• Allow for multiple start and finish points. If a learner has not completed the tour in one go they should be able to rejoin later without having to start from scratch.

• Keep any information to short, focused inputs. The power of the more conversational personal tours is in the anecdotes and contextualization that the tour guide can include – self-guided tours can still do this but it is harder to gauge reaction so keep them to a minimum.

• If you are using technology then ensure that the technical standards are high. You will be compared with examples from outside your organization (such as museums). If you do not have access to a media department or internal expertise, plus time to work on the technology, then think carefully about proceeding. Amateur videos may look endearing for a minute but their charms will fade very quickly.

• Take the tour yourself – how long does it take, are the instructions clear, does it cover all of things that you actually see?

• Introduce the rationale for the tour and include how long it will take in the introduction. Learners can often see it as being second best compared with a personal tour so a clear rationale is important to convincing them to invest their time.

• Be careful in using old tours – things can change very quickly and your format should be flexible enough to allow speedy inserts.

• large groups.