What do you do if you need to enhance remote facilitation with virtual whiteboards?

1 Embrace Basics

Before diving into the advanced features of virtual whiteboards, ensure you have a strong grasp of the basics. Familiarize yourself with the fundamental tools such as drawing, typing, and importing images. Make sure you can navigate the interface with ease and understand how to use layers or pages for organizing content. It's important to create a simple and intuitive structure on the whiteboard so that participants can follow along and contribute without confusion.

2 Set Ground Rules

Clear ground rules are vital for effective remote facilitation using virtual whiteboards. Establish guidelines on how participants can contribute, such as when to use the text tool versus drawing, or how to signal if they have an idea they want to add. This prevents chaos and ensures that all voices are heard. Encourage respect for the shared space and remind participants that the whiteboard is a collaborative tool, not just a presentation slide.

3 Engage Everyone

Keeping everyone engaged during a remote session can be challenging, but virtual whiteboards can help. Encourage participants to actively contribute by assigning tasks or asking for input directly on the board. Use colors and shapes to highlight contributions, and consider breaking out into smaller groups or using separate boards for different discussion threads. This keeps the session dynamic and ensures that everyone feels involved in the process.

4 Utilize Templates

Templates can be a powerful way to streamline your facilitation process on virtual whiteboards. They provide a predefined structure for common activities like SWOT analysis, mind mapping, or project planning. By starting with a template, you save time and can focus on guiding the discussion rather than setting up the board. Plus, templates can help keep the session on track and make it easier for participants to understand the flow of activities.

5 Foster Creativity

To truly enhance remote facilitation, you need to foster creativity within your team. Use virtual whiteboards to their full potential by incorporating multimedia elements like videos or GIFs. Experiment with different brainstorming techniques that leverage the visual and interactive nature of the tool, such as mind maps or affinity diagrams. Encouraging creative expression can lead to more innovative ideas and keep participants engaged.

6 Reflect and Adapt

After each remote session, take time to reflect on what worked well and what could be improved regarding your use of virtual whiteboards. Seek feedback from participants on their experience and be open to adapting your approach. Continuous learning and adapting are key to becoming a more effective remote facilitator. Remember, every group is different, and what works for one may not work for another.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?