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Shel Holtz
Communicating at the Intersection of Business and Technology
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Virtual panel discussion via Skype

Shel Holtz

I just wrapped up participating as a panelist at the monthly chapter meeting of IABC‘s chapter in Orlando, Florida. Also on the panel with me was Barbara Gibson, immediate past chair of IABC. Barb’s from London. I live in the San Francisco East Bay. We both participated on the panel without leaving our homes.

Not that this is an all-time first. I’ve done a talk from Intel’s Santa Clara headquarters to a group meeting in the company’s Oregon offices. I’ve participated via conference call and Skype. But this was the first time Skype video was used the way chapter member Patrick Grady set it up.

As members arrived for the meeting, they could wander over to two laptops, each running Skype. I was connected on one of the laptops, Barb on the other. During this social hour, we chatted with members just as we would had we been there in the flesh. We disconnected during lunch, then reconnected for the panel discussion, at which time Patrick switched the output from laptop to a couple of big screens. Barb and I could see the audience; they could see us. (Unfortunately, Barb and I couldn’t see each other, but we heard one another just fine. We chatted a bit by direct message over Twitter, though.)

Of course, the videoconferencing element of this cost nothing. The IABC chapter’s only expense was the Internet connection in the meeting room and whatever they may have spent on the TV monitors and speakers.

There are other ways they could have been done for roughly the same money: Oovoo, for example. But these days, I’d look long and hard at why I’d spend a bundle of money on teleconferencing costs when free tools do the job perfectly well.

01/06/10 | 2 Comments | Virtual panel discussion via Skype

Comments
  • 1.Shel -
    Thanks again for making this such a fantastic event. Members are still talking about it.

    I did want to point out... that I arranged for two separate WIFI connections, to ensure best possible reception. The connections are normally charged by day, but I negotiated as a long time user of the Citrus Club and they were happy to negotiate. My concern was that if I was on one WIFI, the bandwidth might choke at times.

    I have done this with Skype and my cell internet... and it works well, too (not AS well, mind you).

    A bit of advice to anyone considering this kind of thing:

    - One computer and internet connection per virtual speaker to allow for networking (that was a huge hit)... put them on a podium or high boy table as if they were there.

    - Quality external mics and speakers are a must (I like Snowball and Snowflake mikes... and any JBL or Bose speakers)

    - The BIGGEST thing, test it out in advance. Even thought it's a simple thing... relatively... you've got to run through the paces ON LOCATION real time in advance. So... get there early!

    I'd be happy to discuss with anyone interested... we've done some other variations on this, but the one-to-one interaction was a first (and lots of fun).

    Thanks, again, Shel! You and Barb were a HUGE hit!!!!

    Best
    Patrick

    Patrick Grady | January 2010 | Orlando, Florida

  • 2.Congratulations to Shel, Barbara, Patrick and all involved.

    A great way to leverage an IABC chapter's budget constraints and offer some innovative ideas to fellow communicators!

    Cyrus

    Cyrus Mavalwala | February 2010 | Toronto, Canada

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