Corporate Training Magazine

Taking Meetings Online
Vol 2 Issue 2- Mar 2006

By Nikki Hallensworth

ith improved online meeting technology, a growing number of users are turning to virtual meetings in place of conference calls, training and development seminars, and face-to-face meetings.

For the skeptics, let's look at the numbers. Research conducted by the National Business Travel Association revealed that the average business traveler will spend three years in flight, two years traveling to and from airports, 28 months waiting for flights (that are on time), 11 months waiting for connections and more than three months just searching for a parking spot. The resulting time and financial costs have many organizations looking at online options for a more effective approach for their meeting needs.

Take for example, Nortel Networks and their annual one-day conference, TechExpo. The conference brings together thousands of the companyŒs research and development employees around the world to share presentations and participate in demonstrations via webcast without anyone needing to travel. In 2004, CEO Bill Owens was in Los Angeles the day of TechExpo but was still able to speak to the company's global technology community via live streaming video.

But the benefits of web conferencing extend well beyond the travel time saved. The technology can also enhance meeting productivity, knowledge retention and more.

Focus
A recent survey showed that meeting participants were more focused at an online meeting held directly on their desktop than they were in a face-to-face meeting covering similar issues. This heightened focus can enhance engagement, increase knowledge retention and facilitate greater discussion and understanding.

Setup Time
While face-to-face meetings often require a great deal of lead time for plan- ning and coordination, ad hoc virtual meetings can be set up almost instantly. This is particularly valuable in times of crisis or when working with tight timelines. When issues arise that need addressing immediately, online meetings can bring together decision-makers quickly to determine a course of action.

Network Security
With the increasing threat of cyber- crime and the proliferation of computer viruses and spyware, companies are leery to allow for outside software to be downloaded and installed on their network or employees'' individual computers. With many of today's web conferencing options, there is no need to download software or applications to attend a meeting. Instead, the session is conducted via the Internet through web browsers and instant messaging software already on their computers.

Meeting Monitoring
An online meeting system can automatically notify the facilitator when attendees have logged in, ensuring that everyone is 'in attendance' before starting the meeting. It can also indicate if someone's Internet connection fails so that the mediator knows to pause while the individual logs back in. And with some online systems, the delay caused by a lost connection is eliminated. This is done by having users log back in at the point they timed out, and then increasing the display speed until they catch up. The meeting stays on track and on time without anyone being left behind or missing important details.

Visual Contact
Research indicates that 90% of communication is based on body language. Studies have also shown that eye contact is an integral part of communication. Web conferencing allows people to better understand the full message being communicated by reading the visual cues of the presenter and other attendees. Characteristics such as facial expression can be seen, allowing emotions to be imparted as well.

Interaction
In a meeting room setting, the facilitator has the ability to walk up to an attendee in order to address any problems or difficulties. This same capability is available in an electronic setting, offering the ability to demonstrate anything on your computer. Documents such as spreadsheets, text presentations, applications and multimedia (voice and video) presentations can all be shared in an online meeting and act in the same way as passing around printed hand- outs in a face-to-face setting. It's also possible to share applications and allow participants to control aspects of your conference session.

This principle also applies to the training environment, where an instructor can circulate manuals and instructions electronically during the workshop, either by opening a pop-up window or broadcasting their desktop to everyone attending the virtual session. Depending on the technology being used, it's even possible for the facilitator to take command of the delegate's computer to show them what they need to do.

Instant Polling and Virtual Discussions
Knowing that attendees understand the information being presented is key to any successful meeting or training session. Their feedback is a crucial component of ensuring retention and meeting effectiveness. Instant polling lets facilitators gather feedback and have delegates respond to questions based on the information presented to demonstrate understanding. Attendees can also let the instructor know their knowledge level on meeting topics so that the agenda schedule can be adjusted to give more time to the necessary topics.

The option is also available to establish breakout discussion groups within the session. This allows the main presentation to stay on track while delegates have a chance to discuss issues in more depth before coming back together with the entire group. Nikki Hallensworth is an Ontario-based communications consultant.