtly, such as by casually initiating dicussion about a topic amongst
different individuals.

Instructor effectiveness: be aware of the subtle ways which influence an

instructor's effectiveness in experiential learning with groups. Read more about
"Group Facilitating & Processing in Experiential & Outdoor Education Training".

http://www.wilderdom.com/facilitation.html

What is facilitation?

To facilitate, is to help something (usually a process) move along. The word derives from
"facile" which is French for "easy". To facilitate, then, is literally to make something
easier.
Facilitate does not mean "solving a problem" or "doing it for someone". It means doing
something that makes a process run a little better.
When a situation is too difficult, a facilitator is there to help. When a student or a group are
having desirable experiences, the facilitator can be less obtrusive.
Go to a more indepth section on "What is facilitation?"...

Facilitation in Action: "Reactions to Sept 11 Attacks, From

an Outdoor Education Class"
This article describes the facilitation of a post-9/11 outdoor education class for university
students. This included approaching sensitive emotions and reactions, sharing, listening,
use of silence and grieving, as well as exploring the potential relevance of outdoor
education to the major social challenges of our day.

Are the mountains still speaking for

themselves?
Thomas James pointed out a competing tension amongst Outward Bound
instructors:

some preferred to take participants through adventurous

experiences, letting the experience speak for itself, whilst

other, more touchy-feely instructors, felt it was important to help participants

process, analyze, and discuss their thoughts and feelings about experiences.

(named the "Outward Bound Process" model by Bacon, 1987) (go to Neill, 2002, "Are the
Mountains Still Speaking for Themselves?").