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Volume 2 Issue 11December 1998

TIPS on Videoconferencing

Effective Meetings Using Videoconferencing

Mary Shraeder Lasica
Education Advocate, Pacific Bell

Using videoconferencing for meetings can be as simple as one person calling another.

Videoconference meetings can decrease travel requirements, offer scheduling flexibility, and allow for more work time as a result. However, a meeting with many participants and a set agenda will require some planning to insure that it is successful.

The information presented here is a guide to the planning process, including the details that need to be considered prior to the meeting, tips for a successful videoconferencing meeting, and how to evaluate the meeting.

Some assumptions must be made: a needs assessment for the meeting has been completed, and it has been determined that videoconferencing is the best medium to use; parties at two separate sites each want the ability to see and hear the other site to discuss information and to reach consensus on certain issues; and each site involved has videoconferencing equipment that allows the participants to achieve the goals set for your meeting.

Most new videoconferencing users will be starting with a point-to-point videoconference, which allows just two sites to connect to each other. The technology is available for more than one site to connect, but multipoint conferences add a level of complication to the technology and to the communication between participants.

Multi-point conferences will be discussed in a future article in this newsletter. For more information about multi-point conferences, consult Pacific Bell’s Knowledge Network Explorer / Videoconferencing for Learning at http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/vidconf/multipoint.html .

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PLANNING

At most campuses, there are people who use the videoconferencing system and people who support that system. All of these people need to be involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the meeting. Here are some questions to ask during the planning process:

Location and Facilities

At most campuses, there are people who use the videoconferencing system and people who support that system. All of these people need to be involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the meeting. Here are some questions to ask during the planning process:

• Who is arranging to use the videoconference system?
• Is there a process for reserving the system?
• Does the room which houses the videoconference equipment need to be reserved separately?
• Approximately how many participants will be attending the meeting at each location?
• Does the arrangement of the rooms at each location meet any special needs?
• Can the rooms be rearranged to allow for maximum interaction of participants (will they be able to see, hear, be seen, and be heard)?
• Will technical assistance be available at each location on the day of the meeting?
• Will a document camera and a networked computer be attached to the videoconference equipment?

Agenda and Materials

• Who will plan the agenda?
• What materials need to be distributed during the meeting?
• When and how will they be distributed?
• Who will facilitate the meeting?
• Will the agenda be distributed prior to the meeting, along with expectations for the meeting?
• Who is entrusted with this distribution?

Technical and Videoconference Support

• Who will place the test call?
• When will that call be placed? (At first, one test call should be placed within two weeks of the initial planning session, to test the systems. Plan another test call the day before the meeting to test for sound and camera angles.)
• Which protocols will be used? (This is more important when planning a multi-point. However, if the videoconference involves just two people at each site, system support might recommend a call using less bandwidth to save long distance and other charges.)
• Is there a technical backup plan? (In case the call cannot be placed, is there a conference phone available in the room so that an audio-only conference may take place.
• Will a public address system need to be tied to the speaker so all participants may speak and hear.

Administrative

• Who will place the call the day of the videoconference? (The location placing the call is billed for all usage including long-distance charges.)
• Who will decide on the evaluation format and facilitate the process of evaluation?

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IMPLEMENTATION

Place a test call on the day before the video-conference. Check audio, video, lighting, and auxiliary equipment such as the document camera, computer, or any auxiliary microphones. Preview camera angles to make sure as many participants as possible are within the range of the camera.

On the meeting day, one location should call the other approximately thirty minutes prior to the meeting. This time allows for any technical issues to be addressed and helps participants to get used to the technology before the meeting begins. Have telephone numbers available for the videoconfer-ence units and the technical support at each campus.

Begin the meeting by introducing the facilitators or panel or all participants. Share the agenda. Also, introduce the technology in the first 15 minutes of the meeting. Meeting participants should all know the location of the camera, the range of camera view, where the microphone is, and any special protocols for communicating during the meeting.

For example, one of the meeting’s sites is in a large room, and there is only one microphone; the facilitator at the site should repeat the question before answering or asking for a response. If a smaller number of participants are present, the participant should be sure the camera is focused on him/her before asking the question. The participant can say I’d like to ask a question" and wait for the camera to move.

• Conduct the meeting.
• Evaluate the meeting (oral or written format).
• Wrap-up the meeting (take final questions and set the next meeting).
• Review action items, if any.
• Hang-up the call.

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EVALUATION

This is a very important step for using videoconferencing for effective meetings. If no evaluation is done, the technology and the process of communication will not be adapted to better meet the needs of the participants.

• Process the information from the evaluation and synthesize for distribution.
• Distribute the evaluation report to interested participants, planners, departments supporting videoconferencing, staff development offices, and the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.
• Meet with the planners and technical support personnel to debrief after the evaluation information is distributed. Address the issues identified in evaluation. Plan how you might incorporate solutions into future videoconferences.

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Videoconferencing is a useful tool that allows effective communication over great distances. Corporations have been using videoconferencing for years to reduce expenses and wear-and-tear on employees. This tool is now available to community college personnel across the state of California.

Next month’s feature will cover multi-point video-conferencing, from both a technical and communications perspective.

Contact:
Mary Schrader Lasica
Education Advocate, Pacific Bell
lasica@pacbell.net
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/vidconf