STEP 3 -- Executing Your Session

Checklist

Managing Your Connection Window

Executing Your Agenda

The Use of Categorization and AI During a Session

Hand raise Feature

Checklist

It’s go-time. The guide development work is in place and you should have good confidence in the guide and flow; participants and observers (your team and end client) have been invited and all will receive an automated reminder with their access link on the morning of the session. Here’s a suggested checklist as you head into your session—it’s what I follow every time I facilitate a Converge session:

1. Go to your edit session screen and scroll down to the current group session you are facilitating. Make sure the group is marked as ‘available’ and double check the start and end dates/times, and especially double check the session accessible date/time. It should be set for 30-60 minutes ahead of the actual start time.
2. On your session settings just make sure your audio controls are set correctly. If you are using Zoom/Teams along with Converge, the Converge audio should be off. Let’s assume this is a normal Converge session and you are using Converge audio.
3. Converge uses a help chat support system where a participant or observer can click on the question mark icon in the lower right corner of the screen once they have joined the session if they have any technical issues. Someone on your team should be managing the help chat so you are completely focused on facilitating session. Make sure that assignment has been done.
4. Converge has an observer group chat function as a side bar to the right of your screen. All session leaders that are in your active roster are automatically included in the group chat. We allow you to select the observers that you want to be part of the chat; just click on the double cloud icon in the upper right to open the chat and then click on the + sign and you will see your list of observers; just mark any of them that you want to give permission for the chat. Sometimes you may want to only use the chat for your internal team, sometimes for your client observers as well. We leave the choice to you. Participants do not have access to the chat;
5. If you are planning on any categorization (real-time theming) during your session, make sure you have a plan for that on how the categorization will be handled. We’ll cover the options later in this section;
6. Are you planning to have someone besides you kicking off the session at the start—a client sponsor or another team member? If you are, make sure they are familiar with how you will bring them into the voice call. Generally we mute all lines when we open the Converge audio but you can selectively unmute anyone who has joined the session via a setting in the online window that shows all participants/observers that have joined. When you unmute their access that means they can now unmute their line and share a welcome;
7. Double check your text on the welcome screen that participants see when they login so that any context reference and reminder of session start and duration are accurate. If you are doing a series (multiple sessions with same agenda) your dates and times will change and you want to make sure that the correct information is displayed;
8. If you plan to do a video welcome where you are switching to a video intro (you are in video presenter mode), make sure you have walked through that prior to the session so you are familiar with all settings and how that audio functions. Note that the current max for coming on by video is broadcasting to 50 users (participants and observers). We are planning to make enhancements to our overall audio/video environment in 2024. Generally I am NOT using a video intro in my sessions;
9. Have a plan for how you are going to handle an instance of loss of internet in the location you are facilitating from—you might be at your normal office, at a hotel at a client site and (seriously) pulled over in your car (it happens!). I generally facilitate with two laptops, each is a leader so I have laptop backup, but I always have my Verizon hotspot at the ready if I need to switch to it.
10. Lastly, close the door and get yourself in a pre-facilitation quiet zone about 30 minutes before the session. No calls, no distractions. Review the guide one more time quietly and put your head around the context and your goals for the session. Be calm and collected as you head into the sign-on process with participants. Your team and client are depending on you and it will be a better experience for you as well.

Simple list really, just make it a habit. Just like a pilot, when you skip a step you create a risk that was not needed. Murphy’s Rule will always apply.

Managing Your ‘Connection Window’

One of the most important aspects of running your session is that you start on time. It allows you take control of the session, set a professional tone and you will need every minute of time (typically) for your session itself. We recommend a 5-10 minute connection window ahead of the start time. Your participants and observers should have been advised to join the session during this connection window (at least 5 minutes before the start time) so the session can be started right on time. Here’s what I do in the connection window:

• Make sure I am logged in as a leader and on the active session screen. In my case I use two laptops by habit, both should be logged in and I use two different leader IDs.
• Make sure your assigned team member who will be managing the help chat is logged in and ready—you generally see any help questions that are going to occur happening during the connection window.
• Use the NEW COUNTDOWN TIMER to broadcast that the session will begin in XX:XX minutes (countdown time is in the 3 dot ellipse to theright of the JOIN NOW button.  I generally start this at 10:00 before the session.
• Open the voice call by clicking on the START AUDIO button in your facilitator controls at the top of your screen (it’s actually START with a phone icon). Facilitator controls are shown below:

