The Sophist, No. 5: Meeting in the Virtual World: A Look at the Benefits of Web Conferencing

Meeting in the Virtual World: A Look at the Benefits of Web Conferencing

Face-to-face, on-the-ground meetings are a staple of organizational life. But today organizations are increasingly using Web conferencing to offer online seminars, training, and one-to-one technical assistance. Innovative organizations are also hosting presentations for advocates and volunteers, providing briefings for field staff, and leading interactive team meetings via Web conferencing. Although economics (no need to travel) and convenience (all you need is a Internet-connected computer) are certainly drivers, Web conferencing offers another benefit not as often touted.

Unlike other technologies used to replace face-to-face meetings (telephone and e-mail, for example), Web conferencing allows for layered communication, combining the visual, the vocal, the aural, and the participatory. The different layers and forms of communication enabled by Web conferencing can appeal to different learning styles and promote more effective knowledge-sharing than other means of communication, like telephone or e-mail, that rely narrowly on a single type of interaction.

Because of its layered nature and the fact that it is a synchronous form of communication, Web conferencing offers organizations the ability to do much of what they could previously do only in face-to-face meetings.

How Does Web Conferencing Work

Participants join a conference set up by the meeting leader or presenter. While in the conference, participants can see a presenter’s PowerPoint slides, participate in Web tours and polls, and interact using the white board. Additional interactive features allow participants to raise hands, ask questions, and vote yes or no. Most importantly, a high-speed Internet connection is not needed for many Web conferencing services.

Also common are application-sharing features that allow trainers to provide one-to-one help on software and other applications. Some services offer voice-over-IP and video (talk and send video through the Internet), but many Web conferencing sessions are accompanied by an audio conference call.

Typical Web Conferencing Features

Slides and pictures
Present a slide show directly from a PowerPoint file, or load a folder of slides and images.

Whiteboard
Use drawing tools to mark up slides and pictures or to sketch out new ideas. Presenters can use a remote mouse pointer to guide the audience.

Web tour
The presenter guides participants on a Web tour and can ensure that all participants see the same Web pages at the same time.

Screen-casting and application-sharing
Presenters can broadcast any software application running on their PC (such as a proprietary database), complete with mouse movements. They can also share or take control of another person's application or desktop to provide assistance or work jointly on a spreadsheet. Features like these are great for small group training or one-to-one training.

Recording for playback
Record a meeting or training for future playback

Text chat
A group text chat board for text which is displayed to all participants and private chat, which enables users to communicate verbally or textually with the host or another participant.

Three Examples of Nonprofits Using Web Conferencing

Just like face-to-face meetings, Web conferencing is a very flexible communication tool that organizations can use in a variety of ways.

An advocacy organization is coordinating volunteers to host house parties in 12 different locations. The campaign coordinator holds a session to coach volunteers on key messages in their slide presentations, show maps to explain issues, and demonstrate the new advocacy section on the Web site.

A human services consortium needs to train staff on the new homeless information system. Using a combination of Web tours and application sharing, staff persons throughout the county are trained on a timely basis--without travel.

Instead of flying trainers across the country, a national nonprofit management organization leads online workshops to improve the way nonprofit and for-profit organizations work together. Presenters show PowerPoint slides, share Web pages, and lead exercises entirely over the Web to groups of distributed learners. In between conferencing sessions, participants use threaded discussions for further reflection and dialog.

The Cost

Web conferencing can be affordable for all types of organizations, and there are numerous options for buying conferencing services. Using an application service provider allows an organization to set up a conference or training session on the spot, on a pay-per-use basis. For example, Isoph offers usage of its conferencing service for $0.15 per minute (Isoph pricing).

Larger organizations can consider options that facilitate the use and control of conferencing across organizational departments and among numerous staff persons. Most corporate Web conference providers offer a subscription model, where an organization must purchase an annual contract and license a set number of seats to use at any time (for $50 to $100 per license per month). Nonprofits that provide workshops or services to the public may wish to purchase a custom-branded conferencing site and integrate with additional features such as discussion boards, surveys, and user tracking. Finally, organizations with a dedicated technical staff can buy and install their own Web conferencing software and servers.

Conclusion