Whether or not you’re a professional facilitator or one that is looking to conduct one for your project teams or organisation, you can use these tips to facilitate more engaging, creative, and productive meetings online. I have added a handful of resources that could help you kick start your meeting planning.

1. Be prepared, be intentional and be purposeful

The key ingredient to a successful, productive and meaningful meeting or workshop lies in how the preparation work has been orchestrated. Be sure to engage and meet with your meeting co-hosts or fellow facilitators to define the roles and responsibilities that'll take place. Pre-meetings may be required to help participants that are new to certain tools or technologies come prepared. 

2. Involve your participants with roles, activities or questions

The key differentiator between a physical meeting and a remote meeting is a distraction. One can never argue that phone notifications, emails or other priorities can disrupt us from focusing on the jobs to be done. As a facilitator, you could delegate a handful of tasks or responsibilities to the group to ensure each individual learn to take ownership.

3. Be familiar with your topic and discussion points

It is important for you as a facilitator to have an in-depth understanding of the discussed subject, or being the Subject Matter Expert in a design sprint or discovery workshop. You are encouraged to create a list of questions that may be asked, potentially have this shared with other meeting co-hosts or workshop facilitators.

4. Time your sessions to avoid delays or other dependencies

We can have a fun and engaging session, or one with many disruptions that could delay the outcomes or the closure of a meeting. It is important to keep track of time to ensure that every participant can jump off in time for other tasks, meetings or priorities. I suggest our facilitators to invest in a timer from Time Timer.

5. Have fun! Don't be afraid to try new ideas

Whether you're running a meeting or a workshop. There's always a way to introduce a little bit of fun element, by all means, new ideas or methods of running it. In my design thinking workshops, having fun and a bit of laughter drives my participant to engage and to be expressive. This creates an openness and broader opportunities for people to come and collaborate together in creating better, bolder and creative ideas.

Whether or not you’re a professional facilitator or one that is looking to conduct one for your project teams or organisation, you can use these tips to facilitate more engaging, creative, and productive meetings online. I have added a handful of resources that could help you kick start your meeting planning.

1. Be prepared, be intentional and be purposeful

The key ingredient to a successful, productive and meaningful meeting or workshop lies in how the preparation work has been orchestrated. Be sure to engage and meet with your meeting co-hosts or fellow facilitators to define the roles and responsibilities that'll take place. Pre-meetings may be required to help participants that are new to certain tools or technologies come prepared. 

2. Involve your participants with roles, activities or questions

The key differentiator between a physical meeting and a remote meeting is a distraction. One can never argue that phone notifications, emails or other priorities can disrupt us from focusing on the jobs to be done. As a facilitator, you could delegate a handful of tasks or responsibilities to the group to ensure each individual learn to take ownership.

3. Be familiar with your topic and discussion points

It is important for you as a facilitator to have an in-depth understanding of the discussed subject, or being the Subject Matter Expert in a design sprint or discovery workshop. You are encouraged to create a list of questions that may be asked, potentially have this shared with other meeting co-hosts or workshop facilitators.

4. Time your sessions to avoid delays or other dependencies

We can have a fun and engaging session, or one with many disruptions that could delay the outcomes or the closure of a meeting. It is important to keep track of time to ensure that every participant can jump off in time for other tasks, meetings or priorities. I suggest our facilitators to invest in a timer from Time Timer.

5. Have fun! Don't be afraid to try new ideas

Whether you're running a meeting or a workshop. There's always a way to introduce a little bit of fun element, by all means, new ideas or methods of running it. In my design thinking workshops, having fun and a bit of laughter drives my participant to engage and to be expressive. This creates an openness and broader opportunities for people to come and collaborate together in creating better, bolder and creative ideas.

Whether or not you’re a professional facilitator or one that is looking to conduct one for your project teams or organisation, you can use these tips to facilitate more engaging, creative, and productive meetings online. I have added a handful of resources that could help you kick start your meeting planning.

1. Be prepared, be intentional and be purposeful

The key ingredient to a successful, productive and meaningful meeting or workshop lies in how the preparation work has been orchestrated. Be sure to engage and meet with your meeting co-hosts or fellow facilitators to define the roles and responsibilities that'll take place. Pre-meetings may be required to help participants that are new to certain tools or technologies come prepared. 

2. Involve your participants with roles, activities or questions

The key differentiator between a physical meeting and a remote meeting is a distraction. One can never argue that phone notifications, emails or other priorities can disrupt us from focusing on the jobs to be done. As a facilitator, you could delegate a handful of tasks or responsibilities to the group to ensure each individual learn to take ownership.

3. Be familiar with your topic and discussion points

It is important for you as a facilitator to have an in-depth understanding of the discussed subject, or being the Subject Matter Expert in a design sprint or discovery workshop. You are encouraged to create a list of questions that may be asked, potentially have this shared with other meeting co-hosts or workshop facilitators.

4. Time your sessions to avoid delays or other dependencies

We can have a fun and engaging session, or one with many disruptions that could delay the outcomes or the closure of a meeting. It is important to keep track of time to ensure that every participant can jump off in time for other tasks, meetings or priorities. I suggest our facilitators to invest in a timer from Time Timer.

5. Have fun! Don't be afraid to try new ideas

Whether you're running a meeting or a workshop. There's always a way to introduce a little bit of fun element, by all means, new ideas or methods of running it. In my design thinking workshops, having fun and a bit of laughter drives my participant to engage and to be expressive. This creates an openness and broader opportunities for people to come and collaborate together in creating better, bolder and creative ideas.