Going Virtual: Tips for Training and Meeting Planners

Going Virtual:

Tips for Training and Meeting Planners

Even AT&T had to admit that virtual encounters are only "next-best" when compared to really "being there"; given unlimited dollars and times, hardly anyone would prefer a virtual meeting or training to a place-based engagement. But in these harsh economic times, gathering all meeting or training participants in the same location is increasingly a luxury beyond the means of many organizations and individuals. Given the choice between gathering virtually or not at all, most people will choose next-best over nothing.

Here are some tips to help you decide what place-based meetings and trainings are good candidates for virtualization.

  • The more "hands-on" a training or meeting is, the harder it is to conduct virtually. The most promising candidates for virtualization are trainings or meetings which involve discussion of concepts, plans, or information.
  • In planning for a virtual meeting, remember the classic kindergarten format of "show & tell." Support explanation and discussion with visual elements such as PowerPoint slides, recorded video, photos, etc. If your only option for visuals is showing "talking heads", consider introducing a second camera for alternate shots of the speaker or reaction shots from meeting/training participants.
  • Re-think issues of meeting/training length and frequency. A recent survey of public libraries indicated that the maximum acceptable length for a videoconference, webcast or webconference is two hours. On the other hand, there was overwhelming support for dividing virtual trainings or meetings into several sessions if necessary to adequately address the subject matter.
  • Virtual doesn't have to be all or nothing. If attending a place-based encounter is not possible for some of the participants, consider setting up a videoconference or audioconference link so they can participate. Just remember to treat them as you do all other members of the group in terms of acknowledgement and engagement opportunities.
  • Consider combining virtual meeting technologies. The Rural Initiative has been extending the reach of its videoconferences by webcasting them for the benefit of libraries without videoconferencing equipment.
  • If the cost of virtualizing a meeting or training is precluding you from doing so, consider asking attendees to help you defray these expenses. Participants in virtual engagement will avoid certain expenses related to travel and loss of productivity, and may be willing to help you underwrite the cost of setting up a virtual engagement since they are benefiting from the change in format.

Here are some tips to help you decide which virtual meeting technology to use:

Consider videoconferencing if:
  • Attendees can be gathered at five or six sites equipped with the appropriate technology. Adding additional sites may be problematic from a technology standpoint, and make moderation difficult
  • Training or meeting involves break-out sessions
  • Meeting leader or trainer is particularly engaging. Videoconferencing will allow those personality elements to come across more completely than other formats
  • Training or meeting will be very interactive and involve more than 6 - 8 attendees. Moderating highly interactive engagements of more than 6 - 8 persons can be difficult without the availability of visual cues.
  • Attendees have not met face-to-face, but success of engagement requires building a sense of trust and/or deciding/planning something. The visual familiarity made possible by videoconferencing can facilitate trust-building needed for any group to engage effectively as a team.
  • Engagement does not involve extensive sharing of web-based resources. Web pages can be hard to read on the TV monitors typically used for group videoconferencing.
Consider webcasting if:
  • You need to reach attendees located at many different locations.
  • Meeting or training involves primarily dissemination of information and responses to questions. Because interaction between the audience and the leader/trainer is via email or text chat, this format does not lend itself well to in-depth discussions among attendees.
  • Meeting leader or trainer is particularly engaging, and the encounter will be enhanced by allowing viewers to see the person as well as hear from him/her.
Consider webconferencing if:
  • You need to reach attendees located at many different locations.
  • Training or meeting will be very interactive and involves fewer than 6 - 8 attendees. It is difficult to monitor the audioconference portion of a webconference with more than 6 - 8 on the call.
  • Attendees have met face-to-face and/or have had prior experience working with one another. This lessens the need to establish visual familiarity in order for attendees to be comfortable interacting with one another.
  • You do not need to show live or recorded video or demonstrate use of equipment or other physical objects. You will be limited to PowerPoint and other computer applications in terms of visual support for your meeting or training.
  • Your attendees or trainees can access an audioconference while viewing the web on their computers. Participants with modem web access will need a second phone line for accessing the conference call.

Project Videonet is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. For more information, contact Dan Theobald, Project Videonet Manager, at 415-431-0329 or dtheobald@i2icom.com.