VIDEOCONFERENCING BEST PRACTICES

Best Practices for Effective Videoconferencing

Videoconferencing allows people to communicate across long distances with video and audio contact, using videoconferencing technology. Conducting a videoconferencing event requires advance planning and coordination. This information below provides some guidelines for how best to prepare for a videoconferencing event.

Prior to the videoconferencing event

• Create a videoconferencing agenda.
• Since most videoconferencing events are restricted by time, it is a good idea to structure the agenda into smaller segments.
• Distribute the agenda to all participants before the date of the videoconferencing event. Be sure to include the videoconferencing date, time, time zone (if applicable), complete list of participants by location, and a videoconferencing contact name and phone number.
• Try to appoint a videoconferencing moderator for each location. The moderator will be able to assist the primary facilitator by monitoring the time, encouraging participation at their site, etc.
• Become familiar with the room you will be using for the videoconferencing event.
• Ensure in advance that the videoconferencing room you are scheduled to use has the necessary capabilities for any instructional media you plan to use for your presentation, i.e., PowerPoint, videos, etc. It is a good idea to test your materials in the room beforehand.
• If possible, do a dry run of your videoconferencing presentation.
• Provide participants with instructions to follow in the event of technical difficulties or a disconnection during the videoconferencing event.
• Always have a plan B in case there are problems with your videoconferencing presentation.

During the videoconferencing event

• Remind participants to use their microphones and identify themselves and their site before speaking during the videoconferencing event, e.g., "This is Sarah from Los Angeles, and my question is...."
• Also, remind videoconferencing participants to start their question or comment with the name of the person they are addressing.
• Encourage videoconferencing participation by calling on specific sites for comments or questions, e.g., “Los Angeles, do you have any comments or questions?"
• Avoid sudden movements during the videoconferencing event.
• If you will be walking around during your videoconferencing presentation, avoid walking fast.
• Look at the videoconferencing camera when talking to other sites. They will get the impression that you are talking to them.
• At the beginning of the videoconferencing meeting, introduce all participants.
• Keep in mind the entire room may not be visible by the videoconferencing camera; if necessary, you may want to announce when participants are entering or leaving the room.
• Use name cards (or tent cards) to show videoconferencing participants' and/or sites' names in large, bold characters.
• Have videoconferencing microphones positioned wherever necessary.
• If wearing a wireless videoconferencing microphone, try to avoid hitting your chest, coughing into the microphone, or rustling your hair or clothing.
• When speaking into the microphones, speak naturally. videoconferencing audio systems may be amplified.
• Avoid excessive shuffling of papers, side conversations, finger- or pen-tapping. To aid in this, put your videoconferencing microphone on mute when not talking.
• Try to be aware of silent participants. In general, during a multi-point videoconferencing event, a site may not be shown on the monitor unless someone at the site speaks.

What to wear to your videoconferencing event

Most videoconferencing cameras are low contrast and low resolution. For the cameras to be able to focus on your face and transmit as much detail of your facial expressions as possible, you may want to consider the following suggestions for what to wear on the day of your videoconferencing event.

• Avoid wearing all-white clothing. It reflects light, causing images around you to appear darker.
• Avoid wearing all-black clothing. Dark colors soak in light and make everything around you appear lighter.
• Avoid bulky clothing. It makes you appear bigger.
• Avoid any polka dots, fine stripes, plaids or fine designs. These cause a distracting shimmer. Pastels and muted colors tend to provide better images with video cameras. Some colors to consider wearing are pink, blue, green and fuchsia.
• Avoid big, shiny jewelry. It can cause reflections on the videoconferencing monitors.
• Avoid dangling jewelry. It can create unwanted sounds picked up by the videoconferencing microphone.

Videoconferencing options may vary by location.