Prompts that make good clouds
A word cloud only works when answers repeat. Short prompts get short answers, and short answers repeat. Ask for “one word” explicitly.
- Warm-ups: “How do you feel this Monday, in one word?”
- Openers: “What comes to mind when you hear ‘remote work’?”
- Takeaways: “Describe today’s session in one word.”
- Naming: “What should we call the new project?”
Avoid questions that invite sentences, like “What could we do better?” Those belong in an open question.
One word each, or as many as they like
The Duplicate check decides it. Set it to Off to let people send several words, which suits brainstorming. Set it to Browser session for one answer per person, which keeps the cloud a fair picture of the room. Avoid IP address in a room on one Wi-Fi: only the first person could answer.
Words are grouped however people type them, so “Happy” and “happy” add up.
Show it live
- 1 Open the Results tab and click Present.
- 2 Press F for full screen. The QR code and join code sit beside the cloud.
- 3 Watch answers grow as they repeat. Press Q to hide the code once everyone is in.
In a video call, share the present mode tab in Zoom, Teams or Meet; people answer on their phones or laptops.
Turn the cloud into a conversation
The cloud is the start, not the end. Pick the biggest word and ask who sent it and why. Then look at a small one: the outliers are often the most interesting. For a brainstorm, follow up with a ranking of the best ideas, like the Brainstorm template does.
