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Seven whiteboard strategy tips for effective whiteboarding sessions

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Picture a room full of creative professionals gathering around a whiteboard and tossing around ideas. The mix of project collaboration and brainstorming slowly fills the whiteboard with diagrams and bits of text. The contributed concepts develop throughout the session. 

That's an effective whiteboard strategy in action. It sparks conversation and leads to innovation. 

Whiteboarding sessions aren't merely group exercises. When teams complete them correctly, these sessions foster creativity and enhance communication. They're game-changers for a company. This guide explores the significance of whiteboarding sessions and presents seven whiteboard strategies to enhance your team and company.

What is whiteboarding?

Whiteboarding is a collaborative technique that involves visual brainstorming on a physical or virtual whiteboard. This approach enables teams to capture ideas and illustrate concepts in an interactive way, fostering creativity and participation. 

Whiteboarding encourages each team member to participate in the brainstorming session, enhancing team communication. It also builds a creative environment where people can further refine these ideas and turn them into actionable strategies. Whiteboarding is a powerful tool for problem solving and idea visualization. It uses diagrams, charts, and visual aids, which makes complex ideas more accessible and actionable for everyone.

Whiteboard sessions help to align stakeholders on common goals for the project. Therefore, they're beneficial in the initiation phase of the project life cycle , a crucial stage in project management where the project manager establishes scope and objectives. During this phase, the team and its stakeholders can generate ideas on how to execute the project before they flesh out the full plan.

Why do business teams have whiteboard sessions?

Whiteboard sessions are dynamic platforms for encouraging collaboration. They also help to generate ideas that solve problems or jumpstart new revenue streams. Here are the main purposes of whiteboard sessions:

• Collaboration: Whiteboarding fosters active participation from team members. It offers a space where they can share ideas and feedback freely. People feel heard when others consider their ideas. Whiteboarding can give them this opportunity. 
• Visualization: Writing ideas on a whiteboard helps turn abstract ideas into concrete visuals, which can help everyone understand and refine them. It can also help the group with disparate ideas. For example, if your team is brainstorming a new project design , you could use flowcharts to visualize how each stage in the project process relates to one another in sequence. 
• Engagement: The visual nature of whiteboards helps inspire interaction and engagement from all participants. This is partly because it's so easy to contribute to a whiteboarding session. It's also because it's satisfying to add value to the discussion and see your idea on the whiteboard.

Productivity: Whiteboarding increases team productivity by capturing ideas quickly and allowing people to focus on the ideas written down. The act of writing down or drawing on a whiteboard stimulates creativity, which leads to productive ideas.

Seven whiteboard strategy best practices

Whiteboarding is a great way to collaborate with teams in real-time, no matter their location. It allows you to brainstorm ideas, share files, and provide feedback in a single space. 

Below are seven best practices for holding more effective whiteboard strategy sessions.

1. Set goals

Without goals, a session can quickly spiral out of control. Set objectives for each whiteboard session. Clearly outline your expectations of the outcomes and level of participation of all attendees.

2. Stay organized with an agenda

As with all team meetings , provide participants with a structured agenda. Include the meeting's objectives and schedule. For example, indicate how much time you plan to spend on individual brainstorming, sharing ideas, and exploring the most promising ones. The last section should review what the team accomplished. It should also list the next steps or action items.

3. Manage your whiteboard

A crucial element of any session is how you manage the ideas on the board. Effective board management allows you to see how ideas relate to one another. There are several ways you can go about this:

• Create sections: Divide the whiteboard into sections using lines or shapes.
• Color-code ideas: Use several different colored whiteboard markers. Assign a different color to each idea category. 
• Use sticky notes: Write each idea on a sticky note. This allows you to move ideas around without having to erase and rewrite them. 

Build a mind map: Generate a mind map using lines to connect related ideas.

4. Encourage creative and fun ideas

If you want your whiteboard session to be fun and creative, you must establish ground rules beforehand. You also need to create an environment where creativity flourishes. This means telling participants that the meeting is a safe space where you welcome all their ideas. Ensure people understand that there will be no repercussions for the ideas they generate. 

Use an enthusiastic and dynamic facilitator. You want someone who can set a collaborative tone for the meeting and keep things moving forward. Starting the session with an icebreaker or a game can also help people feel at ease and prepare them for a creative idea session.

5. Consolidate ideas for the future

Once all the ideas are on the whiteboard, identify key themes or commonalities among them. Then, consolidate them for future action. This means seeing how individual ideas relate to each other and grouping them into similar batches. If you divided your whiteboard into sections already, simply capture and document the themes or sections.

6. Summarize the whiteboarding session

After consolidating the ideas into groups, recap the session's main points and outcomes to ensure everyone understands how the results can impact the team or the company. Wrapping up helps participants recall the important points of the conversation. It also ensures everyone is on the same page with the results of the discussion.

7. Discuss next steps

At the end of the session, determine the action items from the whiteboard discussions. Assign these next steps to the appropriate team members. You can then place these tasks into project management software to track and monitor the work. 

Improve your whiteboard strategy with Confluence whiteboards

With the above best practices under your belt and a clear understanding of why whiteboarding is such a beneficial activity, you need to bring it up a notch and improve the effectiveness of your whiteboard sessions.

One of the best ways is to use a collaborative visualization tool. Choosing one that team members can access regardless of their location is helpful.

Confluence whiteboards are virtual whiteboards built into Confluence that bring flexibility to your projects. You can easily import Jira issues into the board or turn ideas directly into Confluence pages. You can even edit Jira issues and Confluence pages without leaving the whiteboard.

With an infinite canvas, Confluence whiteboards become the most collaborative place for your team to create and brainstorm. Team members can move quickly from idea generation to execution, bridging the gap between thinking and doing in cross-functional teams . Because the whiteboards exist within Confluence, you never have to leave your single source of truth. All your ideas, plans, and tasks are there in one hub.  

Try Confluence whiteboards

Whiteboard strategy: Frequently asked questions

How do you lead a whiteboard session.

Before the session, set the whiteboard's goals and agenda. Then, give everyone access to the tools needed (such as your virtual whiteboard software). Provide sample ideas so the team understands the expected output. 

Begin the session with an icebreaker or game. This helps set everyone at ease and creates a relaxed, collaborative atmosphere. To brainstorm, split large teams into smaller groups, which gives everyone a chance to participate. 

Assign each member a time limit when presenting ideas to ensure every idea gets a fair amount of attention. Remember not to weed out ideas in the brainstorming stage–you can refine them later. Keep the discussions on the topic at hand. Finally, document and save all the ideas on the whiteboard to use for a future decision-making process .

What is whiteboard brainstorming?

Whiteboard brainstorming is a collaborative process involving several people generating new ideas. It uses a whiteboard as a visual canvas for capturing ideas via lists, drawings, sticky notes, or attached files. Teams can complete the process in person or virtually using a software whiteboard tool. The goal is to create a visual representation of ideas that a team has generated and refined. Teams can then refer to the ideas for future work sessions.

Why are whiteboards so effective?

Whiteboards are effective because they’re simple to use. They're also highly effective for quickly capturing ideas. Having a visual tool to document ideas is key to any creative endeavor. This includes thinking up new product features , estimating due dates on a project timeline , or building an email marketing funnel. 

Whiteboards can reinforce any concept with a simple diagram or illustration. They also link ideas using lines and other visual cues. Overall, whiteboards help enhance team communication by providing a space where you can visualize ideas and concepts, which prompts a more focused discussion around those ideas.

What are the potential challenges of implementing whiteboard strategies?

As with any creative brainstorming session, whiteboarding poses challenges to any team or facilitator. For example: 

• There is a very real possibility of information overload . With too many ideas crowding the whiteboard, you may find it difficult to figure out which ones to prioritize and the visual clutter alone might be enough to cause confusion. Ideas may be lost beneath the volume of ideas captured. And if you’re not keeping track of the session, it will be a headache trying to document the results of the session.
• Another challenge you will face is member participation . Like any meeting, there will be people who will want to dominate the discussion while other members stay quiet. If the facilitator doesn’t give each member a set amount of time to speak, everyone may not be able to contribute to the session. 

