October 01, 2000
Meetings & Conventions: Planner's Portfolio October
2000

October 2000
PLANNER'S
PORTFOLIO:Checklist
BY MARTHA COOKE
CONDUCTING A VIDEO-CONFERENCE
The following checklist was compiled with the help of
Megan Kirst, president of Global Videoconferencing Solutions, Inc.,
12 South First St., Suite 306, San Jose, Calif.
95113.
DETERMINING NEEDS
Will the videoconference be point-to-point or multi-point?
Point-to-point is between two locations; multipoint is between
three or more locations.Can the videoconference be held on-site, or will a
videoconferencing facility have to be rented?If a multipoint videoconference is planned, does your facility
have a multipoint bridge? If not, an outside bridging provider will
be needed.What will the speed of the videoconference be? It is standard
to use three ISDN lines at a speed of 384 Kbps; however, some of
the older systems have a maximum of one ISDN line at 128 Kbps. The
faster the speed, the better the image.How many participants will be at each location? Ensure that all
participants will have adequate visibility and will be covered by
cameras and microphones.What support equipment will be needed? If any video or computer
presentations are scheduled, a computer scan convertor or VCR might
be needed.ADVANCE PREPARATIONS
What time will the videoconference occur? Many international
videoconferences occur at odd hours of the day and night. Offer
coffee if it is scheduled very early or late.Provide all participants with the conference agenda, including
the date, time and a complete list of participants.Provide participants with instructions or a contingency plan in
the event of technical difficulties.Consider using a facilitator to ensure full participation,
especially if the videoconference will be multipoint.Build in time for audience interaction, which will give the
meeting a more traditional feel.Advise participants not to wear flashy clothing or
jewelry.Distribute a contact sheet of participants and locations to all
involved.PREPARING THE ROOM AND EQUIPMENT
What type of equipment are remote sites using? Most domestic
videoconferences are conducted via an H.320 system.What are the ISDN numbers for the remote site or sites?Set up a test call a few days in advance to ensure
compatibility between local and remote sites and systems.Be sure video equipment is on and working 30 minutes before the
meeting is scheduled to begin.Adjust camera angles. Ideally, no more than 10 percent of the
picture should be above the participants’ heads.Close curtains and blinds to reduce glare.DURING THE MEETING
Introduce participants at all locations, and state the agenda
before beginning.Follow the agenda to maximize time- and cost-efficiency.Advise participants to address one another by name to avoid
confusion during interaction.To reduce background noise, put participants in a “listen-only”
mode when they are not speaking.Present information in short segments for better audience
retention and smoother Q&A sessions.Utilize colorful visual aids such as charts and graphs to
communicate key points.International connections might have slight delays in response
time. Time comments to avoid overlap and interruptions.AFTER THE MEETING
Distribute conference minutes to all participants.Make audio- or videotapes of the event available to
participants or those who could not attend.
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