Conducting Effective Web Conferences
There are many benefits to conducting meetings virtually including cost saving, better work life balance, the ability to record your meetings so it is available for those who would like to access it at a later date. But there are also potential pitfalls if you don’t take the necessary precautions. Let’s look at some best practices for web conferences.
1. Use meeting time for decision making and exchange of ideas rather than routine updates.
2. Web conferences should not exceed 90 minutes.
3. Check in with group regularly (every 10 min or every three slides)
4. Rotate roles, scribe, and time keeper.
5. Make it a habit to evaluate each meeting
6. Be assured at one point the technology will fail so always have a back-up plan.
7. Have a technology person on the call so you can focus on conducting the meeting and they can focus on any technical glitches that may happen
8. Ensure participants understand how to use the technology
9. Confirm that the technology you are using is appropriate for the meeting you are having
10. Enforce a “no-mute” rule during teleconference whenever possible (we know there are some exceptions)
