Hosting a hybrid workshop or presentation—with attendees both in the room and joining virtually—is a challenge, but when done right, it offers maximum accessibility and engagement. The core goal of any successful hybrid event is simple: to ensure the virtual and in-person experiences are of equal value and feel as close as possible to a single, unified learning environment.
These are some of my personal notes for what I have seen work. They may be outdated. I may be sending this after attending your event, which may have had room for improvement.
External Sound is Non-Negotiable.
Please do not rely solely on your computer's internal speakers and mic, especially in a large room.
If I am attending an event from home on my computer, and I can't hear or see what is going on, I am going to leave. If the volume is noxious on my ears, I will probably hate being there.
I'm not going to tell you how to set up your specific event venue. But at the bare minimum, you will want to invest in decent equipment and hardware, and it may be necessary to pay a professional AV person to manage this. Aim for clear, broadcast-quality audio for your online participants.
Have more than one camera recording
One camera can focus on the stage and speaker who is actively presenting. If you have participatation from in-person attendees, consider having them come up to the stage, or having a camera that can focus in on the audience. This helps virtual attendees see their in-person peers, and makes the room feel less isolated.
For smaller audiences, or even moderately sized groups, you can arrange seating in a circle. You know what your events and audience needs are better than the generic information on here, but consider the shape and structure of the audience and how attendees are represented.
Having a camera view for in person attendees to see virtual participants or presenters is also very helpful, as life happens, and presenters can't always be there in person. Give the presenter a good experience that doesn't feel like talking to their screen.
Treat the Camera like a Person
Whether you are presenting or answering a question, you don't want to turn your back to the audience. Same with the Cameras. Acknowledge the camera presence as you would a person. This can be difficult mentally to do, and practice helps.
Not everything needs to be a virtual event, or a meeting
Could this entire event have been covered in an email? Or even a one-time shareable recording? If the answer is yes, maybe a high-demand, camera-on meeting isn't necessary.
Video on vs Off - Setting Expectations
Sometimes a meeting requires or demands a higher level of presence. Most of the time it doesn't. Policing people to have their cameras on can be incredibly invasive and intrusive. If this is a requirement on call, consider if this is actually necessary or helpful. If this is a training certification that requires participants to be there the entire time, perhaps there are other ways of ensuring presence and engagement.
If this requires collaboration, deep vulnerability, or is mndated by policy, this may be a necessary evil. Be transparent about that requirement from the start.
But when it's possible, be flexible. Having camera off can reduce emotional drain and allow participants to 'tune in' and absorb information better, especially if they are multitasking or in a restrictive environment. Not everyone has an ideal home office space. Some have children running around in undergarments, or are breastfeeding, or don't want someone monitoring their facial expressions in their space.
Use Chat Features and Shared Documents
Encourage and optimize use of chat and shared editable documents. This is easy to do, and can be as valuable as face to face visual presence. This allows attendees to share questions, ideas, and observations while someone is presenting in a way that is not intrusive. If you want to see this in action, watch an active live stream on the internet with the chat window visible. It also presents an alternative for participants who don't feel comfortable speaking aloud. Is there a way for in person people to participate in chat and shared online documents?
Also, have a role specifically for comment and text moderation. Part of facilitating is monitoring chat diligently and integrating comments in the live discussion, and removing unhelpful problematic content. Some platforms delete the chat history when the call ends. This is another focus point for moderators and facilitation. Some chat histories are a gold mine to preserve, and a shame to lose.
Having a shared document dump can be a great keepsake resource for participants. These are easy to set up through Google Docs.
Make the distinction as seamless as possible
Ensure both in person and virtual attendees can see and hear everything clearly. Encourage and remind virtual people to have a charged battery and reliable internet access where they are. If theirs is less than ideal, make sure you are recording the session. Platforms like Zoom and Teams make this easy.
Attendance and Breaks
It is likely in the event and organization's best itnerest to have reliable attendance tracking. Have a way for participants to sign in to the event on their device. This can be a simple form, or a sign-in sheet at the start of every session.
Offer a short break each hour -- 5 minutes is great! Encourage reserving other work, or social media for break times.
If you need an absense policy, have participants who need to leave for more than a few minutes notify facilitators. Implement a clear policy on what constitutes an absence if this is a certification requirement.
Consider Where People are Tuning In
Some participants may have space at their residence or home to join in from. Some may not have reliable internet there and have to drive to a coffee shop or public wifi space. It's even possible someone on site may want to leave, find an empty room, and join from their phone. If this remote space is noisy, headphones and live captioning (offered on most platforms) are really helpful!
Shared Meals - Consider Virtual Attendees if your Budget Allows
This isn't always possible, and is an ideal. But if you have an event or training where there is a shared in person meal, often it is catered by a third party. Is it possible for virtual attendees to get a discount if they wanted to order lunch from this establishment? Could your organization pay for half of their lunch? Something to think about.
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