You have a variety of options when it comes to creating sessions and it's worth noting that you can change each of these options on a session-by-session basis, so feel free to experiment with a combination that best suits your schedule, area of expertise or line of work.
When creating a session, the first option you should consider is how interactive you want it to be, which can range from observation-only to fully interactive.
During observation-only sessions, your shadowers will follow you around your workplace as you perform your regular duties.
Please note that, even though the session is not fully interactive, with hands-on projects, you are still expected to:
- Provide a full explanation of anything you do
- Answer any questions your shadower might have
- Show all of the necessary steps to achieve the desired outcome
During observation-only sessions, the shadower is expected to remain somewhat of a "fly-on-the-wall," refraining from interfering too often. It is up to you to determine what is allowed during observation-only sessions, which you can specify in the Shadowing Guidelines section of your shadowing profile.
To signify that a session is observation-only, click the checkbox under the pair of glasses.
Interactive sessions provide shadowers a unique opportunity to flex their creative muscles and really step from the amateur realm into the professional sphere. There are no hard-and-fast rules about what defines an interactive session, but a session could be considered interactive if your shadower:
- Helps you set up or tear down equipment
- Assists you in a current work-related project
- Works with you on a project created just for them
- Receives instruction and help from you on a personal project of theirs
- Operates your tools in a real-working environment
If you plan to create a project for your shadower to work on or complete during the session, check out the Providing Resources section.