Then there are the technical difficulties . With traditional whiteboards, you don’t have the capability to screenshot and digitally manipulate ideas in real-time. Documenting the results of a session becomes a manual effort of taking down notes and taking photos of the board with a camera or phone. 

You can easily overcome these challenges with the right platform. Confluence whiteboards make it easy to conduct a whiteboarding session in person or remotely, using a tool built into the Confluence platform. You get to quickly capture ideas and use a variety of digital elements to enhance the session such as sticky notes, stickers, labels, and timers. Even better, with multi-person editing, everyone has a chance to get their ideas down on the board.   

• Provide a few examples of potential challenges, like time constraints, accessibility issues, technical hurdles, etc.

Discuss how to overcome these challenges with the right whiteboarding tools (like Confluence whiteboards)

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Whiteboarding: the definitive guide

Marcin demkowicz | september 28, 2023, welcome to whiteboarding 101.

Whiteboards are one of humanity’s unquestioned success stories. They are instantly-intuitive tools that allow us to convey or collaboratively explore complex concepts, quickly and effectively. They are optimized for humans in every way, reflecting how we work, how we learn, indeed, how we move around. And yet so many of us misuse this wonder-tool or struggle to find a place for it in an increasingly remote and digital world.

In this treatise, we’ll address all things whiteboarding: why the practice is so effective, how to do it properly, and how to seamlessly integrate whiteboards into an otherwise digital workflow.

Table of Contents

The science behind whiteboarding How to conduct successful whiteboarding sessions Whiteboarding – superiority over digital alternatives Hybrid whiteboarding

The science behind whiteboarding

Why are whiteboards so effective at helping us convey, multiply, or dissect complicated ideas? The answers can be found in this tool’s two critical characteristics: intuitiveness and human-centricity. Let’s break these down and review the facts.

The instantly-intuitive whiteboard

No one has ever needed a user manual to understand a whiteboard: even very small children can immediately intuit its purpose. It belongs to a category of tools which is so easy to use that you could call it “instantly intuitive.” Other examples might include a roof or a bed: you see it – you know how to use it. We take for granted that our hand simply generates content on a board, seemingly without instruction. This is directly related to the fact that there is very little friction between what our mind can construct and what our markers can capture: we don’t need to translate a thought to an abstraction – as is often the case with even the best digital tools.

This phenomenon is well captured in the concept of Cognitive Load. “Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), combines the ideas of working memory and long term memory by assuming people have a limited amount of working memory. Therefore learning is limited by one’s cognitive load, the amount of new information one can take in and use at any one time. Cognitive load can be reduced when information can be pulled from long term memory instead of requiring that information to be constantly in use.” (see references at end of article)

In other words, if you’re drawing a flowchart and have to translate the concept of “decision” to the symbol of a diamond, then search for a button with that symbol, then click it and drag it to its desired location, you’ll be experiencing a significantly greater cognitive load than someone simply drawing a diamond on a whiteboard. That significantly lower cognitive load you experience while whiteboarding allows you to create content faster and in a more creative manner. This same benefit extends to the people viewing your whiteboard: following your simpler movements to create content, in turn, requires lower cognitive load to follow your lead.

The benefits compound – for both the content creator and the viewer – from the simple act of using the whiteboard to capture information. This concept is explored in another, related cognitive science theory called Distributed Cognition (DC). DC demonstrates how the distribution or off-loading of thoughts onto the board actively distributes cognition, therefore further reducing cognitive load. Put simply: you don’t have to keep that, which you’ve just written on your board in your limited working memory.

Whiteboards - created by humans, for humans

If you were tasked with conveying a complex piece of information – such as your company’s onboarding procedures – to a strange audience, in a limited amount of time, what tool would you choose? Most likely, you’d opt for a whiteboard or a pen and paper over a digital alternative. You’d do this because, as demonstrated above, the low friction between your thoughts and the content your marker is able to capture would allow you to create complex content quickly. However, while using the whiteboard, something else would happen: you’d move your body, you’d speak to your audience, you’d make gestures and facial expressions – you’d be human.

All of these additional verbal and non-verbal actions convey a lot of information to your audience. Indeed, it is often the act of coming up with and then writing down those few words on the board that conveys more meaning than the few words themselves. This is why we desire to “get everyone into a room” – it’s as much about the people involved as the contents they create.

Here too, we’ll find further scientific explanations behind the efficacy of the shared whiteboarding experience:

• Whiteboarding involves using multiple senses and thus engaging multiple memory systems. “Written or spoken information paired with visual information results in better recall,” says Louis Cozolino, American psychologist and author.
• The act of drawing is itself a very effective memory tool: Doodlers were 29% more likely to remember boring information in a study from Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology
• The act of drawing content engages the same parts of the brain as seeing that same content (or watching it emerge from someone else’s marker). This helps explain why watching others write on a whiteboard aids recall and helps follow a presenter’s train of thought.
• Indeed, the calming effect of the Serotonin, Endorphins, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine released during drawing are also experienced by those who witness drawing
• Students who watch their teachers move are proven to retain information better
• Working on a vertical surface helps us develop spatial and body awareness, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination
• Even the process of walking over to a whiteboard makes us more alert and aids with recall

Add to these the fact that whiteboards allow us to break our computer-centric work habits and you get even more benefits, such as reduced screen fatigue. And let’s not forget that the physical characteristics of the whiteboard, allowing us to use our full arms, shoulders, elbows and wrists (not just our fingertips), contribute to healthier work habits and directly feed back into the tool’s intuitive nature.

How to conduct successful whiteboarding sessions

The human-centricity of whiteboards cuts both ways: while the tool is, indeed, human-optimized and builds on (and, indeed, strengthens) the ways our minds and bodies work, it is up to us humans to use them properly. Not every whiteboarding session is equally effective. This has to do with why we whiteboard to begin with and how we conduct ourselves during our whiteboarding session.

The term “whiteboarding” itself has different meanings in different contexts. There’s more than one way (and reason) to whiteboard. You may be whiteboarding to generate ideas, to organize thoughts, to coordinate efforts, to convince, to teach – the list is long. Each of these purposes carries its own best practices; however, as ultimately “whiteboarding” involves completing one of the aforementioned tasks via (or in large part with) a whiteboard, the basics are common to all.

Whiteboarding basics - Step 1: Preparation

First things first, whiteboards are naturally interpersonal tools; their use often presupposes the participation of at least one other person (note the word “often” – the practice of individual brainstorming is a notable exception here). As such, preparing to use them requires us to adhere to basic principles associated with any meeting:

• Have clearly defined goals
• Prepare a specific agenda
• Invite the right people to attend
• And, perhaps most critically, make sure you need the meeting at all

This bears repeating: please prepare well . An ill-prepared whiteboarding session will yield limited value and may even be counterproductive. Only after you’re confident in your preparation of these basics can you move on to some whiteboarding-specific prep work. This work will depend on the overarching purpose of your session:

Idea generation

Often called brainstorming, ideation, or even a buzz session, the concept is simple: generate ideas! The frictionless and human-optimized nature of the whiteboard suits this purpose particularly well. To prepare for your ideation session, consider the right starting point: the center of a mind map or specific prompts by category or even characteristic . And to keep the free flow of thought unencumbered but also generally on track, remember to keep a Parking Lot. This simple tactic works wonders to capture those concepts which might not seem to fit the assignment but which have value in another context (or in a way which requires you to reassess assumptions).

Organization and coordination

If you’ve ever participated in a requirements prioritization meeting or a cross-functional team status update, you know how important good preparation is. If you’re leading your meeting, prepare your whiteboard to reflect the categories or structure used in your discussion. Prepare those “MSCW” columns in advance, or make sure you have the right color markers ready to go. Keep in mind how your audience will view your board. Yellow markers, for example, are notoriously difficult to read. For your status update, consider replacing yellow with patterns, such as green lines or dashes.

