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WHAT TO EXPECT

Build Session Guidance

Thank you for participating in an online Build Session with Fourth Economy. Below you will find a brief description of what to expect and guidelines for discussion. 

What is a Build Session?

 

A Build Session is an interactive workshop designed to brainstorm, prioritize, and build solutions. Some refer to sessions like these as “working sessions” or “focus groups.” We call them Build Sessions to emphasize the focus on moving past talking about opportunities or issues and toward building actions. Through this process, we engage stakeholders who know the issues best and are likely to be involved in implementation. This is key to developing realistic actions and gaining buy-in from key stakeholders.

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Keys to Success

GENERATE IDEAS
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There’s no such thing as a bad idea. Everyone has good ideas, and we value your input. When generating ideas use a framework of “Yes… and.”

INVOLVE EVERYONE
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Make sure everyone is able to participate. Acknowledge communication differences and be respectful about sharing the “floor.” “Step up/step back”

BE PRESENT
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Minimize other distractions. We know it’s hard! Please turn off your phone and ignore email, chat, and other digital work. Phone off, email closed.

ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE
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Though we can’t be together in person, we want to see and hear from you. Please turn your camera on if possible - we’ll keep group sizes small enough to keep people comfortable participating. Camera on and unmuted.

RECORD YOUR IDEAS & BE SPECIFIC
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Use the brainstorming time to record your ideas, in your own words, using the online tool for notes: XLeap. Avoid generalizations – be specific. 
“If it’s not written down, it didn’t happen.”

Online Participation Instructions

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We use both Zoom and XLeap to facilitate Build Sessions. Zoom is for streaming audio and video. XLeap is for collaborating and brainstorming. When using XLeap participants write notes and ideas, kind of like using virtual post-it notes. Click here to access a practice XLeap space to see how it works, and to test your tech settings (some users and employers have firewalls in place that prohibit access to certain websites).

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Accessing the Meeting and Materials

  • You will receive an invite with a Zoom link to join the meeting. 

  • When it is time for the meeting, click the meeting link in your invite or go to join.zoom.us and enter in the meeting ID. You may be in a waiting room for a short period until the host starts the meeting. 

  • Background materials on the topics to be discussed will be sent to you in advance of the meeting. 

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The Build Session Process 

  • After an overview of the session, you will be divided into smaller groups for a facilitated discussion of specific topic areas. 

  • Once in the Zoom breakout room, you’ll receive a link to an XLeap meeting space, which allows participants to collaborate and brainstorm virtually. 

  • When you click on the link from XLeap you will need to enter your name and email address to join the session.

 

Participation is Easiest from a Computer 

  • After an overview of the session, you will be divided into smaller groups for a facilitated discussion of specific topic areas. 

  • Once in the Zoom breakout room, you’ll receive a link to an XLeap meeting space, which allows participants to collaborate and brainstorm virtually. 

  • When you click on the link from XLeap you will need to enter your name and email address to join the session.

Zoom Best Practices

TEST YOUR TECHNOLOGY
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Make sure you have Zoom downloaded to your computer, that your audio and video are working, and that your name is listed correctly.

MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS
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Turn off notifications and alerts, and use headphones to reduce background noise.

PARTICIPATE MINDFULLY
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During presentations, put yourself on mute, but be sure to unmute when in small group discussions. Also, turn your camera on–engagement is better when we can see each other, especially in smaller breakout rooms.  

FAQs â€‹

 

Can I join from my phone or tablet?
While you can join Zoom from your phone using the call-in number in the invite or Zoom’s mobile app, you will need to use another device to access XLeap, ideally a laptop or desktop with a functional keyboard. 

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If I can’t access XLeap, how can I participate?

  • Join Zoom on your computer, via Zoom’s mobile app, or by dialing into the meeting via phone.

  • Provide feedback verbally and one of the facilitators will transcribe your input. 

  • Alternatively, type your feedback into the Zoom chat and a facilitator will enter it into XLeap. 

 

How do I change my Zoom name?

  • Click on the “Participants” button at the top of the Zoom window. 

  • Hover your mouse over your name in the “Participants” list on the right side of the Zoom window. 

  • Click on “Rename”.

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How do I switch breakout rooms?

  • Hover over the bottom of the Zoom screen to see the menu bar and click “Leave Room.” 

  • A facilitator will be in the main room to send you to another breakout room. 

  • Click “Go to breakout room” at the bottom of your screen once you’ve been reassigned. 

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What if no one can hear me?

  • Make sure you’re unmuted – click the microphone icon at the bottom of your screen.

  • If that doesn’t work, try using your phone for audio.

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How do I use my phone for audio?

  • Dial-in to the meeting using the phone number in the Zoom invite. 

  • If you are on your phone for audio and your computer for video, click the arrow by “mute” and then click “switch to phone audio”.

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My internet is slow (people keep freezing, my audio is choppy, my computer fan is working extra hard, etc)–what should I do? 

  • Try turning your camera off. 

  • If you continue to have issues, consider connecting directly to Ethernet instead of relying on Wifi–this will speed things up. 

  • If these options fail, call in using audio only and provide input verbally or via chat. 
     

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