21 Digital Facilitation Tools to Conduct Virtual Workshops and Meetings
As remote and distributed work continues to expand, so do the number of digital facilitation tools to help conduct virtual workshops and meetings that will help captivate your audience.
You should consider what digital facilitation tools you can leverage to support your facilitation and ensure your audience remain attentive and engaged (not scrolling their phones or playing with their dogs while you speak!).
These 21 digital facilitation tools help you to get the most out of your virtual workshops and meetings by creating a comfortable and seamless virtual experience for yourself and the participants.
They are grouped under the following sub-headings:
What is digital facilitation?
Digital facilitation is the process of leading and managing a group of people through a digital process or experience - normally remotely. As a digital facilitator, you will often be using a large video conference platform such as Teams, Zoom, or Meet to guide people remotely, provide support and answer any questions they may have.
What are facilitation tools?
Facilitation tools can be software tools that support facilitators such as Canva or Mentimeter, or techniques that facilitators use such as brainstorming, role-playing, and fishbowl exercises.
Below we cover the best digital facilitation tools that help groups overcome communication barriers, build trust, and resolve conflict.
21 Best Digital Facilitation Tools
Video Conferencing
1. Zoom
Unless you have been living under a rock you will already know Zoom. It’s a cloud-based video conferencing service that offers high-quality HD video, screen sharing, and collaboration tools.
Zoom is a great solution for digital facilitation of workshops and meetings due to its breakout rooms functionality and integrated app store, providing you with many ways to interact and engage with your audience.
Occasionally organisations prefer not to have virtual workshops and meetings on Zoom, and that is often because they are a Microsoft customer, in which case they want the facilitation to happen on Teams.
2. Teams
Microsoft Teams has become the chat and call-based collaboration tool of choice for many organisations these days and so is also a great tool for digital facilitation of workshops and meetings.
Here are some of the advantages of using Microsoft Teams:
Teams is tightly integrated with Office 365, so you can easily access and share documents stored in OneDrive or SharePoint with your audience
Teams offers rich collaboration features, including the ability to @mention people and set up group chats, and video chats
Teams is the platform of choice for many organisations meaning people are comfortable navigating their ways around the platform
It has improved over time but compared with Zoom, we do find Teams to be less stable when facilitating large events and using breakout sessions, which is a common feature needed for digital facilitation,
3. Webex
Another option for facilitation is Cisco Webex Meetings - a cloud-based service that allows you to have meetings and workshops in real-time. Like Zoom and Teasm it's also compatible with multiple platforms, so it can be used on desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones.
The main features of this tool are:
Multi-device support - You can use the service from any device you have (Windows PCs, Macs, or Linux systems). This makes it easier to run virtual meetings because there is no need to install special software or make sure everyone has access to the same version of your meeting software. In addition, users will be able to participate in calls even if they're not connected directly through their laptops/desktops - they can join remotely by accessing an online application through their smartphones or tablets!
Multi-user functionality - Everyone at the same time can participate in an online meeting with all participants listed on one screen so everyone knows what's going on around them at any given moment during the session itself.
Presentations
4. Canva
If you’re looking for an easy and affordable way to design professional-looking graphics, Canva is a great option. With a simple drag-and-drop interface, Canva makes it easy to create high-quality visuals.
Plus, there’s no need to hire a separate designer – you can do it all yourself!
There are a ton of benefits to using Canva in your faciliation, but here are just a few:
Canva is extremely user-friendly. You can easily create interactive presentations that leave PowerPoint and Google Slides for dead.
Canva is web-based. You don’t need to download anything to create your workshop and meeting slides.
Canva offers a huge library of built-in templates and images. This makes it easy to create visuals that are on-brand and look professional.
If you’re looking for an easy way to design amazing graphics for your next workshop or meeting, then Canva is a great solution.
5. Loom
Loom is a powerful screen recording tool that you can use if you want to either:
Record your workshop or meeting (great if you want to share content with people who missed the session)
Share “how-to” videos with your workshop meeting participants
Loom's video messaging capabilities make it easy to record and share video messages, as you can also add comments, as can those watching the videos.
Additionally, Loom's video messaging can also help you to build better relationships with your audience by providing a more personal way to communicate.
6. Prezi
If you're looking for an alternative to Canva and PowerPoint, you can also check out Prezi.