Consensus building or sales

To drive your audience to a desired conclusion, start by considering their perspective. If there are key questions that might help everyone arrive at the same point, capture them at the top of your board and leave them there for the duration of your meeting. Also, be mindful of your own body language and key movements. As mentioned earlier, how we move affects what our audience remembers. Use proper mannerisms to emphasize your critical points and help your audience recall them effectively.

Explanation or teaching

The key here is the preparation of the content itself. Beyond that, a clean board and good markers are your friends (good tips for any whiteboarding purpose). And remember: combining text with drawings or even simple graphic elements will help your audience with recall.

Whiteboarding best practices - during the session

So, you’ve come prepared and it’s time to put that whiteboard to good use. Regardless of the purpose of your whiteboarding session, there are some basic best practices that will help you reach your goals.

Identify the facilitator(s)

More often than not, a whiteboarding session sees a primary facilitator leading the discussion and/or being responsible for capturing content. In certain contexts – such as teaching – this is obvious but in others – such as business ideation – it may not be apparent who should play this role. Be specific and identify a single facilitator, if you can. Even group brainstorming events will benefit from a master of ceremonies – someone to welcome everyone, assign roles, establish rules, and lead the agenda.

Participation is key

Whiteboards are an interpersonal tool by nature. So too effective whiteboarding sessions depend on your ability to elicit participation from your attendees. Get as many of your participants actively engaged in the discussion as you can. If you’re addressing remote or hybrid audiences, make sure to use the right tools (see more on hybrid whiteboarding below).

Focus on goals, stick to the agenda

You’ve already defined your goals as part of your whiteboarding preparation. Now, be sure to stick to them. Use a parking lot for ideas that might take the discussion into a tangent. Stick to the agenda and watch that clock.

Combine (big) text with visuals

Your whiteboard content is no good if it’s illegible. Make sure everything written on the board is big enough for the person farthest from the board to see effectively. Take advantage of the freeform nature of whiteboards: combine visual elements with text whenever possible; this is a scientifically proven method for driving information recall.

Speed vs. prettiness

Our minds can move quickly. If your brainstorming session is particularly prolific, you may have a hard time keeping up with the concepts being thrown at the board. First and foremost, make sure they’re captured; if at all possible though, don’t let the “how” suffer either. Content that looks appealing and reflects a good balance of visual and textual elements is naturally more memorable and impactful. Ultimately, legibility is most critical though; you can always pretty up your board during a break.

Erase non-essential information

This point is inextricably linked with the previous one. To keep your board clear, legible and rich in useful content, don’t forget to trim the fat. Rely on features such as Board Memory to keep an instant replay handy, in case you erase something important.

Keep the meeting actionable

Never lose sight of your meeting’s purpose. This is just as important near the end of the whiteboarding session as at its beginning. If you’ve completed what you’ve set out to achieve, assign tasks and owners thereof; keep the work actionable and tied to explicit next steps.

Keep it time-bound

Better yet: keep it short. Don’t make your whiteboarding session any longer than it needs to be. Well-defined meeting objectives and a strict adherence to your agenda will help you stay on target.

Whiteboarding - superiority over digital alternatives

The notion that whiteboards are somehow less effective in our increasingly digital-centric world couldn’t be more flawed. In the previous sections we’ve outlined the inherent, tangible benefits of using whiteboards to communicate, expound, or explore complex topics. But how do whiteboards fare in a head-to-head comparison with digital alternatives?

Short answer: as with any tool, it depends on the job to be done. Different tasks require different tools; complex tasks may require multiple implements. You might create a table during a whiteboarding session but that doesn’t mean you’ll stop using your spreadsheets. In a more apples-to-apples situation, however, the whiteboard holds its own.

Consider the act of giving a presentation – particularly a persuasive or informative presentation. Many would consider using slides to convey their thoughts in this scenario. Here again, science points to the natural superiority of whiteboarding.

Tim Riesterer, Chief Strategy Officer at Corporate Visions, has covered the whiteboard vs. PowerPoint topic very well in his work entitled “Should you whiteboard in a virtual sales meeting?” A few key highlights:

• Though only 6% of sales professionals rely primarily on whiteboards (77% rely on PowerPoint), 43% consider whiteboards to actually be most effective (vs. 33% for PowerPoint). The difference usually is tied to the accessibility of whiteboards or a reluctance to use the tool in remote or hybrid settings (more on that below)
• Watching a whiteboard presentation led to a 16% improvement in recall of the presenter’s key message
• Business professionals watching a whiteboard presentation were 91% more likely to pay visual attention to important presentation elements, compared to PowerPoint
• In that same neuroscience study, whiteboards proved categorically more effective at driving audience consensus

The key rests in what is called the Picture Superiority Effect – the fact that concepts expressed visually are significantly more likely to be retained than those expressed solely as text. The free-form nature of whiteboards allows well-trained professionals to take advantage of this effect and deliver a more memorable presentation. This, coupled with the already demonstrated benefits of observed writing and even movement, compound the positive effect of whiteboards as a medium for persuasive presentation. The study even found that observers were statistically more likely to assign greater credibility and authority to presenters relying on whiteboards, when compared to those relying strictly on PowerPoint.

Again, whiteboards are not always available and are not always the best tool for the job. When they are in reach, however – and when they are properly used – their impact is unquestionable. But in an increasingly remote world, are whiteboards a viable option?

Hybrid whiteboarding

Hybrid whiteboarding has been around for decades. The notion of using a whiteboard with some physically-present colleagues while others join remotely is not new. The results, however, have often left much to be desired. Remote participants in such situations are often second class citizens, unable to clearly see the board, much less contribute to it.

The solutions to problems such as visibility – even among the largest companies – have been woefully inadequate:

• They’re often surprisingly low-tech (picture a stack of books with a laptop on top, facing a whiteboard surface)
• They’re addressed through extremely expensive workarounds (e.g., “flying everyone in” for a brainstorming session)
• They’re dependent on digital look-alikes which do not exhibit the aforementioned scientifically-proven benefits of physical whiteboards and/or don’t take advantage of the physical proximity of in-person attendees

At the same time, hybrid work settings are quickly becoming the norm. Following a sudden shift to remote work during the Covid19 pandemic, companies have started demanding that their employees return to the office. Many employees protest these RTO mandates and the result is often something in the middle.

Gallup Poll

https://www.gallup.com/401384/indicator-hybrid-work.aspx

This conflict is truly global and continues to heat up. Pressure is mounting from both sides:

• According to McKinsey research, 87% of those given the option to work remotely, take employers up on their offer
• Buffer and Forbes report that almost everyone they polled (98%) expressed a desire to work remotely at least part of the time
• At the same time, also according to Forbes, 9 out of 10 companies will require their employees to return to the office; indeed, 90% of those surveyed, plan on completing this return by 2024

Some of the research conducted seems to conflict with other published works and it’s difficult to predict exactly what the future holds. Still, one immutable truth remains: however the megatrends of workforce migration play out, in one way or another, work in many sectors will remain “naturally hybrid.” Companies serving clients or working in multiple locations find themselves addressing semi-distributed audiences, regardless of their policies toward their own employees. The shifts caused by RTO mandates and the pandemic before it only serve to accelerate the natural trend toward a hybrid setting, brought about by the internet.

Now, despite a steady march toward hybrid exchanges being the new status quo, most of the tools we use for communication and collaboration are remote-first. They’re meant to be used between players that are physically separated. In hybrid settings, they create the absurd situation where in-person attendees are using digital tools in unison, rather than taking advantage of their physical proximity. Or the equally frustrating double-work scenario, in which remote-first tools have to be used in addition to physically-present tools (such as whiteboards).

Thankfully, there is a new category of hybrid-first collaboration tools emerging, with ShareTheBoard as a leader in this space. The technology underlying these tools is created from the ground up as a hybrid solution – meant to take advantage of the physical proximity of certain participants and to level the playing field with those who may be joining remotely. These tools aim to capitalize on the scientifically-proven benefits of traditional whiteboards while combining them with the efficiency and convenience of digital solutions.

