A combo is a ready-made grouping of activities you can drop into a new section as a starting point, then tweak however you like. Combos live on the Combos tab of the Add new section window.
How combos work
Each combo tile shows its name, a one-line description, the number of activities it includes, and a preview of those activities. When you pick one, it adds those activities to your section and suggests a section name.
A combo only fills the section to start with. It's a starting point, not a locked template. Once you've picked one, you can add, remove, and reorder the activities, and rename the suggested section name, just as you would with any section.
The thinking behind combos
Most combos follow the same underlying rhythm: open with something that presents an idea or builds connection, give learners an activity to engage with, then bring the group together to discuss it — for example, Video → Drawing → Discussion. Combos bake that structure in, so you start from a proven shape rather than a blank section.
Available combos
There are 13 combos. They follow the arc of a session, roughly in order: open and connect, find out where the group is, introduce new material, generate and prioritize ideas, apply and practice, test understanding, then commit and close. You can build a whole experience by chaining them.
Combo | What it's for | Activities |
Connect via Drawing | Welcome the group and build positive connections through a shared drawing activity. | Video → Drawing → Discussion |
Connect via Check-in | Welcome the group, gauge immediate sentiment, and build initial connections using post-it notes. | Video → Post-it → Discussion |
Capture a Baseline | Gather baseline data or sentiment from the group before diving in. | Slideshow → Survey → Discussion |
Surface Prior Knowledge | Prime the cohort by surfacing existing knowledge, experiences, or preconceptions into a collective word cloud. | Audio → Word Cloud → Discussion |
Introduce & Explore | Introduce a new concept or framework via slides and capture initial reflections from the group. | Slideshow → Post-it → Discussion |
Ideate & Synthesize | Brainstorm and capture ideas using post-its, then vote as a group to prioritize and synthesize them. | Post-it → Vote → Discussion |
Map Opinion Distribution | Show the spread of opinions or alignments across a scale to anchor a deeper group conversation. | Slideshow → Scales → Discussion |
Share Best Practices | Provide a curated list of ideas or strategies for individuals to select, prioritize, and discuss. | Select → Discussion |
Practice & Apply Scenario | Share a real-world scenario on a slide, reflect and share individually on post-its before aligning on the best way forward. | Slideshow → Post-it → Discussion |
Execute Live Task | Prompt learners to individually complete a task outside of Makeshapes before sharing reflections and debriefing as a group. | Slideshow → Task → Discussion |
Test via Scenario | Introduce a situational video scenario and have learners use a quiz to choose the most effective path forward, then debrief as a group. | Video → Quiz → Discussion |
Test Knowledge Retention | Conclude the topic with a quick quiz to reinforce key concepts and highlight remaining knowledge gaps. | Slideshow → Quiz → Discussion |
Commit to Action | Individually reflect on key ideas, log a personal commitment note, and share intentions with the group. | Slideshow → Note → Discussion |
Every combo ends in a discussion, and most open with a media step — that's the present, interact, then discuss rhythm built in. Treat them as a head start: pick the closest shape, then make it your own.