Well, this is not really a question, but my analysis of the steps I went through after we had all our agreements in place with all the leaders involved. Mind you, I had some previous experience in developing a trainings. Maybe you will end up doing things differently, or you have different experiences to offer:
1. First, commend yourself to your highest purpose.
If you don't you'll run out of breath. 
2. Address the scope and conditions for the training.
Even with some experience in developing a community training, it took me several months to put one together for my first ABCD project--beginning the incarnation of a nonprofit organization that would house all our cooperative associations with one another: guilds, childrearing, health services, food, self-sufficiency, disaster prep/response/recovery, community businesses, etc. for a population of , 950-1200 at any point in time scattered among about a dozen or so countries.There was general consensus that we needed this institution, but not how to go about it since the vision was so huge. Among those who stepped forward for the task of organizing, it seemed the clearest step ahead was to take inventory of ourselves as a gathering.
This situation also meant that for most of our gathering, our interviewers would be their first formal and only in-person contact with this institution. Most of the folks who stepped forward for the job figured all they had to do was ask a few questions and how simple was that. We needed to make sure the interviewers knew enough about the ins and outs of the vision and how to handle any sticky situations, like some oldtimers who were just cynical or members who thought we were biting off too much to chew by trying to reach everyone and so on. On top of that, because we are scattered in several different countries, we would not have the benefit of intimacy from sharing the same physical surroundings, or eating and drinking together, bumping into someone on your way in and out of the space, having colorful reminders posted around a room.
2. See what material you can use.
Maybe you say start with an outline, but really it didn't matter. I had so much flying around in my head and intuitionthat I needed to physically handle whatever was already material. What materials already existed or needed to be made up and in what form did the material need to be in order to be usable under the conditions I was facing?
I had a source for some of the non-ABCD material--lots of books and quotes, some Powerpoint slides from a different presentation, videos, and handouts--but a lot of it I had to make up and also incorporate in with any ABCD material so that the presentation was seamless. It was up to me to begin the training conversation on how ABCD matched up with the institutional and cultural principles of our community.
Then there were the Powerpoint slides my own trainer had generously shared. And lots more books and videos and handouts and other ABCD Powerpoint presentations online! The richness was staggering.
Note to self: keep breathing.
3. Develop an outline.
I would have very much liked to start with the outline, but the fact of the matter is that this happened simultaneously with gathering my materials together.
And as much as I join the critics of slideshows, I decided that given the conditions for the training and all the material that was out there, it would be easiest for me to develop a Powerpoint presentation:
- I could use the slides like gigantic index cards containing my speaking notes and sort and edit them as easily as a wordprocessing document.
- I could write or insert one slide at a time without worrying from the outset how it fit in the flow of things. My thoughts could just flow, and I would capture them onto the slide in the form of images or words.
- I could include cool pictures I chose from free clip art online that matched the concepts I was trying to pass on.
- I could also embed video into the presentation so that in front of the virtual room I didn't have to spend time switching browser windows.
- I could enter additional notes in the Notes section of each slide just in case I actually might need to distribute handouts.
- I could also batch sets of slides into virtual topic sections so that I could track the day's sessions and gauge how much to speed up or slow down, and see where to transition from ABCD to non-ABCD material.
- And if I really wanted to, I could add animations. By that time, I was having so much fun that I had to teach myself how to add animations!
- Oh, and I discovered that Powerpoint had a timing function so I could see how much material there actually was for the 24 hours needed and rehearse how things flowed.
4. Organize and integrate the material.
Okay, the bulleted sub-list above shows I was having fun in spite of how overwhelming it all seemed. The gathering of the material, outlining and organizing happened kind of at the same time. I would start one piece and that would make me ask a question and I'd have to go hunting for what I needed. Very satisfying to pop the item in where it belongs, like a farmer making a pie and picking the ripe berries from the bushes for it.
Now everything's put together, and I just have to finish out the last preparations for the actual training:
5. Make sure the other team members are doing their bit on the logistics and keeping you informed.
My folks weren't used to thinking about the contingencies that can develop in bringing people together, and especially not virtually. Who is supposed to be handling what when on the day. I was going to be "on" for two days in a row for each training session so we could reach both hemispheres of the globe at a time convenient for most trainees. I was prepared for hiccups but not possible collapse because of inexperience, so I needed to know what they were telling everybody else!
6. Practice delivery.
. . . even if it's just to read through the whole thing once. It's amazing what you discover.
7. Make a point of showing up early and give yourself the time to prepare your water or whatever else you might need handy.
updated by @magdalena-valderrama-hurwitz: 10/24/16 04:47:22PM
