Stage

Stage is Flowstate’s live broadcasting and presentation system. It transforms your canvas into a broadcast studio where you can present to audiences, host panel discussions, and run interactive sessions.

What Is Stage?

Stage is a live presentation environment that supports:

One-to-many broadcasting (presenter to audience)
Panel discussions (multiple speakers)
Interactive Q&A (hand raise and audience participation)
Live chat during sessions
Desktop and mobile viewing

Think of Stage as a virtual conference room where you can present, discuss, and engage with an audience in real time.

Stage Components

Host and Speaker Cards

Stage uses a card-based system to manage presenters:

Host Card

The host controls the Stage:

Start and end the broadcast
Manage speakers (add, remove, mute)
Moderate chat and hand raises
Control Stage settings

Every Stage has one host. The host is typically the person who created the Stage or the primary presenter.

Speaker Cards

Speakers are active participants in the broadcast:

Video and audio enabled
Visible to the audience
Can share screen
Can interact with other speakers

Stages can have multiple speakers for panel discussions or collaborative presentations.

Audience Participation

Audience members can participate in several ways:

Hand Raise

Audience members can raise their hand to:

Ask a question
Request to speak
Signal agreement or interest

The host sees hand raises and can:

Acknowledge the person
Invite them to speak (promote to speaker)
Dismiss the hand raise

Live Chat

Every Stage has a live chat where audience members can:

Ask questions
Share reactions
Discuss the content
Connect with other attendees

Chat is visible to everyone and persists for the duration of the Stage.

Pinned Messages

Hosts can pin important messages:

Key questions to address
Important announcements
Links and resources
Action items

Pinned messages stay at the top of the chat, ensuring they’re not lost in the flow.

Viewer Count

Stage displays the current viewer count:

Total number of people watching
Updates in real time
Visible to host, speakers, and audience

This helps presenters gauge engagement and adjust their delivery.

Stage Status

Stages have three status states:

Scheduled

The Stage is planned but not yet live:

Shows scheduled start time
Audience can join early and chat
Host can prepare and test

Live

The Stage is actively broadcasting:

Video and audio are streaming
Chat is active
Audience can participate

Ended

The Stage has concluded:

Broadcast has stopped
Chat is read-only
Recording available (if enabled)

Desktop and Mobile Layouts

Stage adapts to different devices:

Desktop Layout (StageDesktop)

Optimized for large screens:

Main area: Video feeds for host and speakers
Sidebar: Chat and participant list
Controls: Bottom bar with mute, camera, screen share
Hand raises: Visible in participant list

Desktop layout maximizes video quality and provides full access to all features.

Mobile Layout (StageMobile)

Optimized for phones and tablets:

Full-screen video: Swipe between speakers
Overlay chat: Tap to show/hide
Simplified controls: Large touch targets
Portrait and landscape: Adapts to orientation

Mobile layout prioritizes video and makes controls accessible on small screens.

Creating and Running a Stage

Creating a Stage

To create a new Stage:

Click “New Stage” on your canvas
Enter Stage details:
- Title: What the Stage is about
- Description: Additional context
- Scheduled time: When it will start (optional)
Configure settings:
- Visibility: Public or private
- Chat settings: Moderation rules
- Recording: Enable/disable
Save and publish

The Stage appears on your canvas and is ready to use.

Starting a Broadcast

When you’re ready to go live:

Open the Stage
Test your camera and microphone
Review Stage settings
Click “Go Live”

The Stage status changes to “Live” and audience members can join.

Managing Speakers

During a broadcast, the host can manage speakers:

Adding Speakers

Invite specific people before going live
Promote audience members who raised their hand
Add co-hosts or panelists

Removing Speakers

Remove speakers who are finished
Demote disruptive speakers to audience
Adjust speaker lineup as needed

Muting Speakers

Mute speakers temporarily (technical issues, background noise)
Unmute when ready
Speakers can also mute themselves

Moderating Chat

Hosts can moderate the live chat:

Pin important messages
Remove inappropriate messages
Mute disruptive participants
Set chat to slow mode (limit message frequency)

Moderation keeps chat productive and on-topic.

Handling Hand Raises

When audience members raise their hand:

Host sees the hand raise in the participant list
Host can acknowledge via chat or verbally
Host can promote the person to speaker
Person can ask their question or contribute
Host can demote them back to audience when done

Hand raises make large broadcasts interactive without chaos.

Ending a Broadcast

When the Stage is complete:

Wrap up the presentation
Thank participants
Click “End Broadcast”

The Stage status changes to “Ended.” Chat becomes read-only, and the recording (if enabled) is processed.

Stage Use Cases

Presentations and Talks

Use Stage for formal presentations:

Conference talks
Product demos
Training sessions
Webinars

The host presents while the audience watches and asks questions via chat or hand raise.

