Web Conferencing 101

Writen by Richard Keir

First, a small disclaimer: No matter how you slice up conferencing solutions, the categories you use to group them are mutable and subject to instant revision. Combinations of various elements make some applications basically impossible to categorize. Depending on how you look at it mail lists are even a form of conferencing and so is email. Real-time versus asynchronous is even becoming blurred as text, audio and video merge in varying combinations.

That said and out of the way, lets look at some of the ways conferencing solutions are categorized.

1. Real-Time Conferencing. Real-time conferencing refers to synchronous communications such that the participants are concurrently virtually present and able to actively interact as if they were physically co-located. Some typical and common applications are instant messaging and interactive chat, participatory webinars, interactive webcasting, online interactive teleseminars.

Now these are primarily web-based, however the old-time telephone conference call is still widely used. Call-in teleseminars are also common. Today however, they are merging into web applications as VoIP services with gateways into landline telephone systems become widely available.

2. Video conferencing is generally considered separately because it is a far more bandwidth intensive activity. To achieve reasonably acceptable simultaneous live video and audio, you need serious bandwidth. And the more active participants involved the more serious the problem becomes. Internet chat services with webcams are one rather simple form of video conferencing that's quite popular for individual person-to-person links, but clearly not of sufficient quality to use for business purposes or for larger groups. Some video conferencing is one-way video with interactive audio. Others require high-speed networks or dedicated connections. High-end solutions may work well for large corporations because of the savings involved in reducing travel expenses and time lost from productive work.

3. Forums, message boards, bulletin boards and so forth. These are asynchronous forms of conferencing or discussion solutions. Even blogs and wikis may, at times fall into this category. Generally these are linear or threaded, topic centered meeting places with chronologically tagged sequential entries that make up a discussion. Some prefer the linear mode as being easier to use and follow while others insist that threaded tree-like structures often more scope and the ability to develop sub-topics integrated into the main topic. Whatever one's preference, these are excellent solutions given the nature of the evolving internet and the need for participation by persons in time zones spread across the world. Real-time communications can be a burden when day/night cycles are offset by large amounts. Forums, with their purpose centered focus can develop extensive and dedicated communities which can be a source of extremely valuable knowledge and experience.

4. Collaborative team- or group-based work environments. These kinds of solutions can also include on-line virtual classrooms in several forms. The most sophisticated of these solutions include both real-time and asynchronous modes with audio, video, messaging and conferencing built-in. While some of this software is in use over the internet (again, some collaborative workspaces have been developed based on blogging platforms and even forum software is sometimes used this way), the more resource intensive versions are generally used on dedicated networks and intranets with high bandwidth. Many of these applications are oriented more toward in-house corporate uses.

So, do you suppose this covers it all? Just those four areas reflect a huge growth of the available modalities for conferencing and meeting over only a few years ago. Remember the old landline conference call? Once it was a major deal to be able to add a third person to a phone call. Now you can spend months just researching available solutions.

And this really doesn't even touch systems such as desktop video conferencing, the extensions of phone conferencing and the interaction of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services with all forms of web conferencing. Attending teleseminars in foreign countries, once prohibitively expensive for many, is now an accessible alternative with low-priced VoIP gateway services that allow fixed price calls to any landline or mobile phone.

As internet service continues to increase in speed and decline in price, the utility of these kinds of conferencing solutions will continue to expand. The growth of the cybersphere and the elaboration of purpose driven and affinity communities on the internet will continue to drive the development and integration of conferencing and communication software and services. In a very real sense conferencing software is at the heart of the new realities that the explosive growth of internet usage in every corner of the world is creating. These are social applications and they are changing how people live, interact and view each other.

There is yet another form of widely used "conferencing" software which is rarely mentioned in this connection. Multi-user, real-time, online games of all types from role=playing to live gambling (play poker with your friends, live roulette, etc.). Some of these systems are highly sophisticated and a lot of people love them. Their attraction lies not only in the ability to vicariously be someone (or something) else or to do things that may not be available locally, but in the social interactions and the communities that develop. While surfing is pretty much an unsocial activity, people are social creatures and the popularity of all types of solutions offering interactive contact and a sense of community reinforces this.

