Towards a pattern language for participatory online events

ABSTRACTOnline, synchronous events are one of the main formats that many virtual communities of practice use to engage with members of their community. However, many of these online events adopt a webinar format that typically does not support opportunities for participants to contribute or connect with one another. This paper reports on 13 design patterns that focus on both platform and event design for a more participatory format for online events. The design patterns are divided into three categories: culture and mindset, facilitation strategies, and event flow. In this paper, two patterns are introduced. The process of developing the patterns and some insights from this process are discussed.