Praxis Primer: Communication

Practice clear, confident communication through hands-on exercises and real-world conversation tips. We know more than we say. Most of it we don't notice. Which step really comes first? What "done" looks like. The shortcut everyone uses but nobody wrote down. In a handoff, that is what gets lost. It happens when one person hands work to another. It happens when we write a prompt or workflow for an AI agent. It can even happen when one agent passes a task to another agent. In small groups, blindfolded, you'll solve a wooden puzzle. One person feels the shape and describes it. Others build from words alone. Partway through, the rules change, and we explore what happens when the builder can't ask questions. We use the Empathy Toy, designed in Toronto by Twenty One Toys and used by teachers, HR teams, and managers to practise explaining, listening, and adjusting. We'll play, swap roles, and spend the last part of the workshop talking about what we noticed. What did you know that you never said? What did you fill in that you were never told? The workshop is an opportunity to look at our own habits: how we explain, how we listen, what we assume others already know. Find Builders Club on Maps, near King and Gaukel/Young. It's roughly a 3–5-minute walk from ION's Victoria Park or Kitchener City Hall stations. Driving? City Hall garage has an entrance on Young Street. Parking details Simple snacks and beverages will be available before we start. The puzzle keeps your hands busy, and the blindfolds make snacking later tricky, so depending on your day, you may want to plan to eat before you arrive.