Hashtag Fun

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Establish a shared backchannel for written remarks and parallel discussion during a session.

Use it when: Use at the start of a multi-part workshop, meeting, or event where parallel written commentary helps capture questions and reactions.

Skip it when: Skip when participants lack devices, when the room is too small to warrant written commentary, or when the topic requires strict offline confidentiality.

Group arrangement: Individual posting with whole-room screen display or shared thread

Timing: UWT suggested duration of 10 minutes based on the 5 to 15 minute source band

Materials and tools

• Display screen or projector connected to the chosen backchannel feed
• Participant personal devices (smartphones, tablets, or laptops)
• One index card or tent card per participant for offline contributions
• Markers or pens (one per participant)
• Sticky wall or flip chart for physical card posting

Before participants arrive

1. Select a specific platform (such as an internal chat channel, Slack, microblog, or dedicated thread) and choose a short, distinct tag like #UWTFocus.
2. Connect a display screen showing the live feed or chat stream.
3. Test posting to ensure incoming posts appear within seconds.

Say this to open

We are setting up a shared backchannel for this session. Use the tag #UWTFocus in our chat channel to post thoughts, questions, and short reflections. Let us do a quick warm-up post right now so everyone sees how the stream works.

How to run it

1. Introduce channel and prompt 3 minutes

   State the tag or channel name clearly. Display it on the screen. Give participants an initial low-stakes prompt, such as 'What is one topic you want to cover today?' Provide index cards for anyone who prefers not to post digitally.

2. Write and submit posts 3 minutes

   Participants draft and send a short post of 1 to 2 sentences containing the tag. Offline participants write their response on an index card and bring it to the physical flip chart board. Participants may pass or read quietly without posting.

3. Display and sample the stream 3 minutes

   Refresh the screen to show incoming contributions. Read aloud three or four distinct entries from the screen and one physical card if posted. Do not require authors to speak unless they choose to expand.

4. Set backchannel norms 1 minutes

   Explain that the channel remains open throughout the agenda for questions, resource links, and thoughts, and that you will review it before breaks.

Debrief questions

• Which questions or themes surfaced most often in the stream?
• How will we use this backchannel during the rest of our work today?

Finished output: A live, viewable stream of initial participant expectations and an open backchannel for the remainder of the session.

Remote

Display the designated chat channel or hashtag feed on screen share. Participants post in the meeting chat or designated platform room. Read selected posts aloud.

Hybrid

In-person and remote participants post to the same online chat channel or hashtag. Project the stream in the physical room and share it on the video call screen so everyone sees identical updates.

Access and participation choices

• Provide physical index cards posted to a front board for participants without devices or accounts.
• Posting is optional; participants may observe the stream without submitting entries.

If the session gets stuck

The external social network is blocked by an attendee company firewall.

Switch immediately to an internal chat tool, a shared document, or the meeting platform built-in chat.

Participants post off-topic banter that clutters the feed.

Remind the group to reserve the main session tag for agenda-related thoughts and questions.

Terms used here

• Backchannel: A secondary, real-time digital conversation running parallel to a live spoken presentation or meeting.