Introducing NHSEBOne Companion Mode

As institutions around the country cautiously return to normal operations in a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, most NHSEB Regional Competitions, too, are returning to primarily in-person events. In 2022-2023, 95% of NHSEB Regionals will be conducted in-person. From the very first iterations of NHSEBOne, it has always been NHSEB HQ’s intention to make its features generalizable post-pandemic, while keeping its video-conferencing centric use model available for scrimmaging, outreach events, and NHSEB’s new Divisional Playoff Circuit. This year’s major update to the NHSEBOne web app, which we’re calling Companion Mode, is a bold initial step in this direction, and we look forward to sharing it with you during the 2022-2023 Season.

As of January 3, 2023, NHSEBOne will once again be made freely available to all NHSEB Regional Organizers across the United States in Companion Mode. After a successful pilot test of mobile-first features at the NHSEB National Championship in the Spring of 2022, our design team at EnableEducation has been hard at work for months developing improved workflows designed for smaller screen sizes. NHSEBOne, which made doing Ethics Bowl possible during the height of COVID-19, will now work to greatly streamline and simplify the process of organizing and volunteering for an in-person High School Ethics Bowl event.

A full overview of new features is available in an updated Quick Start Guide, but here are a few highlights: 

Companion Mode

A new event-level toggle for in-person Regional Competitions allows static (linkable, e.g., with maps) match spaces to replace Zoom calls as match locations. The Match Tools interface is now fully optimized for smaller screen sizes, so that Moderators and Judges can access all their materials and administration/scoring functionality on their own devices. This eliminates the need for paper moderator scripts, score sheets, and staffers to tabulate scoring data.

Automated Companion Login for Volunteers

NHSEBOne can now generate QR codes unique to your event which you can add to any printed materials for your event. By scanning these codes with their devices, volunteers can log directly into events simply by entering their email address. This obviates the need for an advance email invitation workflow.

Enhanced Organizer Features

We've also added an updated score management menu, live progress indicators in the dashboard match table, an option for public leaderboard access, and an updated export function for detailed team scoring breakdowns post-event! 

*  While there may be developments toward student use in the future, the NHSEB Executive Committee has not approved these features for use on smartphones by student users for 2022-2023. Smartphones and other internet-connected devices remain prohibited during matches in progress. For more information, see NHSEB’s 2022-2023 Rules Manual.