Online Presentation Etiquette

Purpose of this document:

A presentation is held to inform others about a topic, ideas, and opinions. It should be respectful of all participants. This includes:

Be conscious of everyone's time - folks are allocating their time to attend. They should know when the meeting is happening, for how long, and what to expect (e.g. will I need a quiet room, will I need to travel)
Keep attention by staying on topic - if discussions side-track, or interuptions change the “flow” then the presenter or attendees may not feel valued
Listen and make space for everyone's contributions - there may be different communication formats, styles, or experiences within the meeting, and everyone should be respected and heard

We are all humans, we sometimes forget things, say the wrong words, talk too much on a topic. It’s important that the presenter(s) be ready to be a respectful mediator of all situations.

Pre-preparation

Technology

Is the technology used (or referenced in a presentation) accessible to everyone?

Are logins required/distributed?
Is installation required in advance?
Are documents for minutes/context all accessible?
Is the technology consistent with everyone’s expectation (e.g. not suddenly using WebEx without a good reason)
Are there any special accessibility concerns

How will the technology be used?

Will cameras be expected to be on?
Will chat be used?
Should the meeting chat be used vs. other channels such as email, slack, etc.
If messages happen in chat, what’s the protocol?
Should the speaker stop immediately to address them, check periodically, or not use them at all?

How will folks indicate things they would normally be able to indicate in-person?

I’m done reading -> normally eye contact
I would like to speak -> physical hand raising
I acknowledge that I’ve seen you waiting to speak -> eye contact or nodding

Content

Sometimes a presentation will involve props, preparation, handouts. When conducting this virtually, having a central place to distribute this can be helpful. If there's no central webpage that everyone is familiar with, consider making your own to launch to any content that might be relevant (e.g. readings on a website, videos to watch, etc.). A chat might be a place to put these, but depending on the platform newcomers may not have access to a message history.

It can be quite difficult to stream video over an online platform, so consider having a publically available link

Discussion

Stack/Speaking Order

Strategies

To remind everyone of the format/agenda/instructions, consider pasting it into the chat (and repeat the message if new folk join late)
To manage hand raising, if the platform does not allow for it, you can use a chat message (e.g. your name, “sam”) which maintains chronological order and does not exclude anyone without a camera
If you have background noise, mute yourself when not talking (including background noise from typing or mouse movement).
If everyone mutes themselves though, there will be no laughter for jokes, etc. so be aware how this affects the vibe
Move displayed cameras near your webcam. This will move the focal point of your eyes on speakers rather than on a different screen etc.
Try to keep your hands off your keyboard, this will help with listening.
When somebody asks a question that is soliciting input, providing a “yes/no” or acknowledging response can help someone understand there’s no further discussion (e.g. it feels super awkward to ask if there are any questions and be met with silence)
If multiple speakers start at once (due to audio delay), be respectful. The presenter may select a speaking order

Keeping Track of Speakers

There are multiple ways to keep track of speakers. The simplest approach is for the facilitator to be aware of who is speaking and ensuring that hands are addressed in a given order. However, this approach may favour a certain power dynamic in which loud, frequent, or rambling speakers deter others from speaking.

Another approach is active solicitation. The facilitator might choose to do one of:

A round-robin format, going through every individual for their contributions
Actively asking those who are “hanging back” or not speaking to solicit their thoughts if it's a collaborative format
Consciously ordering responses from quietest/most junior to loudest/most senior, so that those with the softest or most marginalized experience may contribute first

Lastly, a more formal approach is “Taking stack” Taking Stack

Taking stack can be used to give marginalized groups, voices that are often submerged, discounted, or excluded, and those with lived experience a greater chance to speak by placing them before those on stack without lived experience or who have already spoken.

Taking stack also alleviates the need for raised hands, which can be a barrier for some.

An individual is assigned as “stack taker”, and is in charge of maintaining the queue of speakers (not necessarily sequential).

When someone wishes to speak, they indicate to the stack taker, who acknowledges this. After someone is done speaking either the chair, will ask the stack taker, or the stack taker will indicate who should speak next.

There are several actions which may “jump the stack” and should be use sparingly (and with consent of the stack taker)

Asking a clarifying question of a recent speaker, or about the meeting process
Directly responding to a question, or thought