Marketing use of audio conferencing in the form of teleseminars and pre-recorded audio streams have undergone tremendous growth in the last year alone. Bandwidth still limits the quality of the video that's often used with pre-recorded audio to fairly static material. But this is changing as compression and streaming technologies improve. The major breakthrough that's still to come is the technology to effectively and affordably do, first, one-way live high quality video and beyond that live interactive multi-way video over the internet. If it seems like a difficult, perhaps impossible task, think again about what's happened in the last five years. And the future is arriving faster all the time.

Copyright 2005 Richard Keir

Richard writes, teaches, trains and consults on business and professional presentations and eCommerce related matters. For more information on web conferencing, VoIP, conference calling and related subjects visit http://altaglobal.com - find more on wireless and cellular subjects at http://www.altaglobal.org and check http://www.altaglobal.net for networking and security.

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Eight Steps To Guarantee A Successful Video Or Web Conference

Writen by Dan Richmond

A successful video or web conference can really give a boost to your organization. Online conferencing is now connecting people in a way that was not possible in the pre-Internet era. However, as powerful a tool as online conferencing is, it works best when you prepare your conferences properly. Here are some steps that you can take to help guarantee that your next video or web conference is a great success.

1. Make sure each of your attendees has enough bandwidth at his or her location.

There is nothing more frustrating than trying to watch a video online when you just don't have enough bandwidth to get it all. If your participant doesn't have enough bandwidth there will be latency delays and he or she will not be able to enjoy the experience or participate properly. The amount of bandwidth that is required varies from system to system and also according to what features you will be using during the conference. Features such as video, audio, screen and application sharing have different requirements. Check with your vendor or provider to find out what the minimum bandwidth requirements are, and then make sure each of your locations does indeed have enough bandwidth.

2. Test your web cameras to see that they are working properly.

If video will be involved at any of the locations, make sure that the location has tested their camera to ensure that everything is working satisfactorily. Ideally, all cameras should be tested from within the video or web conferencing system that you will be using. A camera that is working fine in one application may work differently within another system. Check it in advance so that you will not have any surprises on the day of your conference.

3. Check your sound equipment in advance.

If VoIP (audio) is going to be used from within the meeting itself, make sure that all attendees have the right tools needed, whether these tools are microphones, headsets and speakers.

4. Supply your participants with proper access information in advance of the conference.

If audio will be conducted via an audio conference call, make sure all attendees have the access number to dial into and the PIN (Personal Identification Number) they will need to access the call.

5. Conduct a "trial-run" of your presentation prior to the conference date.

The presenters or leaders of the conference should practice in advance. If a presentation will be involved, make sure that whoever will be presenting any material has tested this part of the video or web conferencing system. The presentation that is to be used should be demonstrated to another party BEFORE the date of the actual meeting.

6. Supply web access information to your participants well in advance of the meeting.

Make sure that all of your participants know how to access the video and web "conference room". Send an e-mail "link" to each participant well in advance of the meeting so that they will be able to easily access the meeting when the appropriate day and time has arrived.

7. Get as much training as you can in the video or web conference system that you will be using.

The host should be very familiar and comfortable with the video or web conferencing system they are going to use. If training is offered by your vendor or provider, then take advantage of this in order to become more familiar with the system. Familiarity with the system will help you to host a flawless meeting or conference.

8. Conduct a test meeting prior to the big event.

Most importantly! Conduct a test meeting or two before the day of the "big" meeting. Tests will help you eliminate as many surprises as possible before you gather all of your attendees. A meeting free of technical glitches will go far to help you achieve the goals of your conference.

The key to a successful online conference, whether it be a web conference, a video conference or a combination of the two, is preparation, preparation and preparation. The more you prepare and the more you practice, the better your online meetings will be.

About The Author
Dan Richmond is CEO and Co-founder of MegaMeeting.com. MegaMeeting provides web conferencing and video conferencing services for individuals, businesses and educational institutions. For more information, or for a free live demonstration, please visit http://www.MegaMeeting.com or call (818) 783-4311.

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The Good And The Bad Of Virtual Meetings

Writen by Lonnie Pacelli

In today's "Global" environment more and more organizations are turning to virtual meetings to help people connect and more effectively get things done. Virtual meetings can be very powerful, but also can be a major detractor to doing business. When done well, virtual meetings can not only be a time saver but also can be a huge boon to the bottom line. When done poorly, though, virtual meetings can be a huge waste of time and a massive frustration to the attendees. Stick with the below goods and watch out for the not-so-goods:

When virtual meetings are good –

* Very cost-effective to get a large number of people together to hear a common message; whether they are across the hallway or across the world

* Tend to stay on time; you can better control pontificators or meeting hijackers taking over your meeting or diverting attention from the meetings focus

* They are easier to coordinate than physical meetings; no worrying about room size, setting up equipment, or supplying refreshments.