Panel Discussions

Use Stage for multi-speaker discussions:

Expert panels
Roundtable discussions
Debates
Interviews

Multiple speakers appear on screen, discussing a topic while the audience participates via chat.

Team All-Hands

Use Stage for company-wide meetings:

Quarterly updates
Product launches
Leadership Q&A
Town halls

Leaders present updates and answer questions from the entire organization.

Community Events

Use Stage for community gatherings:

AMAs (Ask Me Anything)
Community showcases
Open discussions
Social events

Community members can raise their hand to participate, creating an inclusive, interactive experience.

Educational Sessions

Use Stage for teaching and learning:

Lectures
Workshops
Tutorials
Study groups

Instructors present while students follow along, ask questions, and collaborate.

Broadcasting Technology

Stage is powered by Agora RTC (Real-Time Communication):

Low Latency

Agora provides sub-second latency:

Real-time interaction between host and audience
Smooth video and audio
Minimal delay for hand raises and chat

High Quality

Agora adapts to network conditions:

HD video when bandwidth allows
Graceful degradation on slower connections
Automatic quality adjustment

Global Reach

Agora’s global infrastructure ensures:

Reliable connections worldwide
Optimized routing for best performance
Support for large audiences

Scalability

Stage can handle:

Small sessions (10-20 people)
Medium events (100-500 people)
Large broadcasts (1000+ people)

Performance remains consistent regardless of audience size.

Best Practices

Prepare Before Going Live

Test your camera and microphone
Review your content
Set up chat moderation rules
Invite speakers in advance

Preparation reduces technical issues and improves the experience.

Engage the Audience

Acknowledge chat messages
Respond to hand raises
Ask questions
Encourage participation

Engagement keeps the audience interested and invested.

Use Pinned Messages

Pin important information:

Links to resources
Key takeaways
Action items
Next steps

Pinned messages ensure critical information isn’t lost.

Moderate Proactively

Don’t wait for problems to escalate:

Set clear expectations at the start
Address disruptive behavior quickly
Use slow mode if chat gets chaotic

Proactive moderation maintains a productive environment.

Keep It Focused

Stay on topic and respect the audience’s time:

Start on time
Stick to the agenda
End on time
Summarize key points

Focused sessions are more valuable and respectful of participants.

Follow Up

After the Stage ends:

Share the recording (if available)
Post a summary in chat or a Room
Answer unanswered questions
Gather feedback

Follow-up extends the value of the Stage beyond the live session.

Technical Details

Data Model

Each Stage includes:

Unique identifier
Title and description
Host user ID
Speaker list (user IDs)
Scheduled start time (optional)
Status (scheduled, live, ended)
Visibility (public, private)
Chat settings (moderation rules)
Recording settings (enabled/disabled)
Viewer count (real-time)
Position on canvas (x, y coordinates)
Timestamps (created, started, ended)

Real-Time Communication

Stage uses Agora RTC SDK for:

Video streaming (host and speakers)
Audio streaming
Screen sharing
Participant management

Agora handles the complexity of real-time communication, ensuring reliable, high-quality broadcasts.

Chat Integration

Stage chat uses Agora Chat SDK:

Real-time messaging
Presence indicators
Message history
Pinning and moderation

Chat is integrated with the Stage lifecycle, starting when the Stage is created and becoming read-only when it ends.

Storage

Stage data is stored in MongoDB:

Stage metadata (title, description, settings)
Speaker and participant lists
Status and timestamps

Chat messages and recordings are stored in Agora cloud storage.

Recording

When recording is enabled:

Video and audio are captured
Recording starts when the Stage goes live
Recording stops when the Stage ends
Recording is processed and made available for download

Recordings are stored securely and can be shared or embedded.

Integration with Other Features

Stage integrates with other Flowstate features:

Canvas

Stages appear as tiles on your canvas, providing quick access to scheduled and past broadcasts.

Rooms

Stages can be associated with Rooms, making it easy to continue discussions after the broadcast.

Offices

Offices can host Stages for team-wide broadcasts and all-hands meetings.

Widgets

Widgets can enhance Stages (live transcription, polls, Q&A tools, etc.).

Future Enhancements

Planned improvements to Stage include:

Breakout rooms for small group discussions
Live polls and surveys
Advanced screen sharing (annotations, whiteboard)
Multi-language support with live translation
Enhanced analytics (engagement metrics, viewer retention)
Integration with external streaming platforms (YouTube, Twitch)
Automated highlights and clips
Custom branding and layouts

Stage transforms Flowstate into a powerful broadcasting platform. By combining high-quality video, interactive features, and seamless integration with the canvas, it makes live presentations accessible and engaging.