5 Tasks of a Good Online Facilitator

Let’s talk about Online Facilitation!

Good facilitation can be the difference between a good webinar and a great (or memorable) one. If we think of the facilitator as a host, guide, or mentor, then we see that the facilitator’s job can be a fun and useful one. 

What can you do to ensure your online event is a good one? Let’s break down the 5 Tasks of a good online facilitator: 

Housekeeping: Before you launch into a presentation, event or conversation, it’s always nice to have a little help setting the parameters or rules of the event. Take a few minutes to let your audience know  how to ask a question, what’s the format, what’s going on today, microphones vs. chat box, and other details.

Sample:

[If there aren't poll questions]. “Welcome to today’s event. This is a sound check to make sure that everyone can hear us. We will be starting in about 5 minutes. In the meantime, feel free to introduce yourself and your location in the chat box Only the presenters will have microphone rights for today’s webinar. If you have any questions or comments, please use the chat below left/right.”

[If there is a welcome poll]  “Before we get started please take a moment to answer the following question(s) on the screen”.

Introductions: Like any good host, you want your guests to know who’s presenting and why they’ve been asked to the party. Give a little bit of information about each presenter.

Sample:

“Our presenter today is X, s/he is [title] responsible for [awesomeness!]. S/he will be talking about [how to be awesome, team building]. We’ll have about 30 minutes of presentations with time for Q&A after the presentation.”

“We have a great panel for you today. From the X Office, …. and Y office, … Each person will have about 10 minutes for presentations with time for Q&A after each presentation.”

During event activities: Some events have a lot of transitions - multiple speakers, polls, short Q&A sessions, various layouts, etc., so make sure to inform your audience as speakers and layouts change. It’s also important to keep an eye on the chat box to make sure the sound/video hasn’t dropped off. During presentations, you can filter questions as they come in and bring these to the attention of presenters using the ‘presenter only’ area of AidConnect.

Sample:

Type in chat box: “We’re almost done with the presentations. If you have any questions, please type them in the chat box [below/left/right].”

“Before we load the next presentation, let’s take a moment to answer some questions. Please type your questions in the chat box. Also, you’ll see we’ve posted a [poll, open ended question, request for information] which you can also fill in.”

Wrapping it up: Remember to end on a high note and, if needed, indicate Action Items that will follow the event.

• Downloads Pod: Have presentations, handouts and other related materials ready in the download pod

• Chat box: Highlight useful links that may have been posted during the event

Sample:

“Thank you for attending today’s event. We hope it was useful and we’ll see you again at our next event. [Plug upcoming events]. Before you go, I want to draw your attention to the download pod where you can download X. As always, if you think of a question after the webinar is done, please don’t hesitate to email us at X or post your comment/question on the X Forum on ProgramNet. Thank you and have a nice day/evening.”

Follow up: Follow up emails should be sent within 36 hours of the event. The main purpose is to thank all the attendees, send the recording link and presentations, address any action items, and encourage your audience to forward emails to colleagues and friends who may be interested.

Sample:

“Thank you for attending [day] webinar on [topic]. There were X# of attendees from X countries. Below you will find the link to the webinar recording. Attached is the [documents, presentation slides]. We encourage you to forward this email to any colleagues who may have been unable to attend.”

With these five tasks in mind (and practice), your event should run smoother and it will keep your audience engaged during and after the event. Plan ahead and jot down some facilitation notes during your next event planning meeting and I think you’ll find that facilitation is easy and intuitive.

I hope this post has been useful and please let us know if you use any of these tips in your events. Practice makes perfect! Feel free to add comments or suggestions in the box below.