Virtual Fishbowl Discussion Template

About the Virtual Fishbowl Discussion Template

Workshop Tactics created this template to help everyone level up their facilitation skills. We all know that online meetings have proven to be hard to follow, and often participants are interrupted or talk simultaneously. In the end, the loudest voice wins. To fix this problem, they created the Virtual Fishbowl Discussion Template, where you can easily guide team discussions and allow everyone to have a voice.

What’s the Virtual Fishbowl Discussion Template?

The template is an online version of the fishbowl discussion, a well-known tactic to facilitate debates and give everyone a voice. The template simulates an online room, where participants can take turns discussing the selected topics by placing their avatars on the drawn chairs.

Benefits of using the Virtual Fishbowl Discussion Template

The Virtual Fishbowl Discussion Template helps facilitators and participants to have a more efficient and productive debate. It prevents people from talking over one another, and because of its dynamic format, many topics are covered.

The fishbowl discussion technique is also very inclusive, allowing everyone to participate and share their point of view on any given topic. Anyone can volunteer to take a seat at the ‘discussion space,’ even those who would not usually participate in a discussion or debate.

Some other benefits of running the virtual fishbowl discussion:

• You don’t need to find a large room, nor have to arrange/tidy a load of chairs

• The online format can include international speakers, not just local. (No travel or accommodation required!)

• Once you establish the rules, the fishbowl discussion can be self-facilitating.

How to use the Virtual Fishbowl Discussion Template

The template is easy to add to any workshop board you have.

Here is how to set up a virtual remote fishbowl discussion:

1. Select the ready-made Virtual Fishbowl Discussion Template.

2. Customize the avatars on the template by adding pictures of participants, their names, or something that represents them.

3. Place the avatars so they can be easily moved to the chairs at the center of the template.

4. Share the link of your Miro board with participants.

5. Make sure everyone finds their own avatar. Remember to lock board elements that are not supposed to be moved around, like the chairs.

6. Explain to everyone how the fishbowl discussion works.

7. Use a democratic discussion tactic to agree on topics. Next to your fishbowl discussion template, add sticky notes where people can write discussion topics. Ask everyone to vote on topics they care about. Select the most voted ones and place them in order.

Starting the virtual fishbowl discussion:

1. Ask for two volunteers to have a seat at the chairs. Begin the conversation and set a timer (10 minutes per topic is enough).

2. If someone moves their avatar to the empty chair, ask one of the two people at the center of the discussion to give up their seat. Instruct them to return to the audience, where other avatars are placed.

3. Keep going until the timer runs out. Check if people would like to keep discussing the current topic or if they would like to move on to the next one.

4. Repeat this process until the end of your session.