I used 'course introduction' with a group on a departmental awayday. This really focused participants on the rationale for the day and allowed the groundrules to be discussed in a way that wouldn't have happened otherwise. The 'expectations of each other' allowed discussion of acceptable and desirable behaviour to be clearly stated in a department where several staff members are overbearing and dominatiing in such meetings usually. The main content of the day was more fruitful once this had happened.