Used correctly, whiteboards can be extremely effective. Their unmatched ease of use and human-centricity make them very well suited to brainstorming, collaboration, or teaching – especially when covering subject matter which requires improvisation. Indeed, they are often the best tool for the job, exceeding in effectiveness many digital alternatives. As hybrid work becomes the norm, new hybrid-first whiteboarding tools will help make whiteboards even more effective, regardless of where its users may physically reside.

Congratulations! If you’ve made it through this entire exposition, you’ve essentially completed Whiteboarding 101. Stay tuned for a detailed exploration of the topics covered here and other concepts that will help you become a whiteboarding expert.

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“https://www.theartstudiony.com/blog/why-drawing-doodling-is-good-for-your-brain/”

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“https://www.forbes.com/sites/shephyken/2023/09/24/nine-out-of-10-companies-will-require-employees-to-return-to-the-office”

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The 6 best online whiteboards for collaboration

Office work has been back for a year or two, but it's still not how it was before 2020. This means that tools like the whiteboard—a staple of meeting spaces—have officially taken the digital leap. Online whiteboards are necessary because fast, easy, and visual collaboration is too important not to have a virtual option, especially when you can't guarantee all your colleagues will be in the same place on any given day.

I tested dozens of online whiteboards to find the best ones for a variety of needs. I've been working remotely for my entire tech writing career—more than a decade now—so I have a lot of experience with testing apps and actually using online collaborative tools. I'd be happy to work with a team using any of these picks.

The 6 best online whiteboards

What makes the best online whiteboard, how we evaluate and test apps.

Almost any sketch or design app can technically be used as a digital whiteboard if you need to bat around a few ideas with your team. If you're sharing your screen over a conference call, you could even use MS Paint. But that doesn't mean a drawing app is the best tool for the job.

There are a few key features that I felt a great online whiteboard had to have:

Unlimited canvas. While physical whiteboards might have size restrictions, going digital shouldn't come with limits. I was looking for whiteboarding tools that have an unlimited, ever-expanding canvas, so whatever way your visualizations go, they can accommodate them. And with such a large canvas, navigating it needed to be easy. You should be able to zoom and scroll around at will.

Collaboration features. Using a whiteboard—whether physical or digital—is often a collaborative act. I required all the apps on this list to allow multiple users to collaborate in real time. Some apps allow private collaboration between team members, while others allow you to share a link or code so that even non-users can comment or add notes. The specifics didn't matter as much as the feature working as it was meant to.

Ability to attach files. Your digital whiteboard shouldn't limit the kinds of things you can add to it. You can stick a photo or doodle on a real whiteboard, so I felt you should be able to attach links, images, and other files to your web whiteboard as needed for easy reference.

Presentation options. Because whiteboards are so often used for both ideation and presentation, I looked for features that allowed you to present using your whiteboard. This could be sharing your whiteboard online, exporting it, or a dedicated presentation mode. The more advanced the app, though, the more advanced I wanted the presentation features to be.

Accessible everywhere. Whether you're working on your own ideas or collaborating on a shared whiteboard with a team, chances are high that you'd like to have access to the whiteboard even if you're not seated at your desk. This meant it had to be accessible through the web and ideally on mobile devices.

While most whiteboard apps are starting to have—or at least, test—AI-powered features, they aren't yet a major factor for inclusion. Over the next year or two, as AI becomes more mature and the use case becomes clear, AI may well be necessary to make it on this list. But for now, I wasn't overly concerned if an app wasn't yet using AI.

To find the best online whiteboards, I started out with a list of every relevant app that I could find and then compared each one against the criteria above. If an app looked like it could meet them, I tested it to see how it was to use. The specifics of the testing depended on the app, but it generally involved signing up for an account and creating a few different whiteboards to see how everything worked, as well as testing any unique or headline features. Quite a few apps failed out at this step for just being unpleasant to use. The differences between a top-tier web app and one that's badly coded are impossible not to notice.

I then went back and re-tested the top contenders. I also compared the apps to each other: where two (or more) apps offered a very similar feature set, I went with the one that had a better overall user experience or pricing options, or was the more mature product. I've been keeping this list updated for two years now, so every app on it has been reviewed multiple times.

At the end of all the testing, I was left with my six favorite apps—and a few alternate picks that didn't quite make the list for one reason or another. Here they are. 

The best online whiteboards at a glance

Best online whiteboard for turning ideas into tasks, .css-yjptlz-link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentcolor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']{color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']{color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} miro (web, macos, windows, ios, android).

Miro is built for more than just brainstorming. It also includes a set of features that supports managers who have to guide the process from ideation to implementation. With Miro, you can monitor what changes have been made, assign tasks, and carry on conversations with team members from within the interface. If you want to present the results of your ideation, you'll love how easy it is to select and drag a portion of the board to create "frames," so you can pan through the board in a more organized manner during presentations. (You can also just turn on the screen sharing mode so that all participants can see your screen while hearing your voice over the audio system.)

Create Miro widgets with new Trello cards

Add Miro cards from new rows on Google Sheets

Create Miro cards when new Typeform entries are submitted

Best online whiteboard for creating multiple boards in a single brainstorming session

.css-yjptlz-link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentcolor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']{color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']{color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} stormboard (web, ios, android).

Using Stormboard solves one of the major problems in any brainstorming or collaborative meeting: how to save each iteration so that it's easy to review and revise moving forward. To organize, drag each whiteboard note around the board with your mouse. Board collaborators can then vote on each board, carry on a text chat conversation, and even assign tasks.

Create Stormboard ideas from new inbound emails

Create Stormboard ideas for new Trello cards

Best online whiteboard for big remote team meetings, .css-yjptlz-link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentcolor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']{color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']{color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} mural (web, windows, macos, ios, android).

Mural is particularly strong as a team tool, letting you create multiple "rooms" for your whiteboards, each with different permissions to limit access. You might have one room for your design team, one for your marketing team, and so on. You could also create rooms that correspond to various projects.

Create Mural stickies from new Google Form entries

Best online whiteboard for teaching students remotely

.css-yjptlz-link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentcolor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']{color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']{color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} limnu (web).

But Limnu does a lot more than give realistic marker drawings: it also includes collaboration features that make the jump to teaching online feel much easier. To invite others to view your board, click on the share icon and copy/paste the link. You can even limit their permissions to view-only, if you want. Since your virtual students don't need to go through a lengthy signup process to join your whiteboard, you don't have to worry as much about tech headaches blocking your teaching session.

Best online whiteboard for annotating design files with a team

.css-yjptlz-link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentcolor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']{color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']{color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} invision freehand (web, ios).

When the Present option is selected, all collaborators on the board can sit back and watch as the focus stays on your own cursor, or get walked through a series of pre-configured "Frames." The downside: Freehand doesn't include any group chat tools, though you can communicate through comments. You'll have to have another app lined up for visual, audio, or text communication outside of the board drawing.

Best online whiteboard for brainstorming

.css-yjptlz-link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentcolor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']{color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']{color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} ayoa ultimate (web, ios, android).

I've loved Ayoa's modern approach to mind mapping for the past few years, so I was excited when they started adding whiteboards to the app. This is the first year the feature has been developed enough to break the list—but it makes it on with style.

Ayoa Ultimate pricing : From $13/user/month, billed annually

Which virtual whiteboard should I use?

Because almost any app can be used as a whiteboard app, the best whiteboard app comes down to the features your team wants the most. If you don't need anything specific, but your team uses Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, or Google Meet, then the best option is probably the one that's built in to the software you already use every day. 

On the other hand, if you're looking for dedicated online whiteboard software that offers more integrations, advanced features, and customization, then one of the picks above is probably a better fit. They all—in their own ways—offer a great collaborative whiteboard experience.

This piece was originally published in March 2019 by Maria Myre. The most recent update was in May 2023.

