Ultimate Guide on Hosting Exciting Breakout Sessions

Breakout sessions at virtual conferences are absolute game-changers. They breathe new life into the event, spark fascinating conversations, and foster genuine connections. If you’re gearing up to organize a virtual conference and aiming for top-notch breakout sessions, this guide has everything you need.

What Are Breakout Sessions at Conferences?

Breakout sessions often have small workshop-style activities where attendees are split into smaller groups and given problems to solve. This helps people explore new ideas for their products or businesses. These sessions are timed and shorter than other activities planned for the conference.

Here is a straightforward breakout session meaning: A breakout session or meeting is an interactive group activity that fosters collaborative problem-solving, often centered on the theme of the conference or event.

While this was a direct definition of breakout sessions, they have a more significant potential to help participants network effectively at an event. 

How To Do Breakout Rooms & Their Benefits

Let’s talk about how practical breakout sessions are and how they work.

So, what are some more benefits of these breakout sessions? 

Here’s how they help:

• Improve overall engagement
• Provide opportunities for deeper discussions
• Targeted content based on specific interests
• Break from the main event and keep audiences interested
• Targeted content across experience, skill level, and positions.

How To Create a Great Virtual Breakout Session?

Now that we‘ve discussed the value of breakout sessions let’s examine how to create them in teams.

There are numerous excellent options for virtual conference platforms with breakouts. Additionally, several video conferencing applications come with integrated breakout sessions. Here are some key considerations that can help you plan a more engaging breakout activity:

• Select the virtual breakout session topics beforehand. This will help you decide the needs of your session.
• Determine whether the group will be random or pre-selected. Random selection works best when the problem presented has many possible solutions. Pre-selection is ideal for complex issues that require experts and professional advice.
• Work with smaller groups. Remember, breakout sessions are supposed to be engaging, enjoyable, and interactive. So instead of creating bigger groups where not everyone can interact and get a chance to engage, create smaller breakout sessions where all participants can bring something to the table. 
• Explain the rules of the breakout session before starting one. This way, you can limit the hurdles and confusion among participants.
• Test the virtual meeting software with breakout rooms beforehand. You don’t want to run into any problems during the actual sessions. Ensure the attendees know the process so you don’t have to worry about the technology.
• Assign a moderator or spokesperson for each session. This person should monitor time limits, keep the conversation going, and ensure all the goals are met by the end.
• Plan the duration of breakout session: will the team get 15 minutes or 30?
• Make sure the attendees have an agenda or an end goal for the breakout so the discussion is meaningful and doesn’t go astray.
• Provide all attendees a chance to speak by making one person from each breakout room present the key points from their discussion to the larger group.

Remember, it is crucial to select virtual meeting platforms with breakout rooms or video conferencing apps with breakout rooms. These tools allow the admin to oversee engagement sessions while giving participants the freedom to interact with each other. The right platform with advanced engagement features can make a significant difference.

How to Make Virtual Breakout Sessions Engaging?

When planning conference breakout sessions, it’s important to tailor them to specific needs, regardless of the audience size. Here are some essential instructions for organizing engaging breakout sessions:

Use a Pre-event Survey for Audience Input

A pre-event survey with well-crafted questions can help determine the best format for organizing engaging breakout sessions. Depending on the survey findings, different formats may be needed to achieve specific goals, such as sharing data through presentations during breakout sessions.

Choose the Right Host

Selecting the right host for an engaging breakout session can be challenging. It’s essential to find someone engaging, fun, and proficient in conducting breakout sessions for diverse audiences, seamlessly transitioning and teaching from one segment to the next.

Choose the Right Technology

Utilizing the right event management platform or video conferencing tool is essential for conducting engaging virtual breakout sessions. Consider factors such as chat options for breakout rooms, note-taking capabilities, and other features facilitating effective breakout session management and administration.

What Video Conferencing Tool Has Breakout Rooms?

Hosting an engaging and successful event demands an event management platform with advanced technology features for audience participation, networking tools, and more. Fortunately, top event management platforms like vFairs collaborate with apps such as Zoom and Sequel.io to offer customers engaging breakout rooms all in one platform. 

In addition to Zoom, virtual conferencing platforms like Google Meet and Microsoft Teams also provide built-in breakout sessions. Let’s explore how they operate.