Prezi is a presentation software that allows you to create interactive, visual presentations. It also has some features that PowerPoint doesn't have, like the ability to zoom in and out of your presentation.
Prezi is a great tool for digital facilitation as it’s integrated with all the largest video conferencing platforms, like Zoom, Teams, and Webex.
7. Pixton
Pixton is a video creation tool that enables you to create professional-quality videos in minutes.
As a facilitator, videos are one of your best assets for explaining concepts, and you can easily create informative and creative videos without the need for expensive video production equipment or software using Pixton.
The simple drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create videos that are both visually appealing and informative, and its wide range of features and templates means that you can create videos that are tailored to your specific needs.
Project Management
8. Asana
Asana is one of the most popular projects management tools on the market, and for good reason. It’s simple to use, yet powerful enough to handle even the most complex projects.
Asana makes it easy to keep track of tasks, deadlines, and dependencies, so you can stay on top of your facilitation work and deliver projects on time.
With Asana, you can easily see who’s working on what, and quickly get in touch with team members to ask questions or give feedback. It also makes it easy to stay up-to-date on your team’s progress, so you can course-correct if necessary.
9. Monday
Monday tool is a comprehensive tool for planning and organising so that you can be more productive and get more facilitation done.
It helps you to keep track of your progress and see where you need to make changes.
10. Trello
Trello is a great tool for managing projects and tasks. It is simple to use and very flexible. You can create boards to track anything from work projects to personal tasks.
Each board can have multiple lists and each list can have multiple cards. You can assign tasks to yourself or to other people, and you can set deadlines and attach files.
Trello makes it easy to see what needs to be done and when it needs to be done. It is also easy to share boards with others so they can see what you are working on.
11. Wrike
Wrike is a powerful project management software that offers a variety of features and benefits.
With Wrike, you can easily organize and track your projects, tasks, and deadlines. You can also collaborate with team members and clients in real time.
Additionally, Wrike offers a variety of integrations with other productivity tools, making it a versatile and powerful solution for managing your work.
Whiteboard
12. Miro
Miro is a cloud-based whiteboarding platform that enables distributed teams to collaborate on projects in real time.
It is an online whiteboard that helps facilitate brainstorming, collaboration, and co-creation, which is a perfect tool to support digital facilitation of virtual workshops and meetings.
It is also a great tool for team building and knowledge sharing. Some of the advantages of Miro include:
● Enables real-time collaboration and helps to break down barriers to communication
● Provides a visual canvas that encourages creativity
● Is a flexible platform that can be used for a variety of purposes
● Is a great tool for knowledge sharing
13. Conceptboard
Conceptboard is an online whiteboard tool that can be used by facilitators to enable remote visualisation of concepts and online collaboration.
It provides a visual workspace for team members to share ideas, gives feedback, and track progress on projects.
Conceptboard’s features include:
Real-time collaboration: Multiple users can work on the same board at the same time, and see each other’s changes in real time.
Flexible workspace: Conceptboard’s workspace is flexible and can be customized to fit the needs of each project.
Integrated file management: Conceptboard’s file management system makes it easy to keep all project files organized and accessible in one place.
Action items and comments: Conceptboard makes it easy to track action items and comments with its built-in task management system.
Project templates: Conceptboard offers a variety of project templates to help teams get started on their projects quickly and efficiently.
Conceptboard’s features make it an essential tool for remote teams who need to collaborate effectively.
By using Conceptboard, teams can improve their communication and workflows, and get their projects done faster and with fewer errors.
14. Cardsmith
CardSmith is the perfect tool for digital facilitators who are used to using sticky notes on a whiteboard.
With CardSmith, you can create cards for people and track their progress, or you can brainstorm ideas and collaborate together in a meeting or workshop.
You can also assign tasks and deadlines, and leave comments and feedback. It’s a good way to stay organized and collate information.
15. Jamboard
Jamboard is a Google tool that works well with Google Meet and integrates smoothly with the rest of the G-Suite.
It allows meeting participants to remotely collaborate in real time.
Some of the advantages of Jamboard include:
Real-time collaboration: Multiple users can edit and add to the same Jamboard at the same time, making it ideal for team projects.
A variety of content types: Jamboard supports not only traditional text and images, but also videos, maps, and diagrams. This makes it a versatile tool for a variety of content types.
Offline access: Jamboard offers offline access, so users can continue working even if they lose an internet connection.