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Harry Guinness

Harry Guinness is a writer and photographer from Dublin, Ireland. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Lifehacker, the Irish Examiner, and How-To Geek. His photos have been published on hundreds of sites—mostly without his permission.

• Video conferencing
• Presentations

Mind mapping is a powerful creative exercise for brainstorming ideas and finding connections. You start by writing down a central idea or theme, then draw lines branching out into new "nodes," each with their own related idea or theme.

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for Education

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Google Jamboard is winding down in 2024. Please visit the Help Center for more information.

Jamboard is winding down. learn more, bring learning to life with jamboard.

Spark students to learn, collaborate, and engage in active new ways with the Jamboard mobile app or 55-inch cloud-powered whiteboard.

Get students collaborating in innovative ways

Boost student collaboration and engagement with the Jamboard app — powered by Google Cloud. Student tablet users can access a suite of rich editing tools to collaborate with students or educators. You can even access it from a web browser too.

Simple as a whiteboard, but smarter

Jamboard is one smart display. Quickly pull in images from a Google search, save work to the cloud automatically, use the easy-to-read handwriting and shape recognition tool, and draw with a stylus but erase with your finger – just like a whiteboard.

Share ideas in brainstorms or lectures

Jamboard makes learning visible and accessible to all collaborators on the jam session. Plus, It’s easy to present your jams in real time through Meet, allowing for easy sharing or making real-world connections.

Students can jam from anywhere

Educators can engage all students in the learning process, whether working together in a traditional classroom, a group seminar setting, or through distance learning. The Jamboard app for Android and iOS makes it easy for students and educators to join in on the creativity from their phone, tablet, or Chromebook.

“With tools for creativity and curation like Jamboard, all students have the ability to find the answers and present them just as a teacher would. It gives every student a voice regardless of their level.” Steven Hope , Head of Independent Learning, Leeds City College

Enable smarter learning through the cloud

Supercharge your lesson plans and open up new ways for your students to collaborate with the Jamboard display.

Spark real-time education and collaboration

Sketch ideas and lessons whiteboard-style on the incredibly responsive and accurate stunning 55-inch, 4k display. Drop images, add notes, and grab assets directly from the web, or pull in work from Docs, Sheets, and Slides — all while collaborating with students or classmates from anywhere.

Portable, powerful and ready for the classroom

As the focal point for creativity in the classroom, it’s easy to move around with its purpose-built portable stand and single-cable setup. The stylus and eraser don’t require pairing — ensuring you never run out of ink or batteries.

Explore top questions about Jamboard

How many people can use jamboard at once.

Jamboard supports up to 16 touchpoints at once on a single device. An entire class can join the same jam from other Jamboards and phones and tablets with the Jamboard app.

What are Jamboard's specifications?

View the Jamboard spec-sheet ( PDF ). For more information, visit the Jamboard Help Center .

See innovative ways schools are using Jamboard

Hazelwood School Leads The Future Of Education With Jamboard

In Surrey, England, Hazelwood School launches an innovative, agile learning space to advance digital literacy through emerging technologies including the use of Google Jamboard.

How Mason City Community Schools use Jamboards to give all students a voice

Mason City educators address gaps in the district’s technology access with the use of Jamboards to foster collaboration between teachers and students alike.

Leeds City College uses Jamboard to inspire teachers and students to share what they’ve learned

Steven Hope, Leeds City College’s Head of Independent Learning, used Jamboards to power student learning zones — encouraging students to learn independently while inspiring creativity and collaboration.

Get started with Jamboard

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First day of Jamboard guide

This guide helps you get up and running with Jamboard through group learning with other teachers.

Sample Jamboard exercises

Discover helpful group exercises to build your comfort with the tools and capabilities of Jamboard.

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Interactive Online Whiteboard Presentations

Stand out in your next online presentation and delight your audience by using the online whiteboard Collaboard. Presenting online is challenging as you do not see your audience; you need to handle the video conference solution and the online presentation software and focus on your content simultaneously.

And sometimes things do not work, like:

• The audio or video is not that good because of a bad internet connection
• The screen you share is blurred for your audience
• The audience sees all the animations delayed
• You can’t use videos in your presentation because of the delay when screen sharing (or when you use them, the quality is horrible).

Another challenge is to make online presentations interactive. As your audience is sitting in front of their laptop, there is a fight for attention.

The more engaging your presentation is, the higher the chance that your audience focuses on you and not on emails, pets, etc. On this site, you learn how you present online without the screen sharing feature of your video conference solution.

Ensure that your audience always sees the content of your presentation in the highest quality (no blurred images, not delay) and save internet bandwidth to ensure a better quality of the audio and video stream.

You will get several tips on how to make your online presentation more interactive.

How to prepare your online presentation

When you use an online whiteboard as the software for your presentation, you can do something similar to Prezi.

Collaboard provides you with an infinite whiteboard canvas to add different elements, documents, and media. All these things combined allow you to create amazing presentations.

Different drawing tools support you during a live presentation to highlight and annotate the content your present to emphasize important messages.

When you present with an online whiteboard, all your attendees will be on the board (you will not use the screen sharing anymore).

You can switch from presentation mode to interactive mode and engage your audience in an interactive brainstorming session with just one button. Collect answers for questions, vote on hypotheses, or rate ideas.

When preparing your presentation, consider the infinity of the canvas, the different elements, the drawing tools, and the interactivity options.

5 Tips to prepare your online presentation on your whiteboard

1. Define where to start

When you create a new project in Collaboard, you start in the center of the canvas, and this is a good place to start with your presentation. Now you can add to this location a title, an image, or other elements that the people see as your first “slide”. 

2. Create the “slides” of your presentation - QuickLinks

Of course, we don’t have slides on an online whiteboard, but we will use this term for further references to make it more understandable. 

In Collaboard, you can select a group of elements (like the text and the image you want to show at the beginning of your presentation) and transform it into a “QuickLink” (learn here how to create them) . This quick link becomes your first slide of the presentation. When you have multiple QuickLinks, you can jump between them and therefore go from slide one to two and so on. 

3. Combine the different elements 

In Collaboard, you can add the following elements to the canvas you can use for your presentation: 

• Sticky Notes: Instead of bullet points on a slide, use sticky notes.
• Text: Use text elements for titles and longer text passages.
• Images: Use images for visualizations, upload your own, or use the integrated image search
• Videos: Upload videos to your canvas, or record them with the camera directly or use the integrated YouTube* search to add a video 
• Documents: Import your existing presentation (PowerPoint or PDF) into Collaboard and reuse them there. 
• Shapes: More than 200 different shapes are ready to use 
• Embed websites or gifs on your canvas.

*In case your video is not on YouTube but other platforms like Vimeo, you can try it with the embed feature in Collaboard.

4. Apply your style and be consistent 

For an outstanding online presentation, it is not only the content relevant but also the design. Collaboard offers you over 16 stylish fonts and the option to apply everywhere the color of your choice. A handy color picker allows you to grab the color from any element on your canvas. 

Don’t remember the hex color code of your company? No problem, just upload your logo and get the color with the color picker. With two clicks, all your elements will have the color of your choice. 

5. Red thread through your presentation

Connect the content on your board that belongs to each other. Visualize for your audience the red thread through your presentation using the connector feature in Collaboard. 

Of course, the connection doesn’t need to be red. Apply your style there as well. A very nice application is the dashed connector; it makes your presentation look a bit like a treasure map. 

Exact steps to start your online presentation with Collaboard

When your content is prepared, you are ready for the presentation. Follow these exact steps to start your presentation.

• Open Collaboard and the project for the presentation & start the videoconference.
• Create an invitation link for your audience: 
• Make sure your audience only has viewer permissions.
• Define if your audience needs to identify itself or just join as guests (the advantage when they don’t need to identify themselves is that with just one click, they can join your board)
• Share the link in the chat.  
• Make sure the number of people on the board matches your audience. 
• Start the presentation mode.

