Video conferencing

The development of video, audio and web conferencing now means it may not always be necessary to drive to a face to face meeting. Below is a brief overview of the facilities available and some techniques for using them.

Audio-conferencing

Facilities using standard commercial offerings are inexpensive and easy to access. Audio-conferences for up to three people can normally be arranged over standard call-plus services available on request from most telephone companies. Alternatively, free internet-based telephone conferencing services are available. Where more than three people are involved, telephone companies and other organisations can provide facilities for a fee.

Technically, audio-conferences are often limited to 20 speaking participants. However, additional participants who only need to listen to the proceedings can usually be added easily. From the point of view of effectiveness, conferences with more than ten people tend to be confusing.

Video-conferencing

This can be an extremely valuable technique for meetings that involve people who already know one another or for specialist uses (e.g. interviewing job candidates unable to travel to a face-to-face meeting). However, it is not yet widespread, except in large multinational companies where use is increasing as constraints on business travel have an impact and video-conferencing technology improves. The availability of broadband, which provides better technical quality, is promoting greater uptake.

Similarly, desktop video-conferencing facilities using webcams are available but not widely used due to speed and quality issues. Again, this is likely to change as broadband access and camera phone usage spreads. Corporate video-conferencing systems and bureau systems are also gaining ground.

Web-conferencing

The most widely-used form of web-conferencing is Microsoft’s® Netmeeting®. This is available free on the internet and is pre-installed on some pc machines.

Netmeeting® provides facilities for documents to be shared over the internet, including the viewing of text comments, and for control of the file to be handed from one person to another for editing, while a separate audio-conference takes place simultaneously. A number of commercial products provide similar facilities. These often include interfaces to shared electronic diaries which allow web meetings to be ‘booked’ online with colleagues.

Effective techniques

To get the best value from an audioconference you may wish to consider the following: 

• appoint an effective chairperson 
• circulate an agenda and supporting documentation in advance 
• remember: if decisions are needed, the smaller the group, the better 
• the chairperson should carry out introductions and provide ‘housekeeping’ notes (e.g. reminding everyone to identify themselves when speaking) 
• make sure participants are in a quiet place with low background noise, and avoid rustling papers and chewing 
• address participants by name and remember that they cannot see your expression 
• wait for your turn: try to avoid interrupting others 
• use round-robin techniques to gather feedback, or specify who you want comments from 
• if the decisions have major financial or legal implications, have the call recorded and transcribed