You have a large group session coming up. What software tools will help you manage it?

1 Preparing the session

Before you start your session, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve, who your participants are, and how you will structure the session. A software tool that can help you with this is a mind mapping tool. A mind mapping tool allows you to create a visual representation of your session objectives, topics, activities, and time frames. You can use it to brainstorm ideas, organize information, and create an outline of your session. Some examples of mind mapping tools are MindMeister, Coggle, and XMind.

2 Inviting the participants

Once you have your session plan ready, you need to invite your participants and share the details of the session with them. A software tool that can help you with this is an event management tool. An event management tool allows you to create and send invitations, collect RSVPs, manage registrations, and send reminders. You can also use it to create a landing page for your session, where you can provide more information, such as the agenda, the learning outcomes, and the expectations. Some examples of event management tools are Eventbrite, Meetup, and Zoom.

3 Conducting the session

During your session, you need to be able to communicate with your participants, deliver your content, and facilitate the interaction. A software tool that can help you with this is a video conferencing tool. A video conferencing tool allows you to host and join online meetings, share your screen, use chat and polls, and record the session. You can also use it to create breakout rooms, where you can divide your participants into smaller groups for discussions, exercises, or feedback. Some examples of video conferencing tools are Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams.

4 Engaging the participants

To make your session more interactive and fun, you need to be able to engage your participants and get their input. A software tool that can help you with this is a polling and quiz tool. A polling and quiz tool allows you to create and launch live polls and quizzes, where you can ask your participants questions, collect their responses, and display the results. You can use it to check their understanding, gauge their opinions, or generate ideas. Some examples of polling and quiz tools are Mentimeter, Kahoot, and Poll Everywhere.

5 Collaborating with the participants

Another way to make your session more dynamic and participatory is to enable collaboration among your participants. A software tool that can help you with this is a collaboration tool. A collaboration tool allows you to create and share online documents, slides, boards, or worksheets, where your participants can work together, edit, comment, and add content. You can use it to facilitate group work, brainstorming, problem-solving, or action planning. Some examples of collaboration tools are Google Docs, Miro, and Padlet.

6 Evaluating the session

After your session, you need to be able to evaluate its effectiveness and gather feedback from your participants. A software tool that can help you with this is a survey tool. A survey tool allows you to create and send online surveys, where you can ask your participants to rate your session, provide comments, and suggest improvements. You can use it to measure the satisfaction, learning, and impact of your session. Some examples of survey tools are SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, and Typeform.

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?