710 Master the Technical Production & Engage Your vILT Participants
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 25
Instructional Design
Martinique B
Do you really need a virtual classroom producer? Maybe you don't. But what you absolutely need is the skill set. Whether you assign them to a dedicated producer or do them yourself, commanding the technical aspects of your virtual classroom delivery is the key to online learner engagement. Still not sure? Recall the last webinar you attended, the one that started late due to audio problems? Remember the recent breakout activity you tried to complete, but everyone was too technically confused to get to the assignment? Or how about that time everything was cancelled because the slides wouldn't load, and no one could figure out what to do? Virtual classroom production is an art. It requires a unique skill set that balances deep platform knowledge with multitasking agility, while at the same time calming everyone down before the panicked screams can be heard through the mute.
In this session you'll explore the reasons why virtual training is so challenging, and how virtual classroom production skills can help you mitigate and even prevent many common technical issues. You’ll break down the logistical and technical considerations that go into the planning and delivery of a successful live online event to understand the part production skills play in making them run smoothly for speakers and attendees. You’ll identify the tasks, outline the responsibilities, and create an action plan for how to manage the production side of virtual training. This approach will allow your content experts to focus on being effective, connecting with the participants, and stop allowing the technology to get in the way of success.
In this session, you will learn:
- Strategies for virtual event production and the role of the producer in online learning
- The distinct benefits a producer skill set brings to the virtual classroom experience
- How to integrate three key producer tasks into the delivery of your virtual classroom, even if you don't have a producer
- How to implement a virtual classroom platform disaster recovery strategy
Audience:
Designers, managers
Technology discussed:
Zoom, all the WebEx Centers, Adobe Connect, GoTo Training/Webinar/Meeting

Kassy LaBorie
Founder & Principal Consultant
Kassy LaBorie Consulting
Kassy Laborie is a professional speaker, author, and The Original Virtual Training Hero at Kassy LaBorie Consulting, LLC. She is an author, facilitator, instructional designer who specializes in human connection in a remote world. She has trained thousands of people around the world on topics such as virtual learning, remote teams, and using live online technology in engaging and creative ways. Kassy loves helping organizations, learning teams, and training professionals experience success while working in a digital world. Take your online life from blah to AHA! In her previous role at Dale Carnegie Training, she was the director of virtual training services, a consultancy that partners with organizations to help them develop successful online training strategies. Kassy also served as the product design architect responsible for developing the company’s live online training product and experience. Prior to this, she was an independent master virtual trainer, a Microsoft software trainer, and a senior trainer at Webex, where she helped build and deliver training at the very first version of the Webex University. Kassy is the co-author of Interact and Engage! 75+ Activities for Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars (ATD Press 2022) and the author of Producing Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars (ATD Press 2021). A frequent speaker at industry conferences since 2006, she has presented at Training Magazine events including their yearly conference and Online Learning Conferences, Chief Learning Officer symposiums, The Virtual Learning Show, ATD’s TechKnowledge and International Conference & Exposition, DevLearn, Learning Solutions, and other Learning Guild conferences, as well as many local ATD Chapter events.