As an in-person attendee of a meeting or workshop powered by NodesNow, you're in for an transformative experience. We've carefully studied the science of small-group collaboration to design a system that optimizes both remote and in-person meeting interactions.
Depending on your role as an in-person collaborator in a NodesNow meeting, you'll:
Share content via the NodesNow mobile app
Access and collaborate in the shared collaboration space on the NodesNow desktop web app
Interact directly on the NodesNow touchscreen
Present your ideas straight from your laptop via screen sharing
This guide will cover the essential interactions of the above (excluding the touchscreen). If you're familiar with the web app, you'll find the touchscreen interface intuitive—it just uses multitouch gestures instead of clicks.
Requirements
NodesNow mobile app
NodesNow account
Mobile app
If you haven't downloaded it yet, the mobile app is available for both iOS on the Apple App Store and Android on Google Play.
Account
Register for a NodesNow account using your email or sign in with Google, Microsoft, or Apple. If you need help, see our article about registering for an account on the mobile app or on a desktop web browser.
Once you have the mobile app and account, you're ready to start.
Collaborating with the mobile app
Besides your voice, the mobile app is your primary tool for contributing to meetings and workshops in NodesNow. In this section, you'll learn how to connect to a space and send content to it. When you're done, you'll be ready to share your ideas in any NodesNow space.
Note: In order to send a note to a space, you'll need to open a space on the web app, which you'll learn here. At a real meeting, the facilitator would provide a QR code that you can scan to connect to the space.
1. Create and open a space on the web app
1. Create and open a space on the web app
a. Navigate to connect.nodesnow.com on a desktop web browser and sign in.
b. Click Manage your spaces to go to your dashboard.
c. On your dashboard, click CREATE > Create space to launch a new space.
d. Double click the space to open it.
e. In the new space, click JOIN REMOTELY. This will generate a QR code and PIN that you can use to connect to the space.
2. Join the space with the mobile app
2. Join the space with the mobile app
a. Open the NodesNow app on your mobile device and tap SCAN QR TO CONNECT.
b. Scan the QR code that you generated in step two.
c. Enter the space's PIN (found below the QR code on the desktop web app) and tap CONNECT TO SPACE.
d. Your mobile device is now connected to the space and you can start sending notes and media to it.
3. Send a note to the space
3. Send a note to the space
a. On the space's content sharing screen, tap the note icon at the bottom of the screen. (You can also send images and videos from here.)
b. Write a message and, if desired, change the note's color.
c. When you're done creating your note, tap Send or the send icon on your keyboard. The note will then appear in the space's inbox.
d. Back in the web app, click the space inbox to see your note there.
That's it. You're now ready to engage in NodesNow meetings using the mobile app!
Collaborating with the desktop web app
When you're called upon to take an active role in a space, it's time to open your laptop. This section shows you how to connect to a space with the desktop web app and use the basic tools in the desktop web app toolbox.
As above, you'll need a NodesNow account and invitation URL and PIN for the space you're collaborating in. You'll typically get these space details as an email invite or at the meeting itself.
Note: If you don't have a space URL, follow the directions to create a space in step two above. Then continue with Interact with the web app for the first time below.
1. Connect to a space
1. Connect to a space
Enter the space's URL on a web browser.
Sign into NodesNow.
Click Join the space as a participant.
Enter the space's six-digit PIN from the invitation.
After you enter the PIN, you'll be taken to the space.
2. Try out the tools in the space's toolbox
2. Try out the tools in the space's toolbox
Now that you've opened a space, it's time to try out the various tools in the canvas's toolbox.
To use the drawing tool:
Click the drawing tool in the canvas's toolbox to open the drawing tool menu.
Select a color from the color palette or use the default setting.
Choose a line thickness or use the default setting.
Click anywhere on the canvas to start drawing.
To move, duplicate, resize, and delete drawings and other items, use the selection tool:
Click the selection tool if it isn't already selected. Then follow the steps below depending on what you want to do.
Move
Click and drag an item to your desired location.
Release to place it.
Click outside the item's bounding box to close the item's menu.
Duplicate
Click an item to select it.
In the item's menu, click the duplicate icon.
Click and drag the duplicate item to your desired location.
Release to place it.
Click outside the item's bounding box to close the item's menu.
Resize
Click an item to select it.
Click and drag one of the corners of the item's bounding box to adjust the size.
