Overview
A Session is a highly interactive video format on Talentspace. Participants can ask to join you on stage, or you could create breakout rooms for workshops in smaller groups. Here is a detailed guide for everything you need to know when hosting a Session.
Learn more about our different interaction formats here.
Step 1 - Join the Session
Step 2 - Technical Setup
Step 3 - Set a background
Step 4 - Present materials
Step 5 - Start your Session
Step 6 - Breakout rooms
Step 7 - Review and approve requests
Step 8 - Interaction via the Q&A and Chat tab
Instructions
Upon logging into your account, click on the event you are participating in. Next, open the "My Schedule" tab and find the Session you are hosting. You can also find the session via the 'program' tab inside the event. Once you have found the correct session, simply click on "Join".
Alternatively, you could also join through the "Lobby" or the "Program" tab.
Step 1 - Join the Session
To host the session, choose “Join as a speaker” to go ‘on stage’ with both your camera and microphone turned on. Please ensure that you enter a Session at least 15 minutes before the start time to test/configure the functionalities, and upload presentations if you need to.
Step 2 - Technical setup
At the bottom of your screen, you will be able to turn your camera and microphone off and on by clicking on the camera and microphone icons, or select a different camera or microphone by clicking on the settings icon. If you need technical support, click on the life ring symbol to open up the chat with the Talentspace technical support team.
Step 3 - Set a background
You can also choose from a couple of virtual backgrounds, or choose to blur or semi-blur your background. To do so, simply click on the virtual backgrounds icon at the bottom of your screen. Please note that you will not be able to upload your own customized backgrounds.
Step 4 - Present materials
If you want to present materials during a session, you can do so via the screen share/ upload button. You can choose to either "Share your screen", upload a PDF version of your presentation by clicking "Upload presentation", or embed the link to a youtube video by clicking on "Embed video".
Please upload your PDF before the official start time so that participants don’t have to wait for the upload during the live Session. Any embedded videos or uploaded PDFs will be available for the entire duration of the Session and anyone who joins as a speaker can access them.
Step 5 - Start your Session
Once you are ready to begin, click “Start Session” at the top of your screen to go live for participants. This button will only be activated 15 minutes before the Session is scheduled to begin. You need to click on this button in order to launch the Session and allow participants to enter.
Step 6 - Breakout rooms
You can create Breakout rooms from within Sessions to divide participants into smaller groups. This can be useful if, for example, you have a workshop and want to schedule group work. To do so, click on the "Breakout Rooms" button at the bottom of your screen.
To create more breakout rooms, click on the plus sign next to the number of rooms. You can create up to 10 breakout rooms. You can either choose to "Auto Assign" the participants, or manually add them to the different breakout rooms in the "Search participants here" bar.
Then, click on "Open Rooms"
Once you have opened the breakout rooms, participants will automatically be moved to the rooms, and you as a host can switch between the different rooms by simply clicking on them just above your live image.
By clicking on "Manage Rooms" at the bottom of your screen, you can edit the rooms or choose to close them again. Once you close the rooms, everyone will automatically be returned to the main call.
Step 7 - Review and approve requests
During the live Session, participants can request to be brought ‘on screen’ with full audio and video capabilities. You and your colleagues hosting the Session will have to review and approve requests via the "Request to join" button that will show up on the right-hand side of your screen.
Once you have approved the request, the participant will have 5 seconds to prepare, and then appear on screen with you.
Step 8 - Interaction via the Q&A and Chat tab
On the right side of the screen, the "People" tab gives you an overview of everyone who is currently participating in the Session. Participants can also interact via the "Q&A" and "Chat" tabs. Questions posted in the "Questions" tab are upvoted and ranked accordingly. If you have answered a question, you can tick the "Answered" box, to move it from the open questions to the answered questions tab. Participants can also view your company profile in the "Company" tab during the Session.