What does the presentation mode exactly do: 

• All people on your board follow your view of the board. This means when you jump from QuickLink to QuickLink; then this is happening for all the others. They also follow you when you don’t work with QuickLinks.
• Your mouse pointer is visible for all others; it is like a virtual laser pointer.
• You are the only person that can interact with the content. This means during an ongoing presentation; you can draw, highlight and create and move elements. 
• When you start a video, the video starts for all others as well*

*When you start a video, it is streamed to each person individually. This means people see the video in its original quality and hear the sound. 

How to create an interactive experience during your online presentation

One significant advantage of using an online whiteboard like Collaboard as a presentation tool is seamlessly switching between presentation and interaction.

Let’s make a simple example of an interactive experience during a presentation, where you want to collect ideas from your audience.

Proceed like this:

• Prepare an area on your presentation board for the interactive session. (when you want to collect ideas, it can be helpful to prepare sticky notes on which your audience can add their ideas).
• Stopp the presentation mode and grant your audience editor permissions. Now they can interact with the content on the board and add their ideas.
• As soon as the interactive part is over, start the presentation mode again. When you start the presentation mode, all participants on your board automatically get viewer permissions, so they can’t interact with the content while you present.

FUTURE OF WORK RESOURCE HUB

How To Lead Whiteboard Sessions (and Best Practices)

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November 5, 2020 | 9 Mins Read

Whiteboards have been used for presentations and brainstorming sessions for years. They can be a great tool if used effectively, but they often aren’t utilised to their full extent. They might be easy to use, but they’re less easy to use well . 

Whiteboards typically have a few general functions – presenting, collating, and collaborating. But they have many uses within that. The interactive nature of whiteboards stimulates people’s attention. A whiteboard presentation asks for active contribution and promotes engaged listening. 

Whiteboarding sessions are great for brainstorming and collaborating with team members. Using a whiteboard promotes creativity and makes content visually appealing—collaboration results in creative solutions and more connected participants. When used together, whiteboards and collaboration make information easier to absorb and retain. 

Source: BIT.AI

Whiteboards now have more features than ever before. Interactive whiteboards integrate technology with a physical board, giving added flexibility. And now, digital whiteboards are making collaborative whiteboarding easier than ever. They are especially good for remote or semi-remote teams.

Most people can work out how to use a whiteboard, but to use it effectively is a different story. Pointless meetings cost U.S. companies a huge $399 billion a year. Thankfully, there are a few techniques that can greatly improve your whiteboard sessions.

What is a Whiteboard Session? 

A whiteboard session is a method of collaborative working used in many office environments. Historically, it has referred to using a physical whiteboard to collate ideas. Whiteboards allow one or more people to draw, modify, annotate, and erase content on a board during a meeting. Think marker pens and sticky notes.  

There are now many digital whiteboarding tools that allow remote working teams to collaborate. The same concepts apply when using an online whiteboard during video conferencing . All participants can edit, share, or comment on electronic documents just as they would on a traditional, physical whiteboard.

Interactive Whiteboards are also changing the way office presentations are delivered. Institutions and organisations are discovering that they are excellent for improving learning. And that they are an effective way to collaborate during meetings.

Unlike a static slide, a whiteboard can adjust to the conversation of the room. It can shape indecision and dissent into consensus and inclusive decision making.

Whiteboarding and Collaboration

Collaboration boosts morale, productivity, and retention rates. Tools that focus on improving communication make a big difference to any team. 80% of businesses are now using social collaboration tools to advance business processes. 

For effective collaboration, teams need to feel like they are being supported. They need to be in an environment that is conducive to working together and makes it easy to do so. There are lots of tools that can be used to improve communication and collaboration in teams. One important option that shouldn’t be overlooked for collaboration is a whiteboard.

Source: Creately

Certain meetings require employees to use different parts of their brains. Whiteboard sessions can promote creative thinking more than other types of meetings . It can help when laying out new processes or determining the next step in a redesign. The interactive nature of whiteboard meetings invites group collaboration. It also keeps meeting participants engaged and makes lasting impressions.

Combine digital whiteboarding and video conferencing for great brainstorming sessions with your team. Everyone can get together to throw ideas on a virtual wall, discuss them, and debate them. Then, they can decide as a team which ideas are worth pursuing and which aren’t.

Screen sharing features allow anyone on the video call to view and write an idea on the shared board. Then everyone else involved will also see it in real-time and be able to engage in discussions. The digital whiteboard can also be saved so everyone can review it later.

How to Lead Whiteboard Sessions 

1. keep the participants focussed during whiteboard brainstorming sessions..

People either love or hate brainstorming sessions. But regardless of personal preference, the truth is that they can result in some great ideas. 

Source: Active Presence

You never know where ideas will come from. Often the magic happens when the participants feel comfortable enough to contribute. When they suggest unusual ideas and ‘dare to suck ‘. Unusual ideas can often be generated by thinking outside of the box. These new ideas may lead to better solutions. 

In brainstorming sessions, no idea is a bad idea; any thoughts are valid. Make sure you lead the session with no judgment of the ideas that arise. To make your brainstorming sessions as productive as possible , keep the flow moving. Let people call out ideas and write every thought down—even if it’s one that clearly isn’t going to work.

Encourage participants to expand on each other’s ideas. Some ideas can be combined to form a single better idea. Participants should think about how they can extend or add to ideas. Any criticism should be put aside to allow the ideas to flow.

At the brainstorming stage, it’s important to generate as many ideas as possible. At this time, it’s about quantity over perceived quality. If more ideas are put forward, the chance of coming up with a workable solution should increase.

Wait until the meeting is over to weed through all the ideas and choose which ones you want to keep. The point of a brainstorming session isn’t always to get to the outcome; it’s to start generating ideas.

If you’re focussing on solving a particular problem, it’s important to stay on target. Write the main problem you are trying to solve at the top of the board to keep participants focussed on the topic.

Important points and questions that are off-topic might be raised during the session. Write them down on the side, and be sure to follow them up at a later time. We’ll go into more detail on this in the next point.

Don’t enter into every brainstorming session, hoping to come up with an amazing new idea. Putting too much pressure on the outcome can stifle creativity. It can also result in team members keeping quiet out of fear of looking ‘wrong’. 

Take these steps to keep your whiteboarding session on track. That way, you can ensure it will be a productive meeting, and everyone will benefit from it.

Source: Data3

2. Set up a ‘parking lot’ for rogue ideas from brainstorming sessions.

As mentioned, sometimes during a whiteboard session, other great ideas may come up. But these meetings will lose their momentum when tangents veer them off course.

If there are great ideas, but they’re not part of the current project at hand, assign them to the “parking lot”. Parking lots keep discussions on track and moving forward.

To make a parking lot, first, draw a square in the corner of the whiteboard. This is where you will jot down any unrelated points or topics that arise during the discussion. Make sure you explain to everyone that it is the ‘parking lot’, where all tangential ideas live. Explain that everything in the parking lot will be addressed at the end of the meeting.

If everyone agrees an item is interfering with progress, write it in the parking lot. 

One application for all interactions

Keep your team connected and collaborating while working remotely.

Just before the meeting ends, you’ll need to take care of the things in the parking lot. Set aside 5–10 minutes at the end of the meeting to review the issues and decide how much time they need. Go through the parking lot with the participants and take action on each item. 

Next, delete any items that really weren’t relevant at all, or which are no longer relevant. Defer talking in detail about anything relevant to the whole group at this time. Organise a separate meeting for these matters, or schedule a slot in the next meeting agenda.

If any of the points that come up are relevant to only some members of the group, delegate them to a subgroup. This saves wasting the time of team members who do not have expertise in that area.

Source: NNGroup

3. Make sure participants use individual screens for digital whiteboard sessions.

There are lots of video conference solutions that will help with an online meeting. Many of these also have digital whiteboard functionality. Digital whiteboards are incredibly important for remote teams. They can be great for entirely remote teams, but also partial remote teams. They allow teams to connect, collaborate, and create effectively.

If the whiteboard session is with a fully remote team, it’s a given that they will all log on separately. But even in a semi-remote team, all team members should log into the whiteboard session. They should do this individually, using their own computers. 