It is designed for use in education and teaching and so is the perfect tool for facilitators who are looking for digital tools to conduct virtual workshops and meetings.
Audience Engagement
16. Loumee
Loumee is a game-based learning platform for teams with a series of icebreaker games and team problem, solving games providing the perfect way for you to build relationships amongst participants and engage them during a virtual workshop or meeting.
The team game and activities are often used by digital facilitators as icebreakers, energisers and a way to break up a day of course content and get people collaborating and communicating in a fun way.
They are designed specifically for online events - with the facilitator able to use any platform of their choice - Zoom, Teams, Meet, Webex, etc.
Loumee games are designed specifically for audience engagement and team collaboration, and include an element of competition, to ensure that people feel motivated to work together.
17. Mentimeter
Mentimeter is an interactive presentation tool that allows you to poll your audience and collect feedback in real time. This is a great way to ensure that your audience is engaged and involved in your presentation.
Mentimeter also allows you to create custom slideshows and embed them in your presentations. This makes it easy to add visuals and multimedia to your presentations and makes them more engaging for your audience.
18. Kahoot
Kahoot is a trivia platform that makes it easy for facilitators to run custom quiz-based games with their audience.
It's simple to set up and use, and it's a great way to engage your audience while they're learning something new.
Here are some of the advantages of using Kahoot for audience engagement:
It's interactive and engaging. Kahoot is a great way to get your audience involved in what you're teaching. They can play along and compete with each other, and it's a fun way to learn.
It's easy to use. Kahoot is easy to set up and use, so you can get started right away.
It's a great way to assess your audience's understanding. Kahoot can help you gauge your audience's understanding of the material you're teaching.
It's flexible. You can use Kahoot in a variety of ways to engage your audience.
19. Ahaslides
Ahaslides is a powerful presentation tool that makes it easy to create engaging, interactive presentations.
With Ahaslides, you can add audio, video, and other multimedia content to your slides, making your presentations more engaging and informative.
You can also use Ahaslides to create polls and surveys, which is a great way to get feedback from your audience during a virtual workshop or meeting.
Plus, Ahaslides makes it easy to share your presentations online, so your audience can access them from anywhere.
File Storage & Sharing
20. Google Drive
Google Drive is a cloud-based storage solution that offers many benefits, including seamless integration with other Google tools like Gmail and Google Docs, the fact you can accessing files from anywhere, integrations with
This means that you can work on a document from your laptop at home, and then pick up where you left off on your phone while you're on the go.
21. Dropbox
Dropbox is a cloud-based storage solution that offers several advantages over traditional storage solutions.
Dropbox is highly secure, with multiple layers of security to protect your data and easy to use, with a simple interface that makes it easy to store, share, and access your data.
For facilitators, you can easily share links to resources from your workshops and meetings.
Your resources for conducting the best meetings
In the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that digital workshops and meetings can be just as effective as in-person ones with the right tools in hand.
As a facilitator, you have the responsibility to ensure that virtual workshops and meetings are just as fun, engaging and insightful as in-person ones, and meet the needs of the group. All these digital facilitation tools help you do just that.
FAQ
What are facilitation techniques?
Facilitation techniques are tools and methods used to help groups of people work together more effectively. When used properly, facilitation techniques can help groups of people communicate more effectively, make better decisions, and achieve their goals.
What is a facilitator toolkit?
A facilitator toolkit is a collection of resources that can be used to help facilitate group events, meetings, and workshops. This can include things like icebreakers, templates for agendas and handouts, and tips on how to manage group dynamics. Having a well-stocked facilitator toolkit can help make your job as a facilitator much easier and help you to run more successful and productive meetings.
What are the different types of facilitation?
There are many different types of facilitation, but at its core, facilitation is about helping groups of people work together more effectively.Facilitators can help groups to communicate more effectively, make better decisions, and to resolve conflicts.
Some common types of facilitation include:
Communication facilitation: Helping groups to communicate more effectively. This can involve helping groups to understand each other better, share information more effectively, or make group decisions.
Decision-making facilitation: Helping groups to make better decisions. This can involve helping groups to generate ideas, evaluate options, or reach a consensus.
Conflict resolution facilitation: Helping groups resolve conflicts. This can involve helping groups to understand the source of the conflict, identify common interests, or to develop mutually acceptable solutions.
