Online tools can be used during face-to-face meetings (and also during online events). They are usually easy to use, offer quick results and provide an element of fun. The most important advantage may be that most meeting participants have mobile devices and can use them during meetings/conferences. These tools can be used to find out how participants feel at various intervals during a meeting, gauge their interest levels, collect feedback and ideas, evaluate their understanding, and ensure that a specific message is getting across.
Online tools let meeting organizers both empower participants and to give them some measure of accountability for the success of a conference or meeting. Using their mobile phones, laptop computers or tablets, participants can vote on questions, give inputs quickly at a moment’s notice at any point during a meeting, or take part in learning games. These tools can significantly increase participant engagement, because everyone can respond at once. No one needs to be individually called upon to answer or to participate, and in some cases participation can be anonymous if required. Results can be shown in real time.
Online tools let meeting organizers both empower participants and to give them some measure of accountability for the success of a conference or meeting. Using their mobile phones, laptop computers or tablets, participants can vote on questions, give inputs quickly at a moment’s notice at any point during a meeting, or take part in learning games. These tools can significantly increase participant engagement, because everyone can respond at once. No one needs to be individually called upon to answer or to participate, and in some cases participation can be anonymous if required. Results can be shown in real time.
WHEN TO USE THEM AND WHY
1. FOR INSTANT VOTING / POLLS
Online tools are most useful for large meetings – those with more than 30 participants – where they can save time. With multiple choice or rating scale/quantitative questions, they avoid the need to count hands or paper ballots, listen to individual responses, etc. Instant voting is a great way to encourage interaction in meetings where people have not had time to get to know each other, and they are especially useful when you need quick answers. Participants can take an online poll and have their responses registered in real-time. The online feedback activity complements the offline presentation seamlessly.
Instant voting/polling uses purely quantitative question types. The value is that the quantitative response data can be quickly captured, tabulated and even shown to participants at the meeting, or conveniently embedded as a table/graph in a subsequent document.
A few tools include: kahoot.it; sli.do; directpoll.com
Online tools are most useful for large meetings – those with more than 30 participants – where they can save time. With multiple choice or rating scale/quantitative questions, they avoid the need to count hands or paper ballots, listen to individual responses, etc. Instant voting is a great way to encourage interaction in meetings where people have not had time to get to know each other, and they are especially useful when you need quick answers. Participants can take an online poll and have their responses registered in real-time. The online feedback activity complements the offline presentation seamlessly.
Instant voting/polling uses purely quantitative question types. The value is that the quantitative response data can be quickly captured, tabulated and even shown to participants at the meeting, or conveniently embedded as a table/graph in a subsequent document.
A few tools include: kahoot.it; sli.do; directpoll.com
2. FOR GATHERING INPUTS OR QUESTIONS FROM PARTICIPANTS
Most of the virtual tools used for (quantitative) instant voting / polling also allow you to obtain qualitative (i.e. text-based) input from participants, such as feedback, questions or comments. For large groups, this can mean the difference between a marginally responsive audience and a strongly responsive one. Tools for gathering inputs/questions are best used for:
Most of the virtual tools used for (quantitative) instant voting / polling also allow you to obtain qualitative (i.e. text-based) input from participants, such as feedback, questions or comments. For large groups, this can mean the difference between a marginally responsive audience and a strongly responsive one. Tools for gathering inputs/questions are best used for:
- Broadening the scope for participants to interact and give feedback. In large meetings, normally only a few people can speak up due to time constraints;
- Getting instant feedback that helps presenters understand their audience better and tweak their presentations to maximize impact;
- Gathering opinions discreetly on sensitive questions; this is easier to obtain when participants don’t have to speak their views in front of everyone;
- Obtaining one-word comments which are captured within an online "cloud". These can be embedded in a presentation so that everyone can view them in real-time;
- Getting questions from the audience. Some tools allow you to invite participants to propose questions for presenters to answer, and also allow participants to see questions proposed by others and vote for their preferred ones;
- Collecting any unanswered questions so they can be addressed after the meeting;
- Gathering instant feedback/evaluations at the end of the event meeting.
3. USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO "TURN UP THE VOLUME" AND BUILD ENGAGEMENT
Social media updates (on Twitter, Yammer, Facebook, etc.) can be filtered by topics, using convenient hashtags. There are several virtual tools that allow you to capture relevant social chatter or social reporting (i.e. social media postings about an event by its participants, while the event is in progress, using an event-specific hashtag) on an issue or topic, compile it into an entertaining dashboard with ongoing updates (a "wall") that can be shared with larger audiences, including those participating remotely. This is most effective in conferences, symposia, virtual town hall meetings and other large events, as it is easier to generate sufficient social reporting if the number of participants is large. A social media wall is best used to:
Social media updates (on Twitter, Yammer, Facebook, etc.) can be filtered by topics, using convenient hashtags. There are several virtual tools that allow you to capture relevant social chatter or social reporting (i.e. social media postings about an event by its participants, while the event is in progress, using an event-specific hashtag) on an issue or topic, compile it into an entertaining dashboard with ongoing updates (a "wall") that can be shared with larger audiences, including those participating remotely. This is most effective in conferences, symposia, virtual town hall meetings and other large events, as it is easier to generate sufficient social reporting if the number of participants is large. A social media wall is best used to:
- Raise awareness, displaying a stream of relevant social media posts (including comments and insights, highlights, photos, videos, etc.). The stream can be projected as a social media wall in a strategic location, shown on a large screen or shared online by setting up a dedicated page in your website. This is also a great way to showcase the power of social media for participants;
- Engage external audiences by highlighting social media posts that talk about a specific event. The most effective way to engage externals is by displaying the stream on a web page; the same stream can also be projected or displayed on a screen at the event;
- Foster networking. People get to know other social media users from the posts they see on a wall. This helps them follow people online and create networks, both virtual and in person if they are attending the same event.
4. FOR ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF A MEETING
Most of the virtual tools above have some capacity to capture event data, which can be analyzed to inform organizers and moderators/ speakers on participant interaction and engagement. The tools for polling, gathering inputs, social media walls and learning games offer analytics based on the functions they support, while the event apps offer more complete analytical reports based on participant activity during an entire event.
Using the analytics features of the different tools can help report on, and derive insights about, the impact of a meeting, workshop or large scale event. Tool analytics can effectively complement the traditional process of asking participants to fill out survey forms at the end of a meeting or event. Participant feedback is obtained objectively (i.e. from their actual activities, which are tracked by the analytics functions of the tools) as well as from any subjective assessments which you gather via online forms or questions. It is also possible to gather data gradually during the various sessions of an event.
The analytics collected can also demonstrate the value of incorporating social media or online tools for improving participant engagement in meetings. Analytics are available quickly, and hence can also assist organizers in making decisions during the event, for example, by adding additional sessions/activities that are particularly popular or by changing the tone or focus of a subsequent session/activity.
Most of the virtual tools above have some capacity to capture event data, which can be analyzed to inform organizers and moderators/ speakers on participant interaction and engagement. The tools for polling, gathering inputs, social media walls and learning games offer analytics based on the functions they support, while the event apps offer more complete analytical reports based on participant activity during an entire event.
Using the analytics features of the different tools can help report on, and derive insights about, the impact of a meeting, workshop or large scale event. Tool analytics can effectively complement the traditional process of asking participants to fill out survey forms at the end of a meeting or event. Participant feedback is obtained objectively (i.e. from their actual activities, which are tracked by the analytics functions of the tools) as well as from any subjective assessments which you gather via online forms or questions. It is also possible to gather data gradually during the various sessions of an event.
The analytics collected can also demonstrate the value of incorporating social media or online tools for improving participant engagement in meetings. Analytics are available quickly, and hence can also assist organizers in making decisions during the event, for example, by adding additional sessions/activities that are particularly popular or by changing the tone or focus of a subsequent session/activity.
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
- Meeting, workshop or conference event (more than 30 participants, each with mobile device/ tablet/ laptop)
- Organizer or Speaker/ Presenter (with knowledge of virtual/online tool)
- Online tools, selected according to needs
- Most important: reliable Wi-Fi connection with enough capacity for all participants
MORE INFORMATION / SOURCE
- UNICEF, 2019. Knowledge Exchange Toolbox. A collection of tools "for anyone who needs to make effective decisions, facilitate or guide effective decision-making processes, or manage or coordinate group work in development that requires the knowledge of multiple persons to succeed." This section focuses on how to empower participation using technology.