Mandala

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Produce a shared visual artifact using basic digital annotation tools as a collaborative arrival activity.

Use it when: Use at the start of a virtual meeting or after a screen-heavy presentation when participants need an active visual pause.

Skip it when: Skip when participants join on mobile devices that lack annotation features, or when the video conferencing platform does not support shared drawing.

Group arrangement: Whole group working simultaneously on one shared screen.

Timing: UWT suggested duration based on source steps; 10 minutes allows for tool orientation, coloring, and brief debrief.

Materials and tools

• One video conferencing platform with screen sharing and participant annotation enabled
• One high-contrast black-and-white geometric line drawing or mandala image loaded on the facilitator screen
• Facilitator screen capture tool

Before participants arrive

1. Enable participant annotation in your meeting platform settings prior to starting the call.
2. Open the black-and-white mandala image in full-screen mode on your computer so it is ready to share.

Say this to open

On your screen you will see a black-and-white line drawing. We are going to fill this in together. Open your annotation menu, pick any color or drawing tool, and start adding color to any section of the image you like. Feel free to pass or simply watch if you prefer.

How to run it

1. Share screen and explain tools 2 minutes

   Share the slide displaying the line drawing. State the opening script. Point out where participants can find the platform annotate tool bar, specifically the pen, color palette, and width options.

2. Color the drawing collectively 5 minutes

   Give participants five minutes to color the image simultaneously. People work on any region they choose. Give a neutral example: for instance, one person may fill in small border circles with blue while another scribbles yellow across the center ring. Provide a one-minute warning before finishing.

3. Capture the artwork 1 minutes

   Call time. Ask participants to pause their drawing. Take a screenshot of the completed design to share in meeting notes later. Do not clear the drawing until the capture is confirmed.

4. Reflect and transition 2 minutes

   Pose one reflection question to the room. Invite two or three brief comments via microphone or chat. Clear the screen annotations, stop screen sharing, and proceed to the agenda.

Debrief questions

• What patterns or color choices stand out to you in our finished design?
• How did the group coordinate or negotiate space while drawing at the same time?

Finished output: One screenshot of the group-colored mandala saved by the facilitator.

Remote

This activity runs natively online. The facilitator shares the base image on their primary screen, enables public annotation, and captures the resulting screen before clearing annotations.

Hybrid

Display the shared image on the room screen for in-person attendees. In-person participants join the call on individual laptops or tablets to access the annotation tools alongside remote attendees. If in-person attendees share a single screen without devices, provide identical printed coloring sheets and color pens to table groups, then photograph both outputs.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may choose not to draw and simply observe the artwork taking shape without having to state a reason.
• Participants using screen readers or trackpads who find fine-motor drawing difficult can use the stamp tool or contribute color ideas in the meeting chat for someone else to place.

If the session gets stuck

Participants cannot find the annotation menu on their screens.

Explain the exact menu location for your platform, such as clicking 'View Options' at the top of the shared window and selecting 'Annotate'.

One person accidentally scribbles across the entire drawing, covering other work.

Remind everyone that the 'Undo' button removes their own most recent stroke, or use the facilitator eraser to clear the stray mark without clearing the whole board.

Terms used here

• Annotation tool: A built-in feature of virtual meeting software that lets attendees draw, stamp, or type directly over a presenter's shared screen.