An Introduction to Guided Breakouts (& No-Host, Autonomous Breakouts)

If you are using breakouts, you’ll want to check out the newest, arguably most powerful feature in your MaestroConference Video account- Guided Breakouts- a completely unique feature set. 

With Guided Breakouts, you as the host can set up a series of instructions in advance- e.g. discussion questions, video content, web applications, slides, timed reminders, a set of paths that the group can choose from, and much more; each group advances through the pre-recorded guidance, not as an individual but as a group, navigating through instructions and actions at their own pace. There’s no missing “what the question is” at this moment because it’s highlighted and even animated for the group. The breakout groups are “guided” by the platform, making for a far more effective, intuitive, engaging experience for participants.

As an added bonus, your MC Video plan includes exclusive access to a powerful feature that allows you to send links to people who cannot attend your live event and they can participate in your small group Guided Breakouts at any time, when you’re not present - we call them Autonomous Guided Breakouts.

Before getting started, here’s a list of the important things to know about these new features:

• We originally developed Guided Breakouts and No-Host, Autonomous Breakouts as a separate product, the new VoiceVoice platform. All MC Video accounts come with a VoiceVoice account at no additional cost. 
• You will create your Guided Breakouts and No-Host, Autonomous Breakouts in your VoiceVoice account via separate login credentials (note: MC Video and VoiceVoice account credentials are separate and different). If you haven’t received your VoiceVoice account credentials, reach out to us at support@maestroconference.com and we can help. 
• VoiceVoice is integrated within MaestroConference, but your Guided Breakouts need to be created before your MaestroConference live event (see below for step by step instructions on how to create Guided Breakouts). 
• If this is your first time experiencing VoiceVoice, we'd love to set you up with a product demo or training to walk you through the platform and get you up and running. Contact us at support@maestroconference.com to schedule a time with our VoiceVoice team.

How to get started with Guided Breakouts:

1. Log into your VoiceVoice account
• Once you’ve received your credentials, please use them to log into your account here.
2. Create a VoiceVoice conversation
• Here is a recorded video tutorial to walk you through creating your first conversation on VoiceVoice and written instructions/explanation of the various conversation components are on our Knowledge Base. I would recommend starting with these articles in the order they are listed: https://voicevoice.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/folders/61000111571
3. Your first Guided Breakout is now ready to use. You as the host can either:
• Put your participants into Guided Breakouts during your live MaestroConference Video live events; and/or, 
• Send the link for your Guided Breakouts to your community and your participants can join at a time of their choosing, no host needed (hence, your “No-Host, Autonomous Breakouts”).

Using Guided Breakouts during your MC Video live event:

How to put your attendees through your Guided Breakouts (designed VoiceVoice conversation) during a MaestroConference live event:

1. First, dial in to the scheduled MaestroConference call.
2. Connect to Social Webinar here.
3. When you’d like to take your attendees through your Guided Breakouts, do the following steps:
1. Make sure that your participants are in breakout rooms and using breakout-only microphones.
2. The number of participants in each breakout room has to match the number of participants set in the VoiceVoice conversation.
3. Then go to Settings → Admin → Guided Breakouts, dial in your conversation’s ID (which you can get from your VoiceVoice dashboard e.g. https://beta.voicevoice.com/register/{your_conversation_id}).
4. Press the “Activate this View” option and “Apply Changes”.

How to “walk the room” as a Host while your participants are in Guided Breakouts during a MaestroConference live event:

• On MaestroConference: Presenters/Assistants should be on Mute so that the participants won’t hear AND see them while in breakout rooms, but Presenters and Assistants will see other muted Admins as “Invisible Staff”.
• On VoiceVoice: Access your VoiceVoice Monitor here and choose the “Watch” option on any group you’d like to review specifically. You can also chat with groups and move people from group to group among other features on the VoiceVoice Monitor.

How to get started with No-Host, Autonomous Breakouts:

• Send the link for your Guided Breakouts (e.g. https://beta.voicevoice.com/register/{your_conversation_id}) to your community and your participants can join at a time of their choosing, no host needed (hence, your “No-Host, Autonomous Breakouts”).