These hacks came from the May and July CGA Moderator Preparation sessions held here in Dayton! What hacks or other tricks do you use to make your forums smoother and/or more deliberative?

• Use a co-moderator! This co-mod could have a variety of roles: timekeeper, tech, fact-checker. One option: Official moderator (who schedules forum and logs in as moderator handles logistics, technical info, moving participants from one section to another; the other moderator technically logs in as a participant, but enters their name as “Moderator So-and-So.” This moderator facilitates the deliberation sections.

• Moderator cheat sheet with only most necessary text/include copying/pasting instructions

• Use incognito tab to be able to see what participants see.

• Make sure participants download Option Chart so they can compare across options as they wish.

• Use CGA graphics capability as starting point or augmentation for in-person or hybrid forums

• Use the time when participants are doing their individual work to formulate questions to stimulate deliberation.

• Don’t shortchange Common Ground reflection time.

Other experienced CGA mods— what say you? : )