Starting a Breakout Session

You can start a breakout session during a meeting. Before you start a breakout session, you should be aware of the following information:

When you start an breakout session from an active meeting, the original meeting remains open in a browser window on your computer, and you are still a participant in that meeting. To return to the original meeting, select the browser window that contains the active meeting.
If both the original meeting and the breakout session that you are starting include computer audio, everyone in both meetings can hear you when you speak. To prevent people in the original meeting from hearing you, either leave that meeting or mute your microphone and your speakers in that meeting.
When the breakout session begins, it does not contain any information (such as a chat transcript or a whiteboard file) from the original meeting.

Choose Actions - New Breakout Session from the Meeting Room main menu or in a private chat window with one or more chat partners.
Click the New Breakout Session icon in a private chat window with one or more chat partners.

Enter the appropriate information in the "Start a Breakout Session" dialog box. You can change the following information:

The topic
The list of invitees - To add people to the list of Invitees, enter a user name in the "User name field. You can enter a first name, last name, or both first and last names. (If more than one person has the name you enter, a list appears and you can choose the appropriate name.) To find a person's name in your company's Directory, click Find Name in Directory and search for a name.
Tools. The available audio tools (none, computer audio/video, and telephone service) depend on the tools available to the breakout session initiator, as well as the invited participants. To add a tool to your session, select the check box next to the tool so that a check mark appears. To remove a tool, clear the appropriate check box.

Click Send. An invitation is sent to the appropriate people; they can respond to the invitation by sending you a private message, joining the meeting, or closing the invitation dialog box.

When you start a breakout session, you are automatically the chair, and by default all participants have all permissions to interact.