Congratulations on designing your first Makeshapes experience. Makeshapes runs the content, instructions and timing, and your hosts bring the group together and encourage them to learn from each other.
Because Makeshapes is designed for scale, your hosts might be professional facilitators, team leaders, or peers who have never hosted a training session before. This guide helps you plan onboarding that suits them, so every host feels confident and prepared, whatever their experience.
1. Define your host profile
Before you decide on your onboarding approach, consider who will be hosting. The right onboarding depends on their skills and how complex your session is:
Host type: is this a dedicated trainer, a team leader, or a peer champion?
Confidence level: are they comfortable with technology, such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom?
Time capacity: how much time can they realistically spend preparing?
Tip: If your hosts have little confidence or time, design your experience so that audio instructions and recorded media do more of the work.
2. Choose from the onboarding toolkit
We recommend onboarding in levels. Choose the parts that fit your rollout.
Level 1: self-service essentials (the minimum)
Welcome email: send hosts their session links, basic hosting instructions and links to learn more, such as:
The host quickstart guide: a one-page PDF, or a link to our Host quickstart guide, with steps for getting prepared and hosting.
The preview link: encourage hosts to try the experience beforehand in a preview, so the steps feel familiar. See Preview an experience.
Level 2: hands-on support
"Experience it first" session: run a live session where future hosts take part as learners. This is the best way for them to understand the experience and what to expect.
Walkthrough videos: record a short video of your content, with a tool such as Loom. Show hosts what they'll see on screen, and point out any tricky moments.
Level 3: a deep dive, for critical or high-stakes rollouts
Co-hosting: for a new host's first session, ask an experienced designer or host to join and support them.
Drop-in Q&A: during a large rollout, set times when hosts can drop in to ask questions or share feedback after their first few sessions.
3. Add host notes, the option that costs nobody any time
Everything earlier in this guide spends someone's time — yours running a demo, or your hosts' reading and watching. Host notes spend neither. Write what you would have said in a briefing against the activity it applies to, and it reaches the host on their phone during the session, at the moment it is relevant. Nothing to send, nothing to attend, nothing for them to remember on the day.
If a host would rather hold paper, print them a session outline: the whole experience, section by section, with your notes alongside. They can also open it themselves, from the page their session link opens. See Host notes and the session outline.
Skip both if you have nothing to add. Makeshapes is built so a host needs little or no training, and notes are for the handful of things only you know — not a briefing document to be filled in because it exists.
4. Share the key hosting principles
When you onboard your hosts, remind them that their job isn't to be the expert at the front of the room. Their role is to:
Trust the platform: Makeshapes guides the group. Often the host's main job is to click Next activity and help the group follow the instructions Makeshapes gives.
Focus on the people: because Makeshapes delivers the content and instructions, the host is free to support the group, encourage everyone to take part, model openness, and manage the group's energy.
Stay flexible: timers are guides, not strict rules. Hosts can pause for a great discussion, or move on sooner if the group is ready.
Example host welcome email
To help you start your rollout, here's a draft welcome email for your hosts.
Subject: Action Required: Your upcoming [Experience Name] hosting details
Hi [Host Name],
You’ve been selected to host an upcoming [Experience Name] session!
We are using a platform called Makeshapes to run this. The great news is that the platform is designed to handle the content, instruction and the timing for you. Your primary role isn’t to be a "trainer," but to act as the host—creating a safe and welcoming environment, and encouraging conversation.
1. Access your session
To get started, use these links:
Live Link: Use this to conduct live sessions with your group.
[Link Here]
Preview Link: Use this to preview the experience or take it for a test drive.
[Link Here]
2. Get prepared: the 15-minute plan
We know you’re busy, so we’ve kept prep to a minimum. Complete these three steps before your first session:
Host Quickstart Guide: Read the Host quickstart guide and watch the "How to Host" Video (2 mins) for a quick visual tour of the host and learner experience.
Run a tech check: if it's your first time hosting, run the Makeshapes tech check to make sure your browser and internet speed are good enough. For the best results, run this check on the same computer and internet connection you'll be using on the day.
Take a "Test Drive": Use the 'Preview Link' provided to take the experience for a 'Test Drive' to get a sense of what to expect and ensure there are no surprises during the live session.
3. On the day
Open your session 10–15 minutes early to test your audio and video. If you're hosting online, make sure you know how to share your screen and audio.
Questions?
If you have any technical questions or want to walk through the flow, join our [Office Hours/Drop-in Session] on [Date/Time] or reach out to [Program Manager Name].
We’re excited to see you bring this experience to life!
Best regards,
[Program Manager Name]
[Company Name]