9 Tips for Using Miro to Facilitate Engaging Workshops

This incredibly versatile online tool is perfect for everything from project management and brainstorming to work planning and presentations. In this post, I’ll share nine practical tips and tricks to help you level up your Miro facilitation skills and run more effective, productive workshops.

One of the most common frustrations when using Miro, especially for newbies, is accidental movement of key elements like frames, backgrounds, or headings. To avoid this chaos, lock down important objects by selecting them and clicking the lock icon. This keeps your workshop’s structure intact and allows participants to focus on the task at hand—like adding and editing sticky notes—without accidentally moving core elements.

Pro tip: if you have a complicated layout containing images or tables, group the objects first and only then lock them down

If your workshop has multiple sections or phases, consider hiding frames until you’re ready to use them. This prevents overwhelming participants with too much information upfront. To hide frames, select the frame and toggle the visibility off. You can easily reveal each frame as you transition from one activity to the next, helping participants stay focused on the current task.

If you’ve ever facilitated a workshop with many participants in Miro, you know that everyone’s cursors flying around the screen can be distracting. By toggling off the Show Collaborators' Cursors feature, you can give participants a cleaner workspace when needed, and turn it back on when you want to see what people are working on in real time.

Miro’s “Bring everyone to me” feature is a lifesaver for keeping participants on track. If you notice people are exploring different parts of the board or getting distracted, use this feature to instantly refocus everyone’s attention on the area you want them to engage with. Just click the option in the top toolbar, and participants will be seamlessly transported to your current view.

In workshops where decision-making is involved, Miro’s built-in Voting feature can be incredibly helpful. Whether you’re prioritizing ideas, making choices, or gathering feedback, you can quickly run a vote without leaving the board. Set up the voting session, define what participants are voting on, and allow them to cast their votes. Results are displayed immediately, which keeps momentum going and avoids lengthy discussions.

Pro tip: when defining the area for voting, you get to choose which objects participants can vote on (e.g. only sticky notes) and how many votes each of them is getting

Time-boxing activities is key to running a productive workshop. Miro’s Timer tool allows you to set a countdown for any exercise, keeping participants focused and moving at the right pace. It’s a subtle way to introduce structure without being overbearing, especially during brainstorming or reflection sessions where it’s easy to get lost in the details.

Pro tip: while only the board administrator can start a timer, you can also click at the tiny button in the bottom left corner of the timer and add it to the board so that other participants can use it as well

When you need to structure your brainstorming, Miro’s Kanban Board template (found under "Miro apps") is an excellent tool. Create columns based on themes or categories and invite participants to fill them with ideas. This approach is not only less messy than traditional sticky notes but also allows for added detail, such as labels, assignees, and deadlines. Once brainstorming is complete, you can easily transfer these Kanban cards to an actionable Kanban board or even convert them into Jira issues directly from Miro. If you prefer starting with sticky notes, just convert them into Kanban cards by selecting the note and clicking "Switch type."

There may be moments in your workshop where you need participants to think independently before sharing their ideas. Miro’s Private Mode is perfect for this. It allows everyone to contribute their thoughts without seeing others’ input until you choose to reveal it. This ensures that each person’s voice is heard without being influenced by others’ ideas.

Make sure your board remains organized and easy to understand by making full use of Comments and Labels. Comments allow participants to ask questions or give feedback without cluttering the board, while labels help categorize sticky notes, cards, or other objects for quicker navigation. Both features enhance collaboration and ensure everyone stays on the same page.

By using these tips, you can turn Miro into a powerful tool for running workshops that are both structured and engaging. And if you’re looking to become a true Miro master, consider diving deeper with my Ultimate Miro Guide. This course will teach you everything from advanced board creation to facilitation techniques, helping you run workshops that inspire creativity and action. Whether you’re working with a small team or facilitating large-scale events, this guide has you covered.

Happy facilitating!