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Virtual Facilitation – Art vs. Science

I often talk about “art vs. science” when helping clients with process management, project management and business analysis. I’ve learned in recent weeks that “art vs. science” also applies to virtual facilitation and training.

From a science perspective, there are many technology platforms out there to bring people together. Those are further complicated by hardware requirements and collaboration applications. The science is understanding your session needs and outcomes, the strengths and weaknesses of each platform and application, and how they fit into your organization’s technology architecture.

The art is about leveraging the technology in a way that is inclusive and fosters engagement and participation. Help your meeting or session participants build virtual skills and confidence. Leverage the technology to elicit input and feedback. Since you cannot work from visual cues and physical presence, look for other clues to engage, such as participant preferences, personalities and environmental factors.

Virtual facilitation can only be successful if you are prepared with both the art and the science.

Mandy Dietz

Mandy recently delivered virtual training for Santee Cooper and virtual facilitation of strategic planning and process improvement initiatives for Wisconsin ETF.

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