Free workshop timer for facilitating training sessions, design sprints, and team workshops. Time each segment precisely with alarm to keep groups on schedule.
Project the timer on a screen visible to all participants. When each agenda item starts, reset and start the timer for that item's allocated time. 5 minutes before alarm, say "wrap up your current thought." When alarm sounds, decisively close the item and move on — this builds trust in your facilitation.
Typical 3-hour (180 min) structure: 10 min intro/context, 30 min framing/problem statement, 60 min activities/exercises (in 15-min chunks), 30 min synthesis and prioritization, 20 min action planning, 10 min close/retrospective, 20 min buffer. Use the timer for every segment.
Individual ideation: 5–10 minutes. Small group discussion: 10–15 minutes. Paired exercises: 15–20 minutes. Full group synthesis: 20–30 minutes. Presentations (each team): 5 minutes with 2-minute Q&A. Shorter, varied timings prevent fatigue better than one long unbroken activity.
Yes. A Google Design Sprint runs Monday–Friday with daily timers: Monday (understand): 6 hours. Tuesday (sketch): 6 hours. Wednesday (decide): 6 hours. Thursday (prototype): 6 hours. Friday (test): 6 hours. Each day has a timed agenda — use the workshop timer for each day's segments.
Establish the time contract at the start: "We'll use a timer to respect everyone's time. The timer isn't negotiable, but we can add a parking lot for important items we can't finish." Pre-agreeing on the timer's authority before you need it prevents resistance when it actually alarms.