11 ice-breaker methods for dynamic online meetings and workshops

Online meetings, virtual conferences and digital workshops have become indispensable. Compared to offline events, participants often find it more difficult to warm up and take part in discussions in a virtual setting. Agile coach Oliver Wüntsch therefore has eleven ice-breaker methods up his sleeve that make it easier to get started at digital events and encourage interaction. Have fun trying them out!

Especially in digital meetings via Zoom and the like, there is a risk that participants will switch off mentally. A good online workshop, on the other hand, focuses on interaction and dialogue. It is therefore important to speak clearly and in short sentences and to keep the content as varied as possible. Nothing is worse for attention than a monotonous voice reading out the slides of the presentation. Practical examples and interposed questions to the participants will loosen things up. Plan icebreakers where everyone can get active and contribute their own perspective. You will see: Enthusiasm is contagious – as is humour and fun.

As there is no direct social interaction in online workshops, you should plan the entire meeting in advance. Are you tired of your workshop participants barely participating and hiding behind switched-off cameras? To increase the participation and commitment of all participants and keep attention levels high, I present eleven ice breaker methods below:

• Breakout sessions for dialogue in small groups
• Chat Waterfall for ideas, questions and comments
• Rename for more information
• Three hashtags for quick rounds of introductions
• Round Robin for more flow in feedback rounds
• Closed eyes for real atmospheric images
• Speed dating for an adrenaline rush
• Tele gymnastics for better blood circulation
• Quick drawings for more fun
• The craziest device as a relaxation exercise
• Short breathing exercises to calm down

1. breakout sessions

Breakout rooms are a real game changer for particularly interactive workshops. These are independent small working groups that can be created dynamically by the moderator. In the group rooms, participants have the opportunity for focussed discussions on specific topics. The great advantage of breakout sessions is that working virtually in small groups helps to loosen up your online meeting and encourages participant participation.

Which participants are assigned to which group room depends on the default settings in the respective tool. You can either leave the decision to chance or to the visitors of the event. After the pre-defined time for group work has expired, everyone automatically returns to the plenary session.

2. chat waterfall

The very start of a meeting often determines the willingness of participants to listen attentively and get involved. People show more commitment when they feel connected to a cause. That’s why it’s important to get everyone on board right from the start and create a sense of community.

The so-called chat waterfall helps to get the attention of your virtual audience right from the start. With this method, all participants are asked to answer a question with short messages in the chat. Each participant only sends their answer when the moderator prompts them to do so. For introductory rounds, for example, the question about previous experience with the respective topic is suitable.

Depending on the composition of the group, a humorous introduction can also be useful. Possible questions are as follows: What object are you looking at when you look up from your PC? How awake (on a scale of 1 to 10) are you at the moment?

A chat waterfall not only shakes up the participants, but also comes without any hurdles. Everyone’s thoughts are focussed on a specific topic, and each individual in the chat can express an idea. As the moderator, you can read the answers out loud and respond to some of them if necessary. This activates and connects the group right from the start.

3. rename

This method is used to get to know each other better in the group or to work out specific groupings. It works very simply: ask the participants to rename themselves in the tool settings. For example, first names and surnames can be changed to nicknames. Or you can ask everyone to include not only their name, but also the city they are in. When looking at the new names afterwards, comparisons can be made and similarities identified. This little ice-breaker is not only fun, but also promotes a sense of community.

4. three hashtags (3#s)

This method helps participants to introduce themselves and get to know each other and also works with large groups. Each participant can use three hashtags (or keywords) to introduce themselves to the others. The hashtags are used to describe themselves and can be characteristics or hobbies, for example. With new groups in particular, this ice breaker helps to make the participants more tangible. Of course, the method can also be applied to other topics.

5th Round Robin

Round Robin brings more dynamism to brainstorming as well as to welcome and feedback rounds. It is a special variant of brainstorming. It starts with a question or problem that is answered by a participant. Immediately afterwards, this person nominates the next speaker, who picks up on what was previously said. This creates a flow in which all team members have their say. The aim is to get everyone involved, generate and improve ideas and create a positive dynamic in the conversation.

6. closed eyes

Ask the participants to close their eyes and only answer a question with “yes” or “no”. For a “yes”, the participants hold their hand in front of the camera with their thumb pointing upwards. A thumb pointing downwards means “no”. You can use this method to quickly obtain authentic feedback. It is also suitable for a quick mood assessment: “I realise what the next steps are?”. It can also be used to ask about current needs: “I urgently need a break.”

7. speed dating

In this method, two people come together for a short time (e.g. three minutes) in a breakout session. Afterwards, the assignment to the rooms changes so that everyone has the opportunity to get to know the other participants “in private”. The focus is on communication, the topic plays a subordinate role. Creative questions are a good way to make the conversations as entertaining as possible: Today I was particularly happy about…? Would you rather be extremely intelligent or extremely good at dealing with people? If a robot could do one thing for you, what would it be?

8. tele gymnastics

Entertaining gymnastic exercises keep attention levels high and relieve physical tension after hours of sitting. There are many exercises online, for example on YouTube, that can be done at any time, both in the office and at home. Moving together is also good for socialising. For example, ask the participants to walk around the chair, encourage the group to do simple yoga or stretching exercises for the neck and throat or have the participants visualise their current mood using gestures.

9. quick drawings

Small drawing tasks can be used to gauge the mood and motivation of the participants. They also offer the opportunity to set participants tasks related to the topic of the workshop. The results can then be shared by holding the drawings up to the webcam. Here you should tell the participants to get pen and paper or they can draw on their digital device and share it later via screen sharing.

10. the craziest device

In this method, the participants have one minute to bring the most unusual device from their home in front of the camera. If necessary, you can extend the exercise by asking the participants to present their device to another person in breakout sessions without showing the device beforehand. The other person should guess which device it is based on the clues.

11. short breathing exercises

Regular short and active breaks boost performance and help you to concentrate. Short meditation or breathing exercises are a real energiser. These allow participants to calm down and switch off for a short time. You can find a few examples of breathing exercises here .

Conclusion: Successful online workshops through interactive elements

Just like working together in a meeting room, digital collaboration from your desk chair at home has its advantages and disadvantages. The ice breakers described here will help you to make your next online workshop interactive and create space for a productive working environment. It is important to let all participants have their say right at the start of the workshop. Breakout sessions, discussions in small groups and activating exercises will help you to connect the group and maintain engagement.