When virtual meetings aren't so good –

*Tend to lose interactivity; participants on a virtual meeting will not speak up as much as if there were a physical meeting

* No reading of body language; during physical meetings, you can both see and hear your participant and can better discern whether a participant is truly engaged and in agreement. During virtual meetings the visual connection is lost so gauging true acceptance is much more difficult.

* Unfamiliarity with technology; could be the technology works just fine, but the person running the meeting isn't familiar with the technology. Make sure either the meeting owner knows what he or she is doing or has someone physically with him or her who can drive the technology and make sure it all works well. And for Pete's sake, do a dry run first to raise any potential glitches prior to going live.

Lonnie Pacelli has over 20 years' experience with Accenture and Microsoft and is currently president of Leading on the Edge™ International. Lonnie's books include "The Project Management Advisor: 18 Major Project Screw-Ups and How to Cut Them Off at the Pass" and "The Truth About Getting Your Point Across". Get the books, leadership products, other articles, MP3 seminars and a free email mini seminar at http://www.leadingonedge.com

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Conference Call Services For Todays Business

Writen by Lee Dobbins

Today's business world is very diverse and many companies have employees as well as customers located all over the world. As you can imagine meeting with coworkers and clients can be time consuming and expensive if you are not located in the same area. Luckily, there are several types of conference call services options that you can use in order to effectively communicate without having to jump on a plane every time you want to meet.

Audio conferencing has been widely used for quite some time and is a cost effective way to hold a meeting with folks from around the globe. This type of conference call service uses the telephone and enables all the attendees of a meeting to hear each other in real time. People dial in to an open line and have a meeting much like they wood if they were physically located in the same room.

Video conferencing has been around for over a decade but has been mostly used by big companies due to the costs of the equipment. Today, however, costs have come down and this type of conferencing is available to even small business owners. A step up from audio conferencing, video conferencing involves the use of a camera and large television or monitor so not only can you hear each other, you can see each other as well. This works well for sharing visual info via a white board and is nice as it gives the team a more cohesive feel if they can see one another. Years ago I worked for a company that had two offices located about 1 hours drive away. We were in one office and our "sister" team in another. We had weekly meetings via video conference and it was a huge time saver not to have to drive for two hours just to attend a 1 hour meeting!

Web conferencing is a newer technology and makes use of the internet. People simply surf to a web site and the conference is held online. This is a great way to share files or visual aids and can be used in a power point presentation type of style. It can work well for training as well as for troubleshooting problems in software. Web conferencing has audio as well as visual and another technology that the others don't have - text messaging. In a web conference, attendees have the ability to send a text message - be it a question or comment and you can hold the text for later rather than interrupt your presentation.

While these new technologies open up doors for different ways of meeting, the age old business etiquette of holding a meeting still holds true - with a few new requirements. Here's some tips on how to hold a successful teleconference.

1. With teleconferencing, you need to be aware that your attendees might not all be in the same time zone. Therefore, you want to schedule the meeting for a time that is convenient for all. Whether you are holding an audio conference, video conference or web conference, you will need to schedule the media for the time you want the conference held. it's a good idea to give yourself some leeway and schedule extra time before and after the meeting. This gives you time to iron out any technical issues before hand and allows for some wiggle room if the meeting runs overtime.

2. Once you have scheduled the room, be sure to send an invite to the attendees with the appropriate information. For a video conference it might be the channel or just the room if you have a video conference room. For an audio conference you will need the phone number and password. For a web conference, you will need the web url and password and, depending on the type of conference call service you are using, perhaps a phone number to dial in to as well.

3. Be sure to try out the call ahead of time. Dial or surf in to be sure everything is working. You want to be there first so you can "greet" your attendees and make sure everyone is online before you start the meeting.

4. Audio conferences and web conferences have another factor - the noise factor. With people dialing in from all over the place you can get a lot of background noise. It's a good idea to ask everyone to mute the phone so the noise does not detract from the meeting. When it is their turn to speak, the can turn off the mute button.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.conference-call.minding-your-business.com where you can learn more about making a conference call and conference call etiquette.

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