Everyone’s likely sick of hearing me say that the coronavirus pandemic has changed how we do public engagement forever. We will not go back to community halls and in-person facilitation as the only way we engage. Our future as public engagement professionals lies in hybrid models of in-person and virtual public engagement, so it’s time to figure out how to combine the two environments well.
Expectations have changed. Many stakeholders embraced the convenience and ease of virtual settings and won’t be motivated to travel to an in-person event. We also won’t be rid of COVID as a health threat any time soon. There are bound to be more case surges and variant waves that make gathering in large groups in some regions risky. We might have stakeholders in the low-case areas unwilling to travel to meet in centres experiencing higher case counts but perfectly happy to gather in their home communities.
A hybrid solution makes sense, and it’s a model I’m going to try in the coming weeks. I feel quite confident facilitating virtual sessions after months of trial, error, and adaptation. But mixing groups in-person and virtually brings with it another set of challenges and opportunities to work with. I firmly believe that the inexpensive and easy technology (software and hardware) to support seamlessly integrating in-person and online facilitation is on its way as a result of the demands of the pandemic. At the moment, making it all work involves creative thinking and jerry-rigging.
I have a plan to tackle my upcoming hybrid event, but we’ll see how it pans out. I’ll keep you posted on what works and what doesn’t. In the meantime, here are my thoughts on how to bridge the two formats.
Know what you need to achieve
Before deciding what your hybrid event will involve, know your goals for the public engagement to serve the participants and the process best. This is nothing new—we do this for every in-person session we run. But, in online, in-person, and hybrid contexts, we need to consider what will achieve the best outcome. An in-person event is the better approach in some situations, given what we are trying to achieve. In others, online sessions will work perfectly, and there is no need for an in-person component. Some situations will benefit from a hybrid approach where you can bring groups together that wouldn’t otherwise assemble in person either due to personal preferences or geography.
So, consider your goals and which of the following would suit best:
In-person
Online facilitated event
Online self-serve engagement tool
Hybrid of online and in-person
In my experience, you will likely need a mix of the above to achieve a fulsome engagement process.
Two hybrid public engagement models
If you’ve decided that the best way to reach the goals of your engagement process is through a hybrid approach, there are at least two models to consider. The one you select will depend on the technology at your disposal, the people resources at hand, and your facilitation skills and mental bandwidth.
Model #1 - Dual-track hybrid event
In this model, you invite all participants to the same event, but they can choose to attend online or in person. You have an in-person facilitator and an online facilitator. Each of you will mirror the same engagement process and check-in with each other, but there will be limited interaction between the two groups.
To pull this method off, you’ll need two skilled facilitators comfortable with online and in-person engagement and several support people to ensure the two environments run smoothly, report back to each other and adapt to what’s going on in the process. You might even want to have a third facilitator” responsible for monitoring what’s going on in-person and online and who tracks time, can step in at the best moments for checking-in and reports between the two groups almost like a host or MC.
Benefits of the dual-track hybrid model:
Basic technology - all you need is a laptop at the in-person event connected to a sound system, video camera and screen that would allow the online folks via Zoom or another platform to listen in and offer input at the appropriate time.
Cost savings - you don’t have to run two separate events, one online and one in person.
Achieve more with a small group - If you have just a handful of people joining online, they will benefit from sharing their ideas and hearing from others at the in-person event. This is preferable and potentially more dynamic and helpful than a small group of people interacting with each other online.
Engage diverse perspectives - Some people would not come out to an in-person event but would participate online. By offering a dual-track, you will tap into perspectives you wouldn’t reach by hosting an in-person event on its own.
Similar to what we’re doing now - During the pandemic, we figured out how to succeed at online engagement, running essentially parallel events is a small step from what is familiar and a good place to start if you’re at all hesitant about diving into a hybrid model.
Model #2 - Integrated hybrid event
This is the comprehensive model that involves online and in-person participation as if they were all in the same physical place. Everyone is experiencing the same event at the same time. This model is where our technology gap might throw a few curve balls our way.
We need multiple computers and multiple screens to pull this off as well as a way to separate online participants into virtual rooms. I envision a laptop on every table of the in-person event. We will have a few online participants and a few in-person participants interacting as a single group. Everyone would need to use headphones with mics to communicate and manage the noise. The trick will be finding a way to connect multiple mics and headphones with one laptop screen.
When we come together for a debrief or to share large group information, online participants will switch from their small virtual breakout rooms to a large one so they can see and hear what’s going on in the in-person venue. This model will require a couple of lead facilitators, a technology support person, and potentially other support roles to ensure smooth transitions and easy-flowing conversation.
