Overview

A primary goal of Drumbeat events is to let the participants drive the dialog and establish connections which can lead to collaboration. The concern is less with information transfer and more focused instead on maximizing social interaction; when friendships are established, that drives knowledge sharing and collaboration long after the event.

Defining sessions

One of the most important roles for Drumbeat Local Event organizers lies in helping to identify a diverse and interactive set of discussion sessions where participants can share how they are working towards a more open web, and others can pose questions and learn more about the same.

There are several ways in which breakout sessions find their way onto the agenda:

• Event organizers recruit facilitators to hold sessions at the event
• Organizers invite participants at the event to propose additional sessions
• Participants engage in a "session brainstorm", often using post-it notes, and come up with a list of possible sessions. Event organizers then recruit facilitators for the most promising or compelling session ideas.

Working with Facilitators

Drumbeat Local Event Organizers

• Make sure facilitators understand the overall agenda guidelines for participants, in order to have a sense of the tone and overall feel of the event.

• Whenever possible, go over Session Facilitation Guidelines with each facilitator, or direct them to the same.

Managing a breakout session agenda slot

There are three phases to a breakout sessions slot on a Drumbeat Local agenda:

1. Introducing the sessions, very briefly
2. Holding the breakout discussions
3. Reporting back to the larger group

The following are detailed instructions on these steps:

• At the start of the time slot, invite the facilitator(s) for each session to introduce their session IN 2-3 SENTENCES. This introduction should focus on the topic of the discussion, and the goals for the breakout: what is the dialog trying to achieve?
  • After all sessions have been introduced, ask if anyone would like to propose an additional discussion
  • Explain to participants that if they have any questions about the content of a specific session, they should ask the facilitator during the transition to small groups

• Break into small groups
  • Remind everyone how long the breakout sessions will go (how many minutes), and that everyone will come back into plenary for brief report-backs before the break.
  • Ask all *facilitators* to stand, and quickly summarize the title of each session, pointing to the respective facilitators
  • Tell participants to walk immediately to the facilitator whose session they want to join

At the end of the breakout session time slot:

• With 15 minutes to go, give all facilitators the 15-minute warning
• With 5 minutes to go, give all facilitators the 5-minute warning
  • Remind them that they should identify someone other than themselves to report back to the larger group
  • The report back should be 1 minute or less, 2 to 3 key points or "ah-ha's" from the session

• With 0 minutes to go, call all sessions and participants back into the large circle

• For each session, ask for a report back from the selected participants
  • Emphasize that report backs should be 1 minute at the most
  • If they go too long, hold up your hand and say "Please, just 2 or 3 key points"

• Announce that you are moving to a break that will be X minutes long
  • Remind people to talk to folks that they do not know