• I personally use headphones with KRISP installed on my primary laptop for the best quality audio and I also am swiveling between two laptops so I want my voice to be consistent.
• As soon as the muzak goes away on the voice call that means someone else has joined and clicked on their audio button. You will see them in your online window in the lower right of your screen. That’s when I do an early/informal welcome, I always try to do that at least 5 minutes before the session start time and generally come back on every minute thereafter to informally welcome participants. We have also added a countdown timer widget and I usually post that at 5:00 before the session starts as it is broadcast to all participants/observers, it lets them relax for a moment and keeps me accountable to start on time. When it hits 00:00 I do my formal welcome. The countdown time widget is in the 3 dot ellipse in the right of your facilitator commands (see above). It is also where your Broadcast Message feature is where you can send an on-screen message to all users as needed (i.e.., ‘We will be delaying the start of our session 5 minutes—thx.’ The countdown timer is placed to the left of your controls and in a similar spot for all users:
• Keep on eye on your online window and also the help chat indicator at the bottom of your screen (looks like a bell and will have an indicator if a help message comes in). The help chat message indicator will clear when your assigned colleague responds to the request, but you might take a quick look at the thread and make sure there is any issue that you need to be aware of. Similarly, you will see an indicator in your group chat sidebar to the right if an observer or one of your colleagues has added a chat message. Be aware, but don’t get distracted. In our session we actually assign one of our team members to proactively manage the group chat, call out key insights, things that are happening on the session.
• The online window is really the most important information for you as a facilitator as is shows the total number of people online and the number of those that are participants (as opposed to observers) and that is always displayed in the lower right; if you open the window (click on up arrow) you can see all users logged in by name and ID class (participant, leader, observer) and also their audio connection and whether that connection is by VOIP or traditional phone (we support both). On the three dot ellipse to the left of the ID you have options to message, unmute, make them a video presenter and see what activity they are on. An example of the online window is shown below:

• Be aware, but don’t get distracted as youmonitor your side panel. In our session we actually assign one of our teammembers to proactively manage the group chat, call out key insights, thingsthat are happening on the session.  The onlinewindow is really the most important information for you as a facilitator asis shows the total number of people online and the number of those that areparticipants (as opposed to observers or leaders) and that is always at the topof the panel (see above);  if you open thewindow you can see all users logged in by name and ID class (participant,leader, observer) and also their audio connection and whether that connectionis by VOIP or traditional phone (we support both).  On the three dot ellipse to the left of theID you have options to message, unmute, make them a video presenter or enablescreen share, and see what activity they are on. 
• Now, let’s assume that your countdown timer (optional of course) has hit 00:00, you can now go ahead and formally welcome your participants, invite your sponsor to add a welcome (if planned) and then move to your first activity or any further introduction comments/housekeeping. I usually have an info activity screen that reminds participants that they are in muted audio mode, that they have access to the help chat, and I usually display as SESSION OBJECTIVE sentence just to add a little focus. This all takes 2-3 minutes but also gives you a little buffer for any ‘late arrivals’.

Executing Your Agenda

Everyone has joined, voice call was started, intros are done. You are ready to execute your agenda and facilitate the session. All very simple now:

• On your leader laptop open your first interactive activity, maybe it is a short background survey or an initial ideas activity. Only you are on that activity now, everyone else is still on the agenda.
• Now, let your users know that you are taking them into the first activity and click on the JOIN NOW button in your facilitator controls. Everyone moves simultaneously into the activity; you can check your online window and see that everyone is now on that new activity (we call this lockstep). Provide brief instructions for the activity and then be quiet. Let them provide responses and do their work. They are speaking now (digitally). Note that your observers cannot add any responses, they can only see the responses of participants. If the activity is a rate/select/survey your observers will click on VIEW RESULTS to see the responses. Participants in an open ideas question type in response and click on the add button, if they are in a rate/select/survey they click on submit and will automatically move into the results at that time.
• You are trying to create flow with your session, it’s like conducting a 1:1 interview with 25 people at the same time. Provide good transitions from activity to activity, this is just good meeting facilitation technique, just amplified as it is all online and you are managing the time clock. In an open ideas question you will develop a feel for when people are pretty much through their open responses (entries slow down) and let them know that they have perhaps a final 30 seconds before the next activity; in rates/selects/surveys you will be in the results yourself and Converge will give you a count in that activity (typically upper left corner) of the number of participants that have submitted. You are trying to make sure that everyone has completed the task, give them some timings (let’s go for about two more minutes..) and then I like to give them a 30 second last call…then it's time to move to the next activity.
• You are a facilitator and a consultant. It’s your call on how much consulting to do during the session by sharing a few observations, commenting on results. It’s a fine line—job one is to get the data as it is part of a larger engagement plan so when in doubt facilitate rather than consult. But, when you do have some time and do have something to add, it really enhances the experience.
• Watch your time, you know the planned duration of the session—say 60 or 90 minutes for this session, so you need to make sure you are moving along and can finish in the planned time. I usually have a short feedback survey activity (using Converge survey) at the end of the session and my rule of thumb is to put them into that survey at 5 minutes before the planned end time. Let them know that once they have finished that last survey they can close their browser and disconnect from the session. A few people may take longer (that is their choice, it’s fine…) so you might broadcast a message and/or let them know by voice that you’ll leave that last activity up for 5 more minutes, etc.
• You can close the voice call without impacting anyone providing responses. I usually close the call right at the end time, let them know they can still finish their responses on the final activity. Just let them know you are closing the voice call, don’t surprise them.
• Your observers may be looking at the results of that last survey so give them a few minutes as well. Once you feel that participants are done and observers have seen the final responses then move all logged in participants to the agenda. I will also usually go to my edit session settings and go down to the group and change it to unavailable as a security precaution so no one can access the session anymore.
• ONE FINAL NOTE: Sometimes your sponsor would like to extend a thanks and let the participants know about any next steps (especially in an internal session). You can use the observer chat to check in on that. If they do want to extend a thanks, do it right at the start of the final activity and just unmute the audio for your sponsor and verbally cue them to toggle their mute button and add their thanks (a nice touch if you have time).

In the above flow, we are keeping participants pretty heads down on the session and the only voice they hear is yours along the way; that really creates great focus and lets you maximize the time you have. In more of a workshop mode where you be using Zoom/Teams in addition to Converge, you will likely have more open mic time along the way for discussion, feedback, reaction on responses, etc. It’s great, it just takes time and you have to manage any ‘long-winded’ participants as the clock is still ticking.

The Use of Categorization and AI During a Session

Now let’s consider a session where you have a couple of categorization activities planned. Now we are getting into some terrific aspects of Converge and our use of AI in the platform. As a reminder, categorization is a process where you are (in real-time) taking the output of an ideas activity, say 100+ responses, and creating categorized themes, say 10-12, that represent that data and can be stored in the categorization activity and then linked to a rate or select activity. It is incredibly powerful (some of my sponsors have said this is magic!) but you are playing an important role in creating those themes or using AI to create those themes in real-time.

Let’s assume that we have an ideas activity planned, we have already created a categorization activity that follows it and linked that categorization to a rate activity. Brainstorm/Categorize/Vote is my shorthand for the process. As a facilitator you have a number of options that Converge has built into the platform for handling the categorization process:

• You can work with a colleague (that has good typing skills) and be with them in the same room or call them by cell after you have launched the ideas activity and muted all participants. Ideas are coming in and you are dictating themes to your colleague and they are entering them into the categorization tool. This is ‘old school’ but it is how I have done much of my categorization before AI appeared. Your colleague is also set up as a leader in this process. Your goal is to finish your dictation of themes at the same time your participants are finishing their ideation;
• You can also either type or dictate the themes yourself. In the ideas activity, you can run create a split screen by clicking on the categorize button available to you as a leader. On the left side is the set of ideas coming in and on right side you have options to dictate or type themes and create you list yourself. An example of the split screen is show below:

• As you add your ideas, you can edit them as needed. Once you have your list, say 12 themes, then you will click on transfer and then can transfer these to the categorization activity that you previously created. That activity is already linked to your rate so you now are ready to take participants to the rate activity and assess the 12 themes. Magic! NOTE: You also have the ability to create a new Categorization Activity in case you forgot to create it or just changing your plan on the session. We’ll assume you had already created and linked it;
• Now, let’s go the AI route. You will see in the image above that there is an AI CATEGORIZE option. Generally you would wait until most or all of the ideas have been submitted, then you can click on AI CATEGORIZE. This is a pre-built prompt and call to OPENAI where we generally ask it to bring back about a dozen themes. It is quite fast and then you can edit or delete a theme and also add new ones if you think something was missed by AI. Once you have your list then click on transfer and move the themes to your categorization activity and you are linked to and ready for your rate. We believe this is the best way to handle categorization now in Converge and you can create test sessions to check this out so you are comfortable with the process. An example (real-time) of an AI CATEGORIZE is shown below:

This list was create by AI CATEGORIZE in 4 seconds and reviewed 357 different ideas (it was an open question about what these participants enjoyed most today in their work/role as firefighters).

Some Additional Comments on Running Your Session

A few additional points and guidance on executing your sessions:

• A good ‘best practice’ is to conduct a walk-thru a few days before your production session with a couple of colleagues (clients are fine as well). You can add them as participants and then run your mock session by changing the access time of the session in your group settings (remember to change it back!). If it is a 90 minute planned session you can run the walk-through in 30 minutes—you are checking for flow and just getting comfortable as a facilitator. It is fine for your mock participants to add responses on a few activities, when you are done you can use the option in the 3 dot ellipse to the right of your facilitator controls to delete data and your session is back to normal. Just change the access time back to your planned access for the production session.
• During a session you can skip activities, skip sections, add a new activity or edit an activity while your participants are working on a current activity. We call this activity independence and it creates a good deal of flexibility for the facilitator. I would say that 75% of the time I execute my session exactly as it was designed and go through all activities; another 15% of the time I might skip an activity due to time (I check with my sponsor/team via chat on this) and maybe 10% of the time add a ‘wildcard’ activity at the request of the team.
• Running a session when you are an experienced facilitator in you organizaion is a great way to mentor a colleague and have them shadow you on the session.

Many times we run a Converge session with all participants muted during the session—it’s quiet for them and very productive, you are still guiding them by your voice.  You do have the option of unmuting all line sat any time or individually unmuting a single line (a guest speaker, for example).  But, unmuting all lines can bea bit chaotic so we can now enable HAND RAISE (perhaps at the end of the session), where a hand raise icon is displayed for the participants.  If participant 1 clicks on it, there will be a hand raise icon placed in the online window next to their name.  The leader can click on that icon and it will enable their audio (and video if desired) so that they may ask a question, addan insight, etc.  When the leader clicks on that participant’s icon, it disables their audio/video and the leader can move to the next person in the queue. It’s easy to do, and great for virtual workshops or the end of a session when you have time.  In the image below, the hand raise feature is enabled and added to the facilitator control bar (it is accessed in the MORE 3 dot ellipse). Doug Griffen is a participant and has requested to speak, so the hand raise request is shown in the online window.

Final Comments—Running a Converge Session: Honestly, facilitating a Converge session is a blast. You are making a difference to your participants by giving them a valued voice on an issue that is important, whether they are employees, consumers or industry thought leaders. As a facilitator it can take you to the next level in you facilitation and consulting impact—less time on the mechanics of facilitation and more time on drawing out insights:

1. Use the checklist I provided at the start of this section, it will pay off;
2. Do your own homework/research on the topic at hand, show your comfort level and expertise along the way;
3. Include your team members and clients as observers in the session and use the group chat. It’s important that they see/experience the process and it will lead to repeated use of the platform and your services.

In the next sections we will deal with how you close out/archive your session and export results, conduct analysis and debrief the session with your team. We hope you enjoy the facilitation process and we look forward to your feedback—especially after your first session.