Breakout Sessions in Zoom

Planning a virtual conference with interactive breakout sessions on Zoom is a breeze. Let’s walk through the simple steps to make it happen:

1. Head to the Zoom app and click on ‘Schedule a Meeting.’
2. Fill in the details about your virtual conference. These will include the title, description, and date. 
3. Go over the meeting options and see what you want to use. 
4. From pre-assigned breakout sessions, use the ‘Breakout Room Pre-Assign’ option. Assign titles and people to each session.

You can host a breakout session during the video call for a minor event or a business meeting. While live, the event host should click on the ‘Breakout Rooms’ option near the bottom of the application. The host can use this to either randomly or manually select people to put in the breakout sessions.

Breakout Sessions in Google Meet

Breakout sessions allow meeting organizers to split participants into smaller groups for discussions or activities within the same Google Meet call. Here’s how breakout sessions in Google Meet generally work:

1. The meeting host (organizer) can create breakout sessions during a Google Meet call.
2. They can specify the number of breakout rooms to create and manually assign participants to each room or allow Google Meet to assign participants automatically.
3. Once breakout sessions are created, participants are automatically or manually assigned to designated rooms.
4. Participants can join their assigned breakout session by clicking on the breakout room link or button provided in the Google Meet interface.
5. Each breakout session operates independently, allowing participants to have separate discussions or collaborate on specific tasks.
6. Participants within each breakout session can share their screen, chat with others, and use other collaborative tools available in Google Meet.
7. The meeting host can end breakout sessions anytime, returning participants to the main Google Meet call.

Google Meet’s breakout sessions feature facilitates smaller group discussions, team activities, workshops, brainstorming sessions, or any scenario where participants must work collaboratively in smaller groups within a more significant meeting or event.

It’s important to note that the availability and specific features of breakout sessions in Google Meet may vary depending on the Google Workspace subscription plan or updates made by Google to their platform.

Breakout Sessions in Microsoft Teams

In Microsoft Teams, breakout rooms allow meeting organizers to divide participants into smaller groups for discussions or activities within a more significant meeting. Here’s how breakout rooms work in Microsoft Teams:

1. Meeting organizers (typically the meeting organizer or presenter) can create breakout rooms during a team meeting.
2. Organizers can manually assign participants to specific breakout rooms or use automatic assignment.
3. The organizer can move participants between breakout rooms as needed during the meeting.
4. Participants are automatically or manually assigned to their designated rooms once breakout rooms are created.
5. Breakout rooms operate independently, allowing participants to have separate discussions, collaborate on tasks, share screens, use whiteboards, and chat within their assigned rooms.
6. In breakout rooms, participants can communicate via audio, video, and text chat.
7. The meeting organizer can broadcast messages to all breakout rooms or bring participants back to the main meeting room when the sessions are concluded.
8. The meeting organizer can end breakout rooms anytime, returning participants to the central Microsoft Teams meeting.

Breakout rooms in Microsoft Teams help organize group discussions, brainstorming sessions, workshops, team activities, and any scenario where participants must collaborate in smaller groups in a more significant virtual meeting or event. This feature helps enhance engagement, facilitate focused discussions, and manage larger meetings more effectively.

Breakout Session Ideas

Breakout sessions are incredibly versatile. You can shape them to be anything you want. Of course, this depends on the objectives, desired atmosphere, and the people attending the session. With that said, let’s look at some breakout session examples.

1. Lightning Talks

A lightning talk is a short presentation that lasts only a few minutes at best. It is usually given at panels or forums but works well for breakout sessions. 

Lightning talks explore one idea quickly, unlike regular presentations with bullet points, videos, and other content. This makes the listener pay attention and stay engaged. 

A moderator or organizer manages these lightning talks, which are enjoyable ways for people to convey their ideas within a limited time frame. 

2. Brainstorming Sessions

Transform your brainstorming sessions with the power of virtual breakout rooms. Platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet offer many features to facilitate seamless collaboration.

Furthermore, with an event management platform like vFairs, you can create breakout rooms in live event sessions. You can also use virtual Miro boards that are easily integrated with vFairs software and utilize shared documents and chat features to unleash creativity and drive productive discussions. As the organizer, you can provide guidance and encouragement in each breakout room, ensuring a structured and highly effective brainstorming experience.

Embrace the potential of virtual breakout rooms to empower your team to share ideas and achieve common goals, irrespective of their physical location.

3. The Lunch and Learn

The Lunch and Learn virtual breakout rooms are a great idea for team learning and development. Offer a dynamic and interactive format for learning, knowledge sharing, and fostering community among participants, all this while enjoying a meal during work day. 