Click outside the item's bounding box to close the item's menu.
Delete
Click an item to select it.
Click the trash can icon to delete it.
Undo changes
To undo changes:
Click the undo icon in the lower left corner of the canvas.
To recover an action you've undone:
Click the redo icon in the lower left corner of the canvas.
Note: NodesNow provides support for up to 15 undo and redo actions.
To write a note:
Select the note tool in the canvas's toolbox.
Type something in the note.
If desired, click the yellow circle above the note to change the note's color.
Click anywhere on the canvas to set the note.
After you finish a note, you can click it to open the note menu. From there, you can also move, duplicate, resize, and delete it. See the section on the selection tool above for more details.
To write on the canvas:
Select the writing tool in the canvas's toolbox.
Type something to replace the default text.
Click anywhere on the canvas to set the text.
After you finish writing, you can click it to open the writing menu. From there, you can also move, duplicate, resize, and delete it. See the section on the selection tool above for more details.
To add a shape to the canvas:
Select the shapes tool in the canvas's toolbox to open the shapes menu.
Click on a shape to send a shape to the canvas.
To write on the shape:
Double click on a shape to open the shape's text field.
Type something.
After you place a shape, you can click it to open the shapes menu. From there, you can also move, duplicate, resize, and delete it. See the section on the selection tool above for more details.
To upload an image or video to a space's canvas:
Click the upload tool in the canvas toolbar.
This will open your file organizer.
In your file organizer, choose the .jpg, .png, or .mp4 files you want to upload. The size limit is 1 MB per file.
Your files will be placed on the space's canvas. From there, you can also move, duplicate, resize, and delete them. See the section on the selection tool above for more details.
Sharing your computer's screen on the touchscreen
Screen sharing makes it easy to present content in NodesNow spaces without having to upload any files. If you have access to a NodesNow touchscreen, you can also follow these guides to learn the process in advance:
Share your screen via HDMI
Share your screen via HDMI
Activate screen-sharing mode
To share a laptop screen using the touchscreen's HDMI cable:
Tap the screen-sharing icon at the lower-left of the touchscreen.
Connect a laptop to the touchscreen using an HDMI cable.
Note: The HDMI port is located at the back left of the touchscreen. Connect an HDMI cable from the HDMI In port on the touchscreen to the HDMI Out port on a laptop.
The laptop's screen will now appear on the touchscreen.
Enter picture-in-picture (PiP) mode
Double-tap the image of the shared screen on the touchscreen to enter picture-in-picture mode.
The shared screen will enlarge and appear in a PiP window.
Move the PiP window
To move the PiP window:
Place your finger on the shared screen and drag it to your desired position.
Close the PiP window
To close the PiP window:
Tap the minimize icon on the PiP window.
The window will return to its initial size and position above the screen-sharing icon.
Take a screenshot of the mirrored screen
To take a screenshot of the mirrored screen:
Tap the screenshot icon on the PiP window.
The screenshot will be placed at the center of the screen, where you can move it and resize it like any other item on the canvas.
Enter and exit full-screen mode
To enter full-screen mode:
Tap the full-screen mode icon on the PiP window.
The mirrored screen will expand to fill the entire touchscreen.
To exit full-screen mode:
Double tap anywhere on the screen.
The shared screen will return to PiP mode.
Adjust the volume in full-screen mode
In full-screen mode:
Tap the screen to reveal the settings icon at the top-right corner of the touchscreen.
Tap the settings icon to bring up the volume control slider.
Adjust the volume by dragging the volume control slider to the left or right.
The audio from the shared screen will adjust accordingly.
Modify screen brightness in full-screen mode
In full-screen mode:
Tap the screen to reveal the settings icon at the top-right corner of the touchscreen.
Tap the settings icon to bring up the brightness control slider.
Adjust the brightness by dragging the brightness control slider to the left or right.
The brightness of the shared screen will adjust accordingly.
Disconnect the mirrored screen
Tap the PiP window's minimize icon.
The shared screen will reduce in size and move next to the screen sharing icon.
Tap the HDMI icon to exit screen sharing mode and close the screen-sharing window.
You can now safely disconnect the HDMI cable.
Congratulations! Now that you've learned all the ways to interact in NodesNow spaces as an in-person meeting attendee, you're ready to contribute to more engaging, productive meetings.