This guide will take you through the functionalities of facilitating an exercise, from starting, to inviting and clicking your way through the live session.
Click your way through this interactive demo, or read the full article below.
Start a new session
You can start a session directly from your dashboard, from any exercise, or while editing a scenario. Easy access, wherever you're working.
The flow varies slightly depending on where you click the Start Session button, but each option is designed to get you up and running quickly.
From your dashboard, click Start session in the top‑right corner. You’ll be guided through a few setup decisions, and then you’re ready to go.
Which scenario do you want to use? The dropdown list contains all available scenarios in your collection. To add more to this list, visit the Library Catalog and create a new scenario from our pre-build templates - or build one from scratch.
You’ll then be taken to the Facilitator Screen, where you can review your session settings before starting. This is also where you can launch Presentation Mode to display the exercise on a shared screen.
You can change the default session settings at any time if you regularly use the same setup.
Do you want to give participants a diploma? If you choose Yes, participants will receive a diploma that includes the scenario name and description, which they can easily share on social media. If you’ve uploaded an organization logo in your settings, it will also appear on the diploma.
Collect the following data about participants? Here you can choose to only collect what you actually need. If your are using real SMS and calls it’s a good idea to ask for the participants phone number.
SMS and call options: You can easily turn real SMS and calls on or off. Simulated calls are free, while real SMS and calls cost €1 each. You can control costs by setting a maximum number of SMS and calls in the Action page editor.
You can also start a session from Exercises. Open the scenario you want to run and select Sessions. There you can view previously run sessions and start a new one.
Facilitator page
After clicking 'Create session' you land on the starting page of the session. Only you as presenter have access to this screen. This page gives you an overview of participants, bring up the link for participants to join the session and start the session.
Start presenting
The “Presentation mode”-button will open a new tab showing the Exercise to the participants. Use this on the main screen or the screen you share with participants. Before you start a session this page shows the QR-code for participants to easily join. For participants that struggle with scanning the QR-Code it is possible to enter the join link manually in their browser from where they can enter the join code. Note that it is possible to join the session after is has started. Once participants have joined the session, you can press the blue arrow to start the session on the presenters screen.
SMS and Calls
The facilitator page shows whether the session is running with real SMS and calls or using the virtual (free) version.
Notes
This will be activated once the session has started. Here it will be possible for you as presenter to add notes during the session on for example discussions or questions.
Content
This will be activated once the session has started. This will show the current page of the session and lock answers on decision and survey pages.
Participants
Here you have an overview of all participants who joined the session. In this overview you also have the possibility to add or adjust roles of the participants as explained in case your scenario includes roles on SMS and/or calls.
Music on/off
Mute or active sounds during the session on the button to the left of where to start the session. This effects the music when waiting prior to starting the session as well as heart-beat stress sounds on pages with a timer.
Start session
Click this blue button once the participants have joined the session to get started going through the exercise.
In session
The “Previous page” and “Next page” buttons allow you to navigate the exercise. Ideally you have multiple screens, to display the presentation mode page to the audience while having another screen you as facilitator are using.