The meeting should not be the first time your participants are using the technology platforms! Here's a few things you can do to get participants up to speed on the tech BEFORE the meeting.
23. Download and test the technology in advance. This is always a prerequisite! For example, Zoom can be downloaded at this link https://zoom.us/download#client_4meeting and tested at this link https://zoom.us/test
24. Share how-to videos. For example, this video show's Zoom's controls and features: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygZ96J_z4AY This video gives a good overview of MURAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPydNxrmmLI
25. Share a sandbox. A sandbox is a low-risk play area where participants can “play” and try using the technology in a zero-risk environment. For example, here’s a MURAL sandbox: https://app.mural.co/t/lizardbrainsolutions/m/lizardbrainsolutions/1588283917369/581933fc9732b73dd9f5372c354df1397515a1a7 And here’s a Google Docs sandbox: https://docs.google.com/document/d/173VwbklQJRE6djcIwBmUoFXY6Mgiou2CbU_gcNIPfMs/edit?usp=sharing
26. Share the platform’s website for FAQs and advanced features. Zoom’s help center is fantastic for resources and how-to’s: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us So are MURAL’s library of video tutorials: https://support.mural.co/en/collections/1571402-video-tutorials
27. Share a one-page, quick start guide. Here are three one-page guides we created for Zoom, Google Docs, and MURAL.
Why share all this? To appeal to different learning styles! Videos are for those participants who learn best visually and aurally. Sandboxes are for experiential learners. Websites and FAQs are for those participants who want to go deep. And one-pagers are for participants who want to know the bare minimum.
Tips 1 - 5 are in part 1 of Quick Tips for Virtual Meetings: http://www.lizardbrainsolutions.com/think-with-ink/2020/3/13/5-quick-tips-for-virtual-meetings
Tips 6 - 11 are in part 2 of Quick Tips for Virtual Meetings: http://www.lizardbrainsolutions.com/think-with-ink/2020/3/25/5-more-quick-tips-for-virtual-meetings-keeping-engagement-high
Tips 12 - 16 are in part 3 of Quick Tips for Virtual Meetings: http://www.lizardbrainsolutions.com/think-with-ink/2020/3/30/even-more-quick-tips-for-virtual-meetings-how-to-keep-things-smooth-when-youre-not-in-charge
Tips 17 - 22 are in part 4 of Quick Tips for Virtual Meetings: https://www.lizardbrain.com/think-with-ink/quick-tips-for-virtual-meetings-its-all-about-the-numbers