Planning Your Videoconference.
The manner in which a person makes a presentation is important both in face-to-face meetings and videoconference meetings. Listed on this page are some guidelines and presentation tips that will be helpful for your next videoconference.Setting Up Your Meeting
Appoint an overall Moderator for each participating site. The Moderator will invite the participants and confirm their attendance.Ensure that all meeting objectives, agendas and other pertinent meeting materials are distributed prior to the meeting commencing. All participants should arrive 10 - 15 minutes early; start and end your videoconferencing session on time. The Moderator will facilitate the identification and introduction of the participants of each site.
Controlling Sound
Noises that you may not notice in a personal meeting can become distracting in a videoconference. Avoid whispering to others or shuffling papers. Modern high quality microphones are designed to pick up even the softest voice and so while whispering may seem harmless, the parties on the other end of your videoconference may hear every word you speak. Avoid distracting with unnecessary noises such as tapping fingers, rings or pens on the table.Controlling Movement
Video systems are sensitive to motion and movements you make that may seem slight can be magnified depending on the framing of your position in the video window. Allow the viewer to concentrate on what you have to say and not on the movements that you make. If you do move substantially, do so when trying to emphasize a statement or key phrase as you speak. In this way, you can use the cameras to your advantage by allowing a key word or phrase to create a picture as well as a statement.Try not to move quickly with sudden spurts of action. Do not wave arms extensively when you gesture toward an object and avoid unnecessary movements such as rocking in a chair, moving side to side or pacing back and forth.
Speaking
Participating sites should be instructed to put their systems on "mute" during a presentation. When speaking use a comfortable speech rate and enunciate clearly while maintaining a moderate even voice level; speak with the same energy and conviction used for traditional presentations. Pause when you expect a response from the far end and wait until the far end speaker has completed talking before you resume speaking.Eye Contact
Eye to eye contact is important and videoconferencing systems are quite good at transmitting facial expressions including the line of your eyes.The camera is located above the monitor and this makes it unnecessary to look directly at the camera in order to look natural as you speak. Instead, look at the monitors that will be showing you the images of the other meeting participants and establish eye contact when speaking. Gesture as you would if the other parties were sitting right in front of you.
Managing Motion and Sound Delay
Meeting through a videoconference is very similar to a face-to-face meeting except some participants may be half-way around the world. This can cause some important differences in the way we interact.Most people tend to interrupt one another in meetings and we do this without even thinking about it. Videoconference meetings highlight interruptions especially when there is a slight delay between speakers due to the network connection. This usually happens when network connections are of slow speed and over long distances. Do your best to be patient while waiting to speak. Wait until a speaker is finished talking before you begin to speak.
Recommended Attire
Choose non-patterned clothing if possible; avoid wearing clothing with predominant patterns such as broad stripes or startling designs. Solid shades of blue or gray are usually best. These colours (depending on the background) bring out healthy skin tones.On a television monitor black and white clothing colours can also enhance the skin tones; however, if they contrast sharply with your skin tone it is usually best to wear a less contrasting colour. Similarly, try not to dress in colours that match your skin and hair tones. These will tend to wash out your natural colouration. Avoid wearing red, green and orange, especially in bright or bold shades. These colours can cause an unfriendly hue that is distracting to the viewer.
Avoid bright or reflective materials and jewellery that can reflect light and/or be visually noisy.