This will allow for 100% equal collaboration opportunities. Each team member has access to their own keyboard and mouse and can therefore contribute. 

Doing this will also help with some common issues related to the video conferencing side of things. For example, reducing issues with camera angles and voice distortion in meeting rooms.

4. Use visuals as well as text.

It’s important to keep everyone engaged with the whiteboard session you’re leading. Over 60% of Generation X and Millennials say they would collaborate more through visual means. Words are great, but visual representations can be effective for keeping people’s attention. Visuals make the content more appealing and easier to absorb and retain.

There are many ways you can use visuals in your whiteboard session. You could draw simple elements just using an outline and a minimum number of details. They don’t have to be works of art, just enough to depict simple icons. The visuals help navigate faster and trigger participants to recall points more easily. Decide what images you’ll want to draw and practice them a few times beforehand.

Source: Graphicfacilitation

Another option for incorporating visuals into a whiteboard session is using mind maps. They are a well-known technique for creating, managing, and visualising different ideas. 

Digital whiteboards often have added features for creating great mind maps. For example, you can create multimedia mind maps with no limitations. You can add lots of different elements to your mind map, not just standard text and circles. This can help to add creativity and inspiration to your presentations and collaborations.

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Some of the main benefits of adding visual communication include:

• The information is delivered more directly.
• Visual communication is more flexible than verbal communication.
• Visual aids are more attention-grabbing and engaging.
• Visual communication makes an impact on the audience.
• Visual aids help to improve the credibility of the message.

In other words, you’ll definitely want to make sure you’re utilising the power of visual elements. No whiteboard session would be complete without them, at least to some extent.

5. Organise your whiteboard effectively.

There are lots of different whiteboard organisation ideas. We’ve already discussed creating space for a parking lot in a brainstorming session. We’ve also mentioned using visuals to help with navigation and layout of information. But there are a few additional organisational tips that will help you get the most out of your meeting.

Headlines are important for organising the information in your whiteboard session. Use them to give your audience a point of entry and reference point. Then, guide them to the finer points. If you don’t prioritise this, you’ll risk losing your audience in a mass of homogenous information. Write big ideas large, and sub-points smaller. Scale your points as related to the hierarchy of importance.

A meeting’s success is determined before it even begins. It’s all in the planning – you need to know where you’re going and how to get there. Make sure to have a format for the session in mind from the beginning, and stick to it. Set out the goals of the session right at the start. Keep all points relevant, and ensure they’re working towards the end goal. Each point should be set out in a logical order and progress from there.

Source: LinkedIn

You will also want to make sure that no one leaves the meeting, wondering what to do next. You don’t want anyone to be unsure about what’s happening as a result of the discussions. Or unclear about who’s owning what points and when follow up tasks are due. Avoid the issue simply by leaving room on the whiteboard for action items and next steps. Address the action items and assign owners and deadlines to these tasks.

Whiteboards are a great tool to promote active contribution and collaboration. When leading a whiteboard session, make sure to keep it on track. Use visuals to keep people engaged and encourage participation from all involved. 

Make sure when brainstorming, that the team knows that no idea is a bad idea. Let them feel comfortable to share their thoughts without judgment.  But make sure you park any less relevant ideas for later, rather than letting them derail the meeting. Even when the session ends, continue collaborating. And don’t forget to keep a record of all the great work done in your whiteboard session!

Originally published Nov 05, 2020, updated Jan 16, 2023

Keep reading

11 best Whiteboard Video Examples to get inspired from

Are you looking for a creative and engaging way to communicate your message to your audience?

Look no further than whiteboard animation videos! These animated videos are visually appealing and highly effective at simplifying complex ideas and delivering them in a fun and engaging way.

To help you get inspired, we've compiled a list of the 11 best whiteboard video examples out there. From educational content to marketing campaigns, these videos showcase the power of whiteboard animation in captivating viewers and delivering a message that sticks.

Whether you're looking to promote a product or service, explain a concept, or entertain your audience, these whiteboard video examples will give you plenty of ideas to work with. So, grab a notebook and a pen, and let's dive in!

Watch the 11 most engaging and best Whiteboard Video Examples

1. content 2020 by coca cola.

The “Content 2020”  by Coca-Cola is an exciting and visually appealing whiteboard piece outlining the company's new content creation and marketing approach .

What sets this video apart

Even though Coca-Cola used whiteboard animation, it didn't lose the essence of its brand. It added the bubble element to this animation style to maintain brand consistency . The video also positions Coca-Cola as a thought leader in the marketing and advertising industry, a brand that is in touch with consumer trends and proactively addresses them .

2. Red Bull’s Whiteboard Series

In this video series, Red Bull delves into the world of pushing human performance to out of its limits . The videos blend whiteboard and digital animation to bring concepts to life, infusing them with excitement and energy.

Sometimes, out-of-context or unrealistic elements capture the audience's attention, and Red Bull has capitalized on this. This video and the entire video series stand out because of its use of whiteboard drawings and various cartoon-like experiences that vividly illustrate its tagline, “Red Bull gives you wiings “

3. Unilever – NCCA Football

Join us on an inspiring journey with “Unilever NCAA Football,” a remarkable whiteboard animation video created through the collaboration of Unilever and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as part of the Dove Men+Care campaign. In this heartfelt video, viewers will discover the profound significance of care in the context of male strength and resilience. That, too, with a visually interesting twist.

In this video, there are two things that makes it stand out – its strong voiceover that matches the context of the video and the use of smooth transitions in animation with a convincing CTA .

4. Study.com

Study.com, one of the cartoon video examples, uses the power of whiteboard to explain how a clever and engaging marketing tool that uses hand-drawn illustrations and text promotes the benefits of the company's online education platform.

Effective visual storytelling is evident in the video's use of animation . It communicates convenience and paints a compelling narrative about how Study.com can positively impact the viewer's educational journey.

5. Elevations Credit Union

The Elevations Credit Union video can also be considered one of the explainer video examples that communicated the credit union's benefits clearly and concisely.

The video's narrative structure is designed to guide viewers through the benefits systematically. By a voiding technical ideas or finance-related jargon it takes viewers on a relatable journey. This video makes it easier for them to comprehend how Elevations Credit Union can enhance their financial well-being .

6. Where Good Ideas Come From

Throughout the whiteboard animated video, the presenter uses it to visually illustrate the key points ‘From where the good ideas come,' making it easy for viewers to follow along.

With a clean visual style, black and white drawings, and text on a white background , the presenter's hand is visible on the screen, drawing the images and text in real-time.

One of the standout features of this video is the perfect synchronization between the voice-over narration and the visuals being drawn on the screen. This synchronization ensures that viewers can easily follow the narrative and understand the presented concepts.

“Welcome to ‘Raising Her Voice' by Oxfam, a powerful whiteboard animation video that forms a part of the Raising Her Voice campaign. This campaign is dedicated to empowering women and girls in developing countries , enabling them to raise their voices and advocate for their rights.

It is difficult to put such a topic in front of the world through an interactive medium. But Oxfam did so by using whiteboard animation. This video stands apart from other such videos because it focuses on detailing in just 90 seconds.

8. WOW Motorcycle

a captivating whiteboard and B2B example that i ntroduces WOW's motorcycles in an informative and engaging way. Prepare to be drawn into a journey where a skilled artist brings WOW's motorcycles to life on a whiteboard, using animation to convey key information.

This unique ad approach worked really well. In just 1 minute and 10 seconds , WOW Motorcycles helped bike lovers achieve their dreams. They made it engaging by showing real people's thoughts . Plus, they saved money by not using live-action.

9. UNICEF – Data Manifesto

In an era where data drives innovation and informs decision-making, UNICEF presents a compelling narrative through the “UNICEF Data Manifesto” whiteboard animation video.

It harnesses the power of various data representations, from dynamic graphs and charts to enlightening maps , to elucidate progress made towards diverse development objectives.

