Events and Peer Learning
Planning an online member roundtable
Prepare an online member roundtable with a focused question, clear invitation, host roles, access checks and a practical run sheet.
Plan an online member roundtable around one question that benefits from several members’ experience. Before sending invitations, set the participation rules, access arrangements and host roles. Give the event a clear beginning and end so members know when they are expected to contribute and what will happen afterwards.
Write the invitation from the attendee’s view
State the question, who the roundtable is for, the date and time with an explicit time zone, the expected finish time and what preparation is optional. Say whether the session is restricted to invited members, whether it will be recorded and whether a summary may be shared. Check those settings and intentions before describing them as settled.
An invitation might ask: “How do you help new staff find an answer when the usual supervisor is unavailable? Bring one approach that worked or one part you are still trying to solve.” This gives participants a reason to attend without asking for confidential staff or customer details.
Ask invitees what would help them participate. Make meeting materials available directly where possible. Check that captioning and any other agreed access arrangements work in the chosen setup; a feature in a product description is not the same as having it ready for this meeting.
Prepare a simple run sheet
Use the run sheet to protect discussion time, not to script members’ answers:
- Arrival:confirm that people can hear, access the material and find the participation controls.
- Opening:restate the question, boundaries and whether notes or recording are being made.
- First round:invite each willing participant to describe the situation behind an approach or question. Let people pass.
- Discussion:compare conditions, ask clarifying questions and bring in perspectives that have not yet been heard.
- Close:name useful options, disagreements and unresolved questions; explain the next step.
Assign a host to guide the exchange and another person to watch chat or access requests if the team has that capacity. If one person must do both, reduce the complexity of the format. Decide who handles a private support issue or a conduct concern so the roundtable does not become the only route for either.
Check the room before members arrive
Use the organiser’s intended account and settings to check entry, waiting areas, captions, chat, any breakout rooms and the route for someone who loses access. If participants will work in smaller rooms, put the task and return time somewhere they can see after moving.
Do not rely solely on a shared screen for material people need to read closely. Send a usable copy in advance or provide one through an accessible route. Tell participants how to get help during the event without interrupting the whole group.
Facilitate the question people came for
Begin with context rather than a request for “best practice”. Ask what each person tried and under what conditions. If one account dominates, invite a different situation.
If an experienced member gives a definitive answer, ask whether it depends on their role, tools or team size. A roundtable can clarify differences without forcing a single recommendation.
Leave a pause after a question. Read relevant chat contributions aloud or summarise them so people using different participation routes can follow the exchange. Keep the stated finish time; if a question needs more work, assign an owner or arrange a separate follow-up.
After the session, share only what participants were told would be shared, within the permission given. A short note of options and open questions may be more useful for this purpose than a recording. Ask attendees whether the discussion helped with the stated task before scheduling another one.
