Before choosing an interaction tool for a workshop, rehearse one moment from your real session. Use your own slides, one question and an ordinary participant phone. You will learn more from that short test than from counting features.
Start with the decision you need from the group
Complete this sentence: “After this question, I will know whether to explain again, move on or ask for an example.” If the answers will not change anything, reconsider the activity before adding software.
Your practical evaluation checklist
- Joining: can a participant open the activity and send a first response without your help? Note the actual steps and where they hesitate.
- Material: does a representative page from your deck display legibly? Check a diagram and a dense slide, not just the cover.
- Network: test an answer on the venue’s connection. A shared Wi-Fi name does not guarantee devices can reach each other.
- Facilitation: can you move from the slide to the question and back without losing the group’s attention?
- Review: can you interpret the responses and decide what to do next?
- Data: check what you collect, where it is kept and what your organisation permits. Avoid personal information in the test.
- Cost: read the current plan limits and offer for your intended use. Do not budget from an old article or assume a trial has no restrictions.
Score the rehearsal, not the marketing page
For each item, write “works for this session,” “needs a workaround” or “not yet verified.” Add one observation: “The diagram was too small in projection” is actionable; “the tool feels powerful” is not. Decide which requirements are essential before comparing the results.
Try the checklist with Tissyo Interact
Interact is a Mac-based presentation and interaction app. Participants join in a browser; the facilitator needs a Mac. Start with a short section of your material, add one activity and test the participant response. Check current features and limits on the product page before planning a complete session.
Use the existing-slides workflow for your first activity and the room-network checklist for the connection test.
Need help choosing the activity?
The free anti-tunnel kit helps you plan a useful participation moment without rebuilding the whole course. Prepare the instruction first; then use the software to deliver it.
Keep a fallback for the learning objective
Write a spoken or paper version of the question. If the digital route fails, participants can still discuss the underlying problem while you resolve the connection. A successful session is the goal; an uninterrupted software demonstration is not.


