Many clients or sponsors are committed to participatory processes but do not understand the important role they need to play in helping to achieve the desired outcomes. It is necessary for facilitators and organizers to engage in a series of discussions prior to the actual event to clarify the objectives and the process, to plan all logistics, as well as to select participants, resource people and speakers for the inaugural and closing sessions, if applicable. If possible, facilitators should jointly design the overall process with their clients. Such joint planning will help both parties understand each other and will give a chance for the facilitators to negotiate what they require, should this be necessary. Such discussions may also help the client to understand what is entailed in a VIPP workshop.

As a facilitator you need to clarify the objectives of the organizers. If necessary, ask the organizers to formulate their objectives or to rephrase them if they are too ambitious or too ambiguous. In addition, always start an event by clarifying the objectives with the participants. Ask the participants about their expectations of the event. This will help to detect any misunderstanding about the goals and content of the event. You do not have to accept all expectations; rather make it clear if some expectations are beyond the event's scope and will not be dealt with at this time. There will always be hidden agendas but by giving space for all to express themselves the participants will deal with these hidden factors, make them visible, and accept them or reject them.