The Future of Workshops — Navigating Running Hybrid Workshop

It almost feels like my head has been submerged in water for the last 16 months, like everyone I have been coping with and adapting to new ways of working and running remote workshops. As we start to go back to some sense of normality, it feels like I can breathe again and see the light.

We need to consider a new perspective using hybrid workshops as we re-image how we work and collaborate with each other post-pandemic. A workshop arrangement that includes participants being involved in person or online “typically in working from home or another office”. We need to start looking beyond the ends of our own noses.

Although parts of the world are starting to recover, and the possibility of meeting people face to face has proven to be a reality. As organisations start to open their doors again, It’s important to highlight that creating the right blend of in-person and online experiences for participants is key.

We are still in the midst of a pandemic, which means that we have a lot more problems that need to be solved — As we try to solve those problems, we need to rethink how we can engage individuals and teams in a hybrid workshop environment.

Although, as a service designer, I do not just focus on facilitation. It is essential to get teams and people to share ideas, tell compelling stories and focus on a clear outcome by the end of a workshop.

On Thursday, 20th May, I was part of a team running a full-day workshop in partnership with OpenIDEO and Imperial College. This hybrid workshop offering was available both in-person and online for students interested in business, entrepreneurship, and design thinking. I was joined by fellow OpenIDEO organiser Rob Thompson and Eriol Fox.

Here are some things I learnt that might help others design and run a hybrid workshop:

1. First, finding allies in the space and online

It is possible to run a successful hybrid workshop. But creating collaboration safely ain’t easy. The success of a hybrid workshop does not just depend on the facilitator alone. Suppose it’s your first time, you need to have a power team, who understand your workshop’s possibilities and limitations. Finding the right support is key as you navigate the challenges of blending the right experience for participants online and offline. We invested a lot of time working with and understanding the best way to create a seamless.

Things just as understanding the room size and limit as you set up a room can help you plan the activities. During the hybrid workshop, we had experts in the space that helped us understand how many participants we could hold in a room at once as we had students split into two rooms at the same time as streaming live online. The technical support team on the day was key when trying to create a seamless experience for the participants that joined virtually.

FYI — It’s not easy to talk with a face mask on, so we need the right audio equipment. Little things like this can be overlooked.

2. Making sure that everyone has a role

Nothing is worse than setting a challenge or activity that only benefits the people in the room or online. You will tend to find it gets everyone as engaged as there is a big difference between checking the energy levels in a room compared to video calls like Zoom. It is a lot harder to understand when participants are bored, engaged, or even worse, confused as it is harder to pick up online.

One of the activities we ran was a group session that supported the participants frame the challenge for the workshop on circular design for fast fashion. We ensured that everyone had access to the same tools whether they participants in the room or virtually using Miro boards. Every group had 4 to 5 people and had a specific role.

• A moderator that makes sure everyone in the group is heard and understood
• Notetaker that ensures key thoughts and decisions are documented
• Timekeeper that makes sure everyone keeps to their agreed time limits

To ensure that your hybrid meetings work well. It is vital to make any tool accessible.

If those on-site are sharing a laptop or phone, then make sure it is always close to and facing whoever is speaking.

3. Create moments of connection

Whether you are facilitating people in a room or through a screen, it’s important to keep it human and relate to the people you are speaking to at the end of the day. Participants need to feel engaged and focused throughout the workshop. Finding ways to bring people into the conversation during moments of the workshop can help people who are hiding behind their cameras feel more connected to conversations.

Think to yourself; are you giving everyone an opportunity to be a part of the session and play a key role in any activities or output. You can make roles accessible for participants in person or through zoom. Simple things such as having a live Q&A board online so everyone can see it and make comments is a great way to ensure that everyone is heard. Or ensure that there are breakout sessions whether the participants can network through a platform.

It sounds straightforward enough, however real spaces that could hold group calls in-person and teams in screens as the groups are hybrid. How can you make memorable moments that can be shared after the workshop? Things like a digital selfie, even if your participants are in the room with you.

e.g. for the workshop, we created a special digital online What If card deck for participants to use during and after the event.

4. People first, not just digital

Throughout COVID-19, there has been a lot of focus on creating digital-first platforms to help people better collaborate, ideate, and be more productive from home. However, the people you interact with both online and offline are beyond the digital tool you use. Not to say that technology is not important, as, without it, a hybrid workshop would be almost impossible.

Knowing the type of potential, you will have both online and on-site while running any activities can help you understand the types of attendees, their actions throughout the workshop, and the desired outcomes. Your role as a facilitator should be easier as you have a clear idea of what actions you need to consider to ensure participants online and offline are getting the most out of the workshop. It is also essential to find ways to create groups that mix both sides to form a level of trust and connection.

Closing thoughts

Working in a hybrid environment to deliver a workshop was a creative way to stretch mine and my colleague’s facilitator skills. Moving towards running workshops online has presented opportunities to explore new ways of delivering value and connecting ideas remotely. This has focused a lot of use to push beyond our comfort zone — including me. However, new tools and collective knowledge of people sharing how they run workshops has made it a bit easier.

What if at the core of any workshop we can design it in a way that everyone feels included — in person or otherwise? What if the goals and focus of the session can meet the participant’s, client’s, and facilitator’s expectations?

These goals could be built around things like empowerment, inclusivity, sustainability, equity, and opportunity. Hybrid workshops could be the answer we are looking for as the world tries to adapt.