This model would be much easier to manage with smaller numbers of people. Once the combined group spills over from 25-30, the technology logistics will become more complex.
Benefits of the integrated hybrid model:
Cost savings - you don’t have to run multiple smaller in-person events, and you will likely be able to book a smaller venue for the in-person side of a hybrid session.
Engage diverse perspectives - Not only do you have the potential to draw participants that wouldn’t attend an in-person event, but the people in the room also have the opportunity to interact directly with those they wouldn’t otherwise. This model would work very well when you want to bring people together from spread out geographic areas economically.
Regardless of the model selected - you will need to….
So, if you’ve decided to move ahead with a hybrid event, consider the following to ensure you design and host a meaningful event for ALL participants.
Treating audiences equally (but differently)
Both hybrid models require advanced public engagement facilitation skills. Attending to both online and in-person participants to make sure everyone has an opportunity to participate is a tall order and requires careful planning. It’s unrealistic to think that delivering content in the same way to both groups will be effective.
We also need to be aware of those who might not be participating during the session to draw them out in a way that allows their input. It’s important to ask yourself if a second lead facilitator would be beneficial.
Know that attention spans will be shorter
Think of how your brain feels after a day of back-to-back Zoom meetings. Online experiences are more draining than attending an event in person, with shorter attention spans and declining energy levels as the event unfolds. As experienced facilitators, we’ve always kept these dynamics in mind, but they are exaggerated for virtual audiences.
Make the tech work
A big challenge is figuring out the support roles and technology to make the hybrid model accessible and seamless. Doing a few dry runs and double-checking that everything is working is critical for hybrid events. Ensuring that all the moving parts involved in your tech are working is JUST as important as your content.
Be an event producer
Hosting a hybrid event means you are no longer simply facilitating a conversation; you are also producing an event and experience for participants. You will need to think about the flow and arc of your event and plan for varying energy levels throughout. Plan for how you will engage and energize your audience. How will you draw people into a discussion and ease them out of it?
Find opportunities to create shared experiences
While on-site and virtual elements will be different, finding ways to allow both audiences to experience something together will elevate the event for everyone.
Have on-site presenters
Where possible, bring presenters to the on-site event, particularly for panels and other back-and-forth sessions. Based on experience, having presenters together physically makes interactions more genuine and authentic.
Consider a simulive session
Simulive (simulated live) offers a pre-recorded session for your hybrid audiences. As the video session unfolds, the speaker(s) are available online at the event to answer questions via chat. Speakers can also follow up with a live Q&A for more detailed responses. The sessions happen in real-time for both audiences as they would in person, but those arriving late get the bonus of catching up by following the chat. The chat also allows interaction between the on-site and virtual audiences.
Make your content on-demand
Consider making any panel discussions or other pre-recorded elements available online following the event. By their nature, you can also use those elements for future hybrid sessions in some cases.
Hybrid model preparation checklist
Beware that public engagement participants expect us to have this new era of online and virtual sessions figured out. At the start of the pandemic, we were all shell shocked, and folks cut us a lot of slack as we learned how to shift to an online world. At this point, we need to up our game and offer something more polished, which means being thoughtful in our planning.
If you’ve decided to join me on this grand hybrid model public engagement experiment, the following checklist might help us get our heads around what we’ll need to do to prepare.
Linking your event to the big picture plan with thoughtful design and flow
What do you want to achieve?
What data, input, feedback do you need to gather?
What physical, intellectual, and emotional experience do you want people to have?
What is the best arc and flow of the event to achieve your intended results?
What questions do you need to ask?
“Room” Set up & Logistics
How will you set up your physical room?
What settings are required for your online platform?
What kind of public health measures (social distancing, hand sanitizer, open windows) will you offer or require?
How will you capture the data you gather?
Technology and A/V
What kind of audio will you use so everyone can hear and speak?
What kind of video will you use so participants can be seen? Consider using multiple screens or video feeds.
What will be recorded? What kind of permission or consent will you need?
Roles, who will do what, how will you support?
What roles are required?
What do you need for online participants?
What do you need for in-person participants?
Who will best fulfill them?
Creating connection & shared experiences between participants
What can you do to create connection between participants, so they are comfortable interacting in a hybrid model?
How will you level the playing field by to support simultaneously participation?
What “integration stops” or techniques will you use to keep your online and in-person participants connected and engaged?
Bringing it all together---how will you adjust or adapt your facilitation approach?
How will you ensure ALL participants get your best attention and energy?
Consider employing a “reader-of -the -room” who supports the lead facilitator in paying attention to the schedule, time-keeping, and dynamics.