How to Structure a Virtual Workshop

To make virtual workshops effective and engaging, start by developing a clear structure including goals, target audience, agenda, outcomes. Methodically planning and designing your workshop, you have a better chance at creating an environment of trust and collaboration in a virtual setting.

• Virtual Workshop Overview

  • A virtual workshop is an interactive and collaborative process conducted entirely online. Unlike traditional face-to-face workshops held in physical spaces, online workshops take place in a virtual environment.
  • During the virtual workshop, the facilitator leads participants through an agenda including activities, discussions, and exercises with the intention of reaching a desired outcome. Outcomes for a virtual workshop include improving team collaboration, solving tough problems, creating innovative ideas. Workshops cover any topic you can think of. They are effective at unleashing collective intelligence and bringing people together around a shared goal.

• Virtual Workshop Planning and Tools

  • If you’re new to virtual workshops, recommended taking a look at a comprehensive guide with in-depth suggestions and best practices. Creating your agenda before the meeting begins communicates expectations to participants and stakeholders. Starting off on the same page is vital for collaborating virtually.
  • Specialized tools enable organizers to make the experience more accessible, inclusive, and interactive for all participants. Educational workshops emphasize a hands-on approach to learning. Make virtual workshops engaging by using tools like virtual whiteboarding and breakout rooms for small group discussions. Plan icebreaker questions to eliminate initial tension. Test technology beforehand to make sure everything works smoothly.

• How to Structure a Virtual Workshop?

  • Keeping virtual participants engaged is a big challenge in three ways: Time structure: Timing and adherence to time units, known as timeboxing, should be considered even more carefully for virtual workshops. Plan timeslots for specific tasks, discussions and breaks, and the workshop in general. If possible, we recommend limiting workshops to 3 hours – topics that are facilitated in a one-day workshop in traditional workshops are better split over two to three slots on different days. This ensures better concentration.

• Optimization of Virtual Workshops

  • An online workshop is a collaborative discussion where you and your participants will dive into a specific topic in detail. These workshops are typically far more interactive than traditional online meetings. They use group discussions (sometimes split into small groups or breakout sessions), demonstrations, and other activities to educate and engage participants.
  • Ensure an optimal number of participants – The optimal number of participants for a virtual workshop involving group assignments is from six to twenty participants. If there are more than twenty participants, you should opt for hosting a webinar, not a workshop or virtual meeting.

Making Your Virtual Workshop More Interactive

• Engaging Virtual Workshops
  • An online workshop is typically more interactive than traditional online meetings. Use group discussions, small group or breakout sessions, demonstrations, and other activities to educate and engage participants. Before planning a remote workshop, keep it engaging and interactive so attendees gain more from the process.
  • Use visual tools like interactive whiteboards or mind mapping to streamline the process and boost engagement. Getting creative juices flowing this way facilitates communication and helps keep people engaged. Virtual team building activities like escape rooms, book clubs or craft challenges unite remote teams.
  • Use trainers’ body language, voice and words as communication tools to make information clear, compelling and memorable. Make interactions purposeful instead of quick and superficial. Start with an icebreaker so everyone engages and interacts right away.
  • Accommodate different learning styles. Fun workshops keep people attentive. Make content useful first. Then change room layout or use props. Short sessions split over days ensure better concentration than 3 hours.