Photo protocols are a great way to follow up on your event. With photos, you can capture the most important contributions from the training. These can be pictures of your flipcharts, note cards on a meta-plan board, or group contributions. With the photo protocol, you can also capture the seminar experience. What do you need for that? Your smartphone and a pinch of creativity.
Info: This article is about creating photo protocols with your smartphone. In March 2019, my colleague Corinna continued the topic and gives you tips on how to incorporate your photo protocol into the online course.
What you should keep in mind when creating photo protocols with your smartphone
If you have acquired a new smartphone in the last two years, you are equipped with a top camera. Inform your participants at the beginning of your training that you will be taking some photos during the event and subsequently creating a photo protocol. Notes and recordings stand out much better on white paper. Make sure you have white paper available for your correspondence. Also, the backgrounds of your meta-plan board should not be too dark and should provide a good contrast.
Pay attention to lighting conditions.
Be mindful of flash reflections.
Is everything in the picture? Is there sufficient distance from the subject?
Are the edges aligned straight?
Use a simple scanning app. An example is the free app Scanbot. Colors and image perspective can be adjusted directly with the app, and you can export your images directly as a PDF file.
Activate memories - these motifs are particularly suitable for your protocols
During your training or seminar, you will likely employ various methods. The results of a group discussion, the presentation of a group task, or the key points of your presentation will somehow be documented on paper. Typically on a flipchart or a meta-plan board. Focus on key terms, as these provide your participants with the best memory aid. Ensure a clear structure and present processes or sequences in a comprehensible format.
Creating flipcharts is fun. You can be creative while also conveying information. There are plenty of tools for visualization. You can draw inspiration from here (Gallery of Flipchart Coach + Bikablo visualization aids).
You can document your participants' contributions on a meta-plan board. If too many cards are attached to the board, you can make a selection. It's best to remove cards with very small text. The image in the protocol should represent an overview of the participants' contributions. Quality over quantity!
You can round off your training protocol with training impressions. Depict what makes your training special: cooperating, exchanging ideas, discussing, learning, taking action. Add anecdotes with captions, for example when something humorous is presented.
How to save time in post-processing
No matter what you photograph, the quicker the viewer can categorize the image, the better. For example, give your flipcharts a good title. This way, you don't have to add text through image editing in post-processing, as the flipchart is self-explanatory.
Use markers and highlight key terms. The readers of the photo protocol will remember the content with the help of these key terms.
Make your images in chronological order. That way, your photo files are already in the correct sequence.
If you know exactly how many correspondences you will create, you can add an index to your flipcharts (1/12, 2/12…).
Want to do even more with photo protocols?
Use your photo protocol as a starting point for online follow-up and for transfer security.
Your clients can get an overview with the help of your photo protocol. This way, managers know what the employees learned in your seminar.
Use your photo protocol in marketing and sales! When negotiating with new clients, you can give them an impression of your seminar. This way, you convince interested parties with your offer.
You can, of course, use your phone not just for photos. With the help of audio recordings or videos, you can personally explain the content to your participants again.
Try it out right away! In 5 steps, your photo protocol is with your participants
Take your smartphone in hand and install the Scanbot app (iOS/Android).
Scan your motifs or take an A4 sheet as a test. Add participant impressions from your photo gallery.
Merge the recordings and save your protocol as a PDF.
Send the protocol to your participants. Don’t wait too long! A week after the date is ideal.
If you accompany your course online with the blinkit app, you can easily share it here:
Create a new Blink
Insert PDF file.
Write your participants a call to action. For example: "I really enjoyed the training last week! Please take a look at the photo protocol and recall the five most important points. Write these points in the discussion function below."
Publish directly or set the date/time frame for publication (e.g., "on 09.02. at 5:00 PM" or "in 7 days").
Was this post helpful to you? Let us know how you create your photo protocols and what experiences you have had with our approach!