By effectively leveraging breakout rooms, you can create a collaborative environment that enhances engagement and provides valuable learning experiences for all attendees.

4. Zen Session

Team wellness is a company’s responsibility. A creative way to promote wellness activities across the company is by organizing Zen sessions in form of virtual breakout rooms. You can create a tranquil and rejuvenating experience for participants. Choose a theme such as mindfulness meditation or gentle yoga stretches.

You can offer breakout rooms for meditation led by experienced facilitators. Establish rooms for activities like mindful eating and gratitude journaling.

You can also use calming music or ambient sounds in each breakout room to enhance relaxation.

Organizing Zen sessions in virtual breakout rooms allows participants to reduce stress and enhance their overall well-being in a personalized and engaging setting.

5. Virtual Coffee Rooms

Everyone knows that few things can compare to catching up over a cup of coffee. The same applies to conferences and events. The idea for virtual coffee rooms is the same as a coffee space in a regular physical space. People can grab coffee, sit, and talk with others from their rooms.

Virtual coffee offers attendees a break from the hustle and bustle of a busy conference. Such an easy-going and pleasant environment encourages attendees to talk to other conference visitors more comfortably. 

6. Speed Networking

The idea and format are quite similar to speed dating. Participants share information and details about each other quickly within a time limit. After that, they quickly move on to the next set of participants. During this session, people discuss their skills, professional expertise, business goals, and more. However, they are encouraged to be quick, which adds an enjoyment factor.

This can be done in several different ways. One-on-one meetings between two individuals can be held, or they can be group-based. Speed networking often gets a lot of great feedback since the adrenaline rush makes us more open to new conversations. 

Experience the impact of smart matchmaking technology in improving event networking, making speed networking more engaging and efficient.

7. Virtual Escape Rooms

Virtual escape rooms are an alternative to the trendy physical escape rooms. If you aren’t familiar with the concept, here’s how they work. 

In a physical setting, a group of people is locked inside a room and asked to escape. Usually, there is a theme around this escape, with clues hidden inside the room. Participants must think fast to escape before the time runs out.

Virtual escape rooms have the same concept. They’re also more accessible to set up and affordable to host. Highly stimulating, they serve as great virtual team building activities. 

To set up your virtual escape room, divide people into groups and teams. Please give them the clues and ask them to work together to escape. Working together in such a high-pressure situation will bring an adrenaline rush and make for an unforgettable experience.

8. Video Games

Many physical events feature a dedicated game room that can also transform into breakout rooms. These breakout rooms can include indoor games such as ping pong and snooker, or video games like football that can be played in groups. Some events even host entire tournaments as breakout sessions.

If you’re looking for an easy-to-set-up yet highly engaging breakout session, video games are the way to go. There are so many options out there.

You can try strategy games like chess or offer old-school arcade games like Metal Slug. Games such as FIFA, Tekken, and Smash Bros. are perfect for breakout sessions.

9. Debate Session

A debate session is an excellent idea to promote participation and conversation among your attendees. 

Debate sessions can be enriching for participants. Assign a topic, divide people into teams, and make the audience vote on which speaker spoke the best. This adds an element of competition to it. You’ll also need a moderator to oversee things. The last thing you want on your hands is an argument to go entirely off the rails. 

10. Think Tank 

Think tank sessions in a virtual conference setting encourage active participation and help participants engage in creative thinking. These sessions develop innovative solutions and produce actionable recommendations and plans to address industry issues.

Participants can connect with like-minded folks for potential collaborations and be part of shaping the future of their industry. 

The breakout rooms provide a comfortable and structured environment for in-depth exploration and collaboration on specific topics. 

However, know when to incorporate debates as breakout sessions. People will likely be too exhausted for debate sessions if you’ve had a long day of webinars, meetings, and keynotes. The timing is crucial for such corporate event ideas. 

Increase Event Engagement Through Breakout Rooms

Breakout sessions can be highly beneficial for both the organizers and the participants. They offer a refreshing change from traditional virtual conferences and provide attendees with an engaging and interactive experience. By implementing these strategies, you can captivate your audience and ensure they have a memorable event.

Breakout rooms facilitate collaboration and enable individuals to connect and interact. They serve as excellent icebreakers during events and are instrumental in encouraging attendees to expand their networks. Explore our comprehensive event networking guide for additional insights on enhancing networking and engagement.