1. We had a producer dedicated to ensuring that the technology problems were resolved before and during the event.
2. The service was solidly planned. The producer and every speaker received a copy of the agenda.
3. We ensured that every person who spoke attended a dry run (rehearsal) the day before, where we walked through baton passes and practiced the steps each speaker would need to take to put themselves on camera to share their tribute.
4. During the dry run, we had each speaker come on camera so that we could check their lighting and sound, adjusting the height of their web cams, and improving their lighting, as needed.
5. We asked speakers to arrive online an hour before the service so we could do a quick refresher and make sure that they were ready. (Lights, Camera, Action!)
6. We invited people attending to log in 15 – 20 minutes early so that we could troubleshoot any technical issues they might have.
7. We opened the service on time by playing four minutes of calm music. That set the ambiance of the memorial service and allowed latecomers to enter the virtual room without missing any of the program.
8. As soon as people began to chat together in the open chat pod, I acknowledged that it was delightful to see them doing that and they should keep it up. The chat space was lively, personal, and supportive as they praised each speaker who shared a memory or tribute.
9. We included a layout in Adobe Connect with multiple chat pods. Each chat was labelled by a period in Dad’s life when people would have known him. Participants loved chatting with each other in these “small groups.” They reconnected with people they had not seen in years and shared contact information.
10. We ended the memorial service with a champagne toast (everyone was told in advance to bring their bubbly beverages) with all speakers on camera. Then we played him out with his requested final song, “Hit the Road, Jack!” ending on a silly, high note.

• Do I call on people by name and use their names when reviewing their comments?
• Do I validate people's contributions?
• Do I build on their ideas and observations?
• Do I make "eye contact" by looking directly into the camera lens when speaking and listening?
• Do I include opportunities for people to collaborate?
• Do I welcome questions and respond to them in the moment?
• Do I allow people to share outside resources from their experiences?
• Do my virtual training sessions feel like collaborative, classroom experiences?

• Do I help participants avoid Zoom fatigue by varying the ways they interact and keeping meetings short and focused?