Setting Up Breakout Rooms#

Tags pre-assign breakout rooms production logistics zoom efficiency

Short Description#

Preparing breakout rooms in advance to streamline the session start.

Also Known As#

Prepared Breakouts, Advanced Breakout Room Setup

Context#

Applicable to all online modules of the Better Conversations course where you want the breakouts to be ready without consuming facilitation time.

Problem#

Setting up breakout rooms and assigning participants manually during a live session can take up valuable time and disrupt the flow, especially with larger groups.

Solution#

Utilize the pre-assign breakout rooms feature in Zoom (or your preferred platform) to configure breakout rooms and assign participants before the session begins.

Forces#

  • Time Sensitivity: The session has a limited duration.

  • Seamless Flow: The creation of groups should not draw attention.

  • Attendee Preparation: People may be unfamiliar with who else is on the call.

Implementation#

  1. Attendee List: Prepare a list of attendees and their email addresses.

  2. Breakout Plan: Decide on the desired breakout room configurations based on session activities.

  3. Pre-Assignment: Use Zoom’s pre-assign feature to create the breakout rooms and assign participants using their email addresses.

  4. Backup Plan: Have a backup plan in case of late joiners or technical issues that prevent pre-assignment.

Examples#

  • Observation from CSV: “Producer training: can set up BOR in pre-session and then assign people. This breaks down the learning.”

  • Observation from CSV: “People aren’t brought into breakout rooms “automatically” so do that instead of clicking “open room”.”

  • Observation from CSV: “Chandima couldn’t take a picture of the breakout rooms. When Simon looked that BORs I got only the ability to recreate”

Rationale#

Pre-assigning breakout rooms saves time and supports a smoother session, but may be confusing for those that join late.

Consequences#

  • Positive: Minimizes disruption, promotes a professional image, and saves valuable session time.

  • Negative: Requires extra pre-session setup and a plan for unexpected changes.

Credits#

Better Conversations Community