Termboard

Appearance

Participant Guide ​

This guide explains how to participate in a TermStorm workshop. As a participant, you'll contribute concepts, add notes, and vote on ideas alongside other workshop members.

Joining a Workshop ​

  1. Click the link shared by your facilitator
  2. You'll be taken directly to the workshop submit page

Via QR Code ​

  1. Open your phone's camera or QR scanner
  2. Point at the QR code displayed by the facilitator
  3. Tap the link that appears

Entering Your Name ​

When you join, you'll be prompted to enter your name:

  1. Type your display name
  2. Click Join Workshop

Your name helps the facilitator and other participants identify your contributions.

TIP

Use a recognizable name—your first name or a nickname the group knows. You can change it later if needed.

The Collect Stage ​

During this stage, you'll submit concepts and ideas related to the workshop topic.

Submitting Concepts ​

  1. Read the workshop description to understand what's being collected
  2. Type concepts in the text area
  3. Separate multiple concepts with commas or new lines:
    Customer, Order, Product
    or:
    Customer
Order
Product
  4. Click Submit

Adding Notes (Optional) ​

After submitting concepts, you can add notes to provide context:

  1. You'll see your submitted concepts listed
  2. Click on a concept to add a note
  3. Type your note (up to 500 characters)
  4. Notes are saved automatically

Notes help explain:

  • Why you think this concept is important
  • What you mean by the term
  • Any relevant context or examples

Signaling Readiness ​

When you've finished submitting:

  1. Click I'm Done
  2. The facilitator sees your ready status
  3. You can still add more concepts until the stage advances

Watching the Timer ​

  • A countdown timer shows remaining time
  • When time is low, the timer turns orange, then red
  • Submit your concepts before time runs out

The Discuss Stage ​

During this stage, the facilitator reviews and organizes concepts. Your role is to observe and add notes when prompted.

Viewing the Discussion ​

  • Watch the concept list as the facilitator reviews
  • Concepts may be edited, merged, or deleted
  • The facilitator may select a concept for discussion

Active Concept ​

When the facilitator selects a concept:

  • It's highlighted as the "active" concept
  • You can add notes to that concept
  • Notes from all participants are visible

Adding Notes During Discussion ​

  1. When a concept is active, you'll see the notes section
  2. Type your note
  3. Notes save automatically

Use notes to:

  • Ask questions about a concept
  • Suggest clarifications
  • Share relevant context

The Vote Stage ​

During this stage, you'll vote on each concept to help prioritize them.

How Voting Works ​

For each concept, choose one of three options:

VoteIconWhen to Use
+1👍You support this concept / think it's important
0➖You're neutral / no strong opinion
-1👎You don't think this is needed / lower priority

Casting Your Votes ​

  1. Go through each concept in the list
  2. Click your vote choice for each
  3. When finished, click Submit Votes
  4. Click I'm Done to signal readiness

Changing Votes ​

You can change your votes before the stage advances:

  • Simply click a different vote option
  • Submit your votes again

Tips for Voting ​

  • Vote based on the importance to the topic
  • Don't vote on familiarity—vote on relevance
  • It's okay to have many neutral (0) votes
  • Focus your +1 votes on truly critical concepts

The Copy Stage ​

This is the final stage where results are displayed.

Viewing Results ​

Concepts are sorted by total vote score. You'll see:

  • Concept names in priority order
  • Colored dots showing individual votes
    • 🟢 Green = positive votes
    • 🔵 Blue = neutral votes
    • 🔴 Red = negative votes

What Happens Next ​

The facilitator will:

  1. Review the prioritized list with the group
  2. Select concepts to export
  3. Copy results to Termboard for further modeling

Interface Elements ​

Stage Indicator ​

Shows the four stages: Collect → Discuss → Vote → Copy

  • The current stage is highlighted
  • You cannot change stages (only the facilitator can)

Timer ​

  • Shows remaining time in the current stage
  • Visual color changes:
    • Blue = plenty of time
    • Orange = less than 2 minutes
    • Red = less than 1 minute (pulsing)

Ready Button ​

  • Click I'm Done when finished
  • Shows "X of Y ready" so you can see group progress
  • The facilitator may advance when all are ready

Participant List ​

  • Shows who's currently connected
  • Names appear in real-time as people join

Privacy and Data ​

TermStorm is designed with privacy in mind:

  • No login required: Just enter your name
  • Browser-based: Data stays in your browser
  • No external storage: Your contributions aren't sent to external servers
  • Session-based: When the workshop ends, you can close your browser

Tips for Effective Participation ​

During Collect ​

  • ✅ Submit whatever comes to mind—quality comes later
  • ✅ Use notes to explain unclear terms
  • ✅ Submit early so others can see concepts
  • ✅ Don't worry about duplicates—they'll be merged

During Discuss ​

  • ✅ Pay attention to how concepts are being organized
  • ✅ Add notes if you have important context
  • ✅ Speak up (via notes) if something important is missed

During Vote ​

  • ✅ Vote on all concepts, even if neutral
  • ✅ Don't overthink—go with your gut
  • ✅ Remember: voting is about priority, not agreement

Troubleshooting ​

I can't submit concepts ​

  • Check if you're in the Collect stage
  • Make sure you've entered text in the field
  • Try refreshing the page

My concepts aren't appearing ​

  • Click Submit after entering concepts
  • Check if they were merged with similar existing concepts
  • Ask the facilitator to verify

I can't vote ​

  • Make sure you're in the Vote stage
  • Try refreshing the page
  • Check your network connection

I got disconnected ​

  • Refresh the page
  • Your name and previous contributions should be preserved
  • If not, re-enter your name and the facilitator can see your history

Need Help? ​

If you encounter issues during a workshop:

  1. Let the facilitator know (via voice/chat outside TermStorm)
  2. Try refreshing your browser
  3. Clear browser cache if problems persist
  4. Use a different browser as a last resort