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There are several common situations that are typically very tricky to navigate in group-based workshops, meetings and training sessions. Thankfully, many of them can easily be resolved by integrating an audience response system into your presentation.
BREAKING THE ICE
The most frustrating thing for many presenters is trying to squeeze the first answer out of their audience. Perhaps it’s awkwardness or uncertainty, but most people are unwilling to be the first to one to break the silence.
Luckily, this can be minimised by starting your session with an ARS. Nobody has to make a show of answering with a keypad, making it seem like much less effort. This inspires more people to participate, eventually leading to better engagement and discussion later in the workshop.
Tip: Start with easy questions for maximum early engagement
BROACHING TOUGH TOPICS
Whether it’s admitting that we don’t understand a particular subject or disclosing an unpopular opinion, there is always something we are reluctant to share with our peers.
An ARS is a discreet way to for participants in a meeting to reveal these views without feeling self-conscious. It can be useful to determine satisfaction ratings, identify gaps in training knowledge, or share team members’ personal workplace priorities, with all data remaining anonymous.
INTRODUCING COMPETITION
Some friendly competition can really bring a workshop to life, and an audience response system is a great way to make sure everyone is involved.
Let your audience know if you’re going to pepper your whole presentation with test questions, or host a quiz-style recap at the end of your session. You can split the room into several groups and make them play head-to-head, or hand keypads out to individuals.
The versatility of ARS software means you can be as creative as you like when designing your questions, offering multiple choice questions, measuring “fastest finger first” results and tracking particular answers back to a specific keypad.
Tip: Your quiz can highlight any parts of your session that might have been unclear, so leave a little time at the end to address these.