Was it a slow news day today or is this the meeting crisis of our time? The New York Times lead with the headline “We Have Met the Enemy and He Is PowerPoint” reporting on how military briefings about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been reduced to oversimplified bullet points and military leaders are spending hours preparing slide presentations. We have seen the same thing over the years in industry at large corporations where “armies” of personnel prepare endless slides to brief senior management. What The NY Times reports are getting lost in all of this are the nuances and complexities of the subject matter and discussion around a topic.
It strikes me that this is also happening in the world of web conferencing. As virtual meetings become more prevalent and necessary, there is a tendency to rely on standard web conferencing tools like GoToMeeting, LiveMeeting, Elluminate and Adobe ConnectPro, that emphasize the presentation component of a meeting – that is, defaulting to talking to those same PowerPoint presentations only this time online. As facilitators we have a lot to offer in both the in-person and virtual meeting environment to get away from PowerPoint and bullet points to an interactive and collaborative environment where challenging questions, rigorous debate and creative idea generation are the norm. This means attention to process as well as the software and web meeting tools that drive the meeting. We need to explore the full range of collaborative meeting tools available for brainstorming and idea generation, problem solving and consensus building and bring to them our expertise in facilitating interactive dialogue and critical thinking.
Posted by Julia Young, Facilitate.com
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16:09
Agreed. The focus is centered on the presentation portion but there is so much more to these tools. In our environment, we try to take advantage of the virtual white boarding/polling to brainstorm with experts from around the globe and keep sessions interactive. We share video as much as possible to create a virtual presence when presenting but also use it to the advantage of the presenter by allowing two way video that allows them to “read” the remote audiences reactions to topics or comments as something is being presented. Recording is also a key feature for our virtual meetings because it allows the presenter to review their work as well as audience members to partake if they were not able to participate in the meeting.
08:24
This is indeed a national crisis! It’s not only that the Powerpoint droning takes up the majority of the meeting, but the bulleted shorthand eliminates the nuance and context that would enter into play in interactive discussion. What’s the alternative? Send the Powerpoint presentation out ahead of time along with a couple of good reflective questions and spend meeting time engaged in creative thinking. FacilitatePro is an excellent example of meeting software that allows you to set up interactive discussions before, during or after the meeting. http://www.facilitate.com
05:47
Julia,
AMEN!
One of my recent soapbox statememts is this:
If a web tool REQUIRES PPT slides to operate, it is a “presenation” tool. If a web tool can fully operate without once ever using PowerPoint, it is a “collaboration” tool.
Yes, I am corporate shill for Elluminate, but I really believe that our suite allows people to do the DBPP if they need to or want to — but move well beyond DBPP into truly collaborative approaches to work products, teaching and learning, and yes, even “next gen” presentations.
Gary Dietz
Sr. Product Manager and bottle washer
Elluminate
gdietz@elluminate.com
12:38
Julia, I see PowerPoint as an easy to use tool that too many communicators rely on to lift a mediocre presentation. While mediocrity may be the main issue, it is difficult to ban mediocrity in an organization. My view is that by migrating towards interactive and collaborative tools an organization can set a higher standard and in the process create a culture that moves beyond PowerPoint. This is why I am a fan of alternatives to PowerPoint type presentation tools. FacilitatePro meeting software is one that is on our short list.
05:34
Julia…I agree! Recently, from two different clients I heard “thank god…no power point.” To me power point is a discussion of one to many. As a facilitator our role is to engage all individuals in meaningful conversation. Can’t be done when one person is speaking and others are trying to “examine” slides
14:40
I recently came across this super example of a different type of presentation. The topic is “Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us.”
Imagine a virtual meeting with a clear concise animated presentation of 10 minutes. Not only is the message clearly articulated it is beautifully drawn so that we are captivated as we listen. What a great way to start off a conversation and promote a conversation about rewards and incentives. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc&feature=player_embedded
07:05
Hi all, I agree This is indeed a national crisis! It’s not only that the Powerpoint droning takes up the majority of the meeting, but the bulleted shorthand eliminates the nuance and context that would enter into play in interactive discussion.FacilitatePro is an excellent example of meeting software that allows you to set up interactive discussions before, during or after the meeting. Thank you