“UNICEF – Data Manifesto” is more than just a video; it's a visual journey that inspires action and underscores the transformative power of data. Explaining such a topic isn't easy at all. But this video stands out due to its usage of animation to explain such a topic.

10. TruScribe Whiteboard Video Animation

exemplifies TruScribe's expertise in simplifying complex concepts through the captivating medium of hand-drawn animation. Its engaging and interactive nature ensures that it serves as a potent vehicle for communicating the exceptional advantages of TruScribe's services to potential clients.

A carefully composed voiceover guides you through the video's story, keeping you interested and helping you understand what's happening.

11. DC HomeBuzz

Step into the world of “DC HomeBuzz,” where the power of animation takes center stage to illuminate and inform. This whiteboard explainer video is a shining example of how animation can bring a brand's services and expertise to life in a captivating and informative manner.

“DC HomeBuzz” is a prime example of how animation can be leveraged for effective video marketing, reaching a wider audience and conveying the brand's message in an engaging way. Focusing on real estate and financial topics is difficult, but this video did well.

Elevate your marketing game with the power of whiteboard animation!

We hope you loved all the 11 best examples of whiteboard videos highlighted here to demonstrate the power of this medium to inform, educate, and entertain audiences.

Whether you want to create the best whiteboard explainer video, a product demo, or a training module , this animation can effectively engage viewers and communicate complex information.

By studying the examples we've showcased, you can gain insights from top creators in this field and get inspiration for new experiments.  Take your content to new heights with these marketing secrets in 2024 and beyond. If something is still bothering you, then feel free to reach us .

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a type of video that utilizes the traditional classroom whiteboard as a visual aid to explain concepts or ideas. It is a popular explainer video that combines hand-drawn illustrations, animation, and narration to create an engaging and effective educational tool. 

To create a whiteboard video, you need a script, a whiteboard or whiteboard animation software, and a microphone to record the voiceover. First, write a script that outlines the key points you want to convey. Then, record the voiceover for the script. Next, use whiteboard animation software or a physical whiteboard to create the visuals. Finally, synchronize the voiceover with the visuals, and add any additional sound effects or music.

It should be clear, concise, engaging, visually appealing, and easy to follow. The script should be well-written, and the voiceover should be clear and easy to understand. The animation should be timed well, with illustrations appearing at the right time to complement the voiceover. Keeping the video short and focused on one or two main ideas is also essential.

Whiteboard animation videos are used for various purposes, including education, marketing, and training. They also promote products or services and provide employees with training or instruction. Teachers, trainers, and businesses often use whiteboard videos to communicate information engagingly and memorably. They can also be a visual aid for presentations, conferences, and webinars.

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What is a whiteboard animation?

You’ve probably used a dry-erase whiteboard to sketch ideas out during a meeting, illustrate a problem in math class, or keep track of your grocery list. But you can also use a whiteboard to create animated videos.

Since the style lends itself well to illustrating complex ideas in a visual way, most whiteboard animations are created as marketing videos or educational explainer videos. The combination of bright, graphic illustrations with an engaging and interesting story instantly grabs attention and can keep both customers and students engaged.

“Whiteboard animation is traditionally done on a dry-erase whiteboard with simple pens. There’s no shading, and it’s usually made with very quick line drawings,” explains animator and illustrator Mark Wooding. The videos are often accompanied by a voice-over, explaining the content or narrating the scene.

How to make a great whiteboard animation video.

1. make an outline for your whiteboard animation video..

The key to a great video is a great script. “The video will only be as successful as the story is. If you want to make a really compelling video, it has to begin with a great script,” says animator and illustrator William Warren. Before jumping in with your pens, focus on the content of your video, what you want to say, and how you want to say it.

Most  whiteboard videos explain  a topic or tell a story. But remember, even dull educational topics can be engaging when presented in the right way. “There’s always a compelling story to tell. It doesn’t matter what your topic is, you can always communicate it well with principles of good storytelling,” explains Warren.

Keep your visuals in mind as you write your whiteboard animation video script. Planning one symbol or illustration for each sentence is a good cadence to keep. “You don’t want to do three drawings in one sentence because that’s too much for the viewer to handle. But you also don’t want one drawing for a paragraph, because then the viewer is left waiting for the next thing,” explains Wooding. Be sure to read your script out loud as you write. This can help you plan the pace and tone of your story and make sure the flow feels natural for the final video animation.

2. Create storyboards and decide on an animation style.

Planning and creating your storyboards  will help you decide what imagery should pair with each part of your voice-over. “If you have a great step-by-step storyboard to begin with, the odds are that your final product will be great too,” says Warren.

Plan your drawings for each part of the animation, and consider how they’ll work together. “With a whiteboard video, it’s the visual concepts that steal the show. Seeing those visuals come to life gets people’s attention and draws them in,” explains Wooding. Think about what animated characters you want to include. Think about the colors you plan to work with. Consider including some text elements in addition to illustrations. For complex parts of your voice-over, write out certain words to keep viewers engaged.

3. Gather the tools you need.

The next step of the production process is to set up your filming location and get your equipment ready. Whiteboard animations are traditionally done using a dry-erase board, but you can also use foam board or large sheets of white paper. This allows you to experiment with different kinds of pens, but it does eliminate your ability to erase. When you’ve decided on your physical medium, pick a location and set up your lights and camera.

Position the camera above the whiteboard or foam board to get a straight-on view of the illustration you’re creating. Check your hand and camera positioning to make sure you have enough room in the frame to finish your illustrations. And  make sure the scene is well lit  to avoid casting weird shadows with your hand as you draw.

4. Draw and film your whiteboard video.

Be sure to warm up your drawing hand before you start video production. “I usually do about 20 quick drawings before I actually start drawing on the whiteboard. When you first start, you’re kind of tight and rigid, so those initial drawings often aren’t too dynamic,” explains Wooding.

Take your time drawing every illustration, icon, or word. You can always go back and speed things up in post-production, but it’s a little more complicated to fix a specific drawing after you’ve finished recording. Keep your storyboards on hand so you don’t unintentionally leave anything out, and have some fun while creating your illustrations.

5. Record your voice-over and sound effects.

Whether you record the audio yourself, or someone else does it for you, the quality of the voice-over is key to creating a quality video. If you record it yourself, try setting up an  at-home recording studio . When you’ve captured your voice-over, try editing out undesired background noise with  Adobe Audition . From there you can finish cleaning up the track and layer in sound effects when needed.

6. Bring it all together in post-production.

Use  like  Adobe Premiere Pro  to line up your voice-over with the corresponding illustrations:

• Start by  adding your voice-over track and sound effects  to your video file. When it’s all in the same place, you can start putting the pieces together.
• Speed up or slow down your video  so it lines up with the voice-over. Your entire visual recording will probably need to be sped up, but not at a uniform pace throughout. Cut your visuals into sections, and adjust the speed for each illustration individually to edit for flow and pace.
• Use layer masks to  eliminate any drawing mistakes or ease transitions between illustrations . Sometimes you may not notice a smear or mark left on the whiteboard until after you’ve finished recording. You can use masks to eliminate specific parts of the frame to keep it looking pristine.

When edits are done, you can export and share your new animated video with your client, your creative team, or with your friends on social media. 

Examples of different whiteboard video styles.

Aside from the  classic whiteboard animations  described above, artists have also replicated the whiteboard animation style using digital tools.

Some artists  combine whiteboard animation with digital assets  in post-production. This allows you to give your characters movement using  Adobe Animate  but retain the look and process of drawing each image by hand.

Alternatively, other creators replicate the whiteboard style exclusively using  digital designs and illustrations . They achieve the same educational tone without physically drawing on a whiteboard.

However you choose to approach whiteboard animations, keep this in mind: “Push yourself to always be improving. I’ve experimented quite a bit, and I’ve tried different pens, different lighting, different boards, and different styles of editing,” says Wooding. If you’re not totally satisfied with your video, try something new, and make something different. The possibilities are endless, and the tools are at your fingertips.

Contributors

William Warren ,  Mark Wooding

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