Unforeseen change can lead to new lessons and innovations as people mobilize to respond. Anson Wong shares some key things he learned delivering a UX design workshop remotely, and they are generally useful for any of us planning to move our workshops and design events online.
Based on experience running a three-day workshop online he notes four major points. First, because participants are all at home, there are likely to be interruptions both those caused by people and events in the home and those due to technology and connectivity problems. Second, workshop activities done remotely require more time than when they are done face-to-face. Third, virtual collaboration tools can derail a workshop if they present learning barriers for participants. Fourth, preparation is more important than ever when conducting a workshop remotely.
How workshop leaders take these lessons into account in planning and conducting remote workshops can make all the difference. Leaders needs to make allowances for the inevitable interruptions, allow more time for activities than for the same activities conducted face-to-face, select tools that are simple, familiar, and easy to use, and become more serious than ever in structuring preparation and coordination activities for the workshop team. As an additional benefit, these steps will probably make face-to-face workshops more effective as well when the time comes to meet again.
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