Working together online is becoming an increasingly adopted method of allowing groups to find a place to come together even when they are miles apart. We know simply creating the space is not good enough to get things going online. The role of the online facilitator is emerging as an important role in the success of online group work spaces.

The how to’s of online facilitation in group workspaces are very similar to any other facilitation process you might plan for a group. Good online facilitation is partly good listening, partly good timing and the ability to be tuned in to what the group is trying to accomplish. Momentum is one of many considerations as you learn to work with in the online group workspace. As we begin to look at momentum as one aspect for the online facilitator to consider it is assumed the group has already gone through the transition of working offline to adding an online workspace.

Ask yourself:

Where is the group going?
What can you do to move things along?
Which way is the current flowing?
How can I work with the currents to keep the momentum within the group?

Facilitators learn their skills in practice. It is in the doing of the work and the learning that happens along the way, that we become aware of the underlying currents which collectively create the momentum, stated and unstated, in any group. Each new group presents a new set of challenges but there are some things we can transfer from group to group.

Facilitating online is the method of guiding a group of people using a defined online group workspace (email list, conference, IRC) through the work they want to get done. Facilitation can be shared among more than one person online.

We have learned a lot about how groups work together in the face to face world. We know they go through stages of forming and setting norms for group behaviour, and we know they go through stages of struggle (storming) before they can work very efficiently together.

Research aside, I have noticed all the groups I have facilitated online have hit a point of struggle at the three to four month point. Coincidence? Maybe. As I began to pick up this pattern I realized I needed to tune in to what was really going on and not just listen to words darting across my screen. Social process was alive and well. As a group enters the stage known as storming it is important to be aware of the safety of group members in the online space. Challenges to both ‘the what’ and ‘the how’ of the collective work, drive participants to clarify how relationships within the group are struck and maintained not just between each other but how they relate to the group as a whole.

In the face to face world where participants are ‘in synch’ with each other, the job of the facilitator is to seize the moment and open a window for insight and learning with a well placed interjection or observation about what is happening. In the landscape of electronic work groups timing can be a very relative thing. You are working in the absence of constraints of time and place. You must feel comfortable with seeing your work in type and feel confident enough in your role as facilitator to be prepared to handle the criticisms or feedback you will likely encounter publicly.

Easing into the momentum of where a group is going and placing your facilitators postings in the current, so to speak, is one way to tune into the pace of the group when there are no restrictions placed on how or when people participate. Trying to force a group to shift direction by working upstream is much more work for you. Try to figure out where things are going and then gently guide the discussion along. This can include reminding people of the group rules for the workspace they have already agreed to, it may mean reminding them to keep to their agreed upon timeline, or it may mean leaping in with a little humour and cool tones to calm down an escalating situation.

Online workspaces are open and transparent places.

Be predictable and reliable. If people want help and get it as they need it, they will feel reassured there is a place for them to find out what they need to cope in the online venues.

Post in a non-defensive way. If you are called on something and it is true then admit your mistake and move on, incorporating what you have learned in your future actions.

Seek out your own supports. Usually there are two or three people in a online work group who will agree to act as a sounding board for you. Test out your ideas with them first if you are unsure. Ask them for support if you need it. Sharing the role of facilitator is another way to seek support in your role.

Online facilitation is worth the extra effort. It brings definition to what can feel like a big black hole at times. Learning how to strategically intervene for a purpose can be challenging but very productive for the group as a whole.

Musing is to some the art of thinking out loud about observations. Musing about online facilitation gives the online facilitator a chance to reflect back on what worked (and what didn’t !) and to learn from this. Watch for more musings because we are learning as we go.

Email:lrykert@web.net

Working Together Online

Maureen James and Liz Rykert have recently published a new book, Working Together Online in association with Web Networks. It is about how to create and animate online group workspaces using simple tools like email lists and conferences. In this book you will learn how to use an online workspace, choose collaboration tools, assess your ‘true’ technical needs, identify facilitators in your group, create a productive workspace, deal with group conflict, hold an online meeting, draft a joint document, keep your workspace active, and much more.

Price $29.95 Cdn. plus tax & shipping ($36.95 each)
To order a copy contactoutreach@web.net

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