I was recently asked to share my experiences as a “technology person” with a group of educators from across the country who had questions about how to translate their in-person programs to an online format. The shelter-in-place rules put into place in early 2020 changed the rules of engagement, but it wasn’t clear that everyone knew the rules, either. In the end, I talked very little about technology, per se, but about people’s (and organizations’) relationships to it. Here are the top five tips for shifting to online programs.
Different technologies are good at different things. I shouldn’t have to say this, but I feel like I must: Technology isn’t one-size-fits-all. Just because a platform works for one organization, doesn’t mean that it will work for yours. You need to consider the overall goals of your program, just like you would when you’re planning an in-person event. Some tools will be better, for example, and facilitating participant interaction, while others might be better at conveying lots of information all at once. And of course a lot of it depends on what your audience is up for.
Always keep user experience in mind. Sure, for expediency’s (or budget’s) sake you sometimes end up with a technology that isn’t quite the right fit. But whenever possible, consider what the experience will be like from the audience side. Will they have to download something ahead of time? Are you using unfamiliar terminology? Will they be on their phone or on a computer? Will individuals with hearing or visual impairments have equitable access to the program? Does it even make sense to offer the program in a virtual format in the first place? If you focus only on your organizations’s goals and not on what your audience needs, it doesn’t matter how “innovative” your program is… it won’t have the impact you want.
Take the time to test. Especially if you’re doing a live event, make sure to give the presenters / instructors / facilitators an opportunity ahead of time to test their audio and video, see what they look like onscreen, and experience the platform that you’ll be using. Through this process, you’ll also learn that enlisting helpers for online programs (just as you would onsite) is really important for a successful event.
Balance spaghetti-flinging with navel-gazing. You don’t want to create programs willy-nilly, without a thought to strategy… nor should you have endless discussions about theories of online engagement. The former won’t help you learn what works (and can lead to burnout), while the latter means you’ll be delaying serving your community. Within your organization, find ways to balance these two extremes. Test things deliberately and understand what evidence you’d need to see for something to be declared a success (something you’d repeat) or a “success” (now knowing you shouldn’t try THAT again).
Treat it like a learning experience for EVERYone. You’re going to have technical difficulties. Your audience is going to have technical difficulties. That doesn’t mean it’s a catastrophic failure. We’re all learning, all of the time, and what you figure out now will inevitably lead to improvements in the future. Your audiences will appreciate the efforts you’re making to keep them engaged, even if your audio drops out for a minute.