Anonymous Q&A on Zoom using Google Forms
Provide a Google Form through which participants submit anonymous questions. Read a submitted question out loud, answer it, and repeat. If desired, have the form linked to a Google spreadsheet for easy sorting and tracking.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Send participants the link to your Anonymous Q&A form. Give at least two minutes for them to submit questions before you start answering.
- (Optional) Sort the questions that come in. Grouping similar questions, remove duplicates, and/or prioritize the questions you most want to answer.
- Read a question aloud, answer it, and then repeat with the next question.
Prep
Prepare a Google Form asking for your participant's anonymous questions.
If you're linking the submissions to a Google Sheet, add a checkbox column to keep track of the questions you've already answered.
Context
You can read the questions submitted on the "responses" tab of the Google Form. Alternatively, you can set up the form to link to a spreadsheet, which will allow you to sort questions and mark the ones you've already answered.
Using a linked spreadsheet will also allow you to easily use the form over and over again. When you go to use it again, hide the rows from your previous group in your linked spreadsheet before the latest group starts submitting their questions.
Substituting Apps
If you're using apps other than Zoom and Google Forms, here are the specific things your software will need to be able to do:
Google Forms allows participants to anonymously submit questions which you can immediately read, sort through, and answer at your discretion.
Additional Resources
Reusable Template:
Author
Activity by Meg Bolger
Co-developer of Facilitator Cards. Co-author of Unlocking the Magic of Facilitation. Adamant believer that facilitation can change the world.