And if it is the way of the future, how do you maximise the value and outcomes?

Have you found yourself increasingly utilising on-line technologies at work. Web-enabled ways of working have kind of crept up on us. Tele / video conferences, webinars, chat windows, forums and discussion groups, even shared document drafting capabilities now seem “business as usual”. Not to mention on-line education and training.

We can work in ways hitherto thought impossible. In moments we can set up a schedule of meeting times on a web-site and invite people to advise appropriate time slots (automatically adjusted to different time zones). Responses come overnight as we can work with people around the globe. Using a tool such as Webex we can meet in cyber space – see each other, discuss different documents on the screen and even record the meeting for others to play in their own time.

It’s marvellous. It can save a fortune in travel expenses and time. Many people love the flexibility and convenience. But to maximise the value good planning is essential.

Earlier this year I facilitated the Board Meeting of an International Group. 60% of members were in the room the rest attended virtually. We had people calling in via teleconference and skype video (an all nighter from the USA) and at different times we also had chat and email coming in on different computers. It was extraordinary what we were able to do. Break out groups included virtual participants calling in via skype video. But it took a lot of planning and tremendous concentration on the day.

It really got me thinking ...  what works well when, how, why and with whom in this rapidly expanding meeting medium. How do we make sure we are offering the best value for clients when they are considering on-line meetings or programs?. I recently completed a 10 week course in on-line facilitation.  Apart from learning about a range of helpful tools, the course caused me to reflect a great deal on how virtual groups and teams function and what it means to facilitate a group when you are not face-to-face (or F2F if you want the latest jargon).

Here are just a few practical considerations when you are facilitating an on-line meeting.

• Firstly consider what is the best medium for the meeting. What are the pro’s and cons of on-line event versus face to face? What are the transparent and hidden costs of both?
• What type of meeting is it? Do you need a meeting chair or a facilitator (there is a difference).
• What is your organisation’s capability for on-line meetings and programs? Many larger organisations have restrictions on some of the key tools used for virtual meetings.
• How familiar are the people with working on-line? Will they be patient with the glitches that are still part of evolving technologies?
• Designing the agenda is just as important – maybe more so than for F2F meetings. Tele and video conferences require a great deal of concentration. Build in breaks and different types of activities.
• Consider a blended approach. On-line meeting interspersed with forums and emails where people can read and contribute in their own time.
• For a longer event or if a lot of things need to be worked through, consider breaking the meeting across a couple of days.
• Don’t waste too much valuable time on round table reporting. Consider using an on-line forum for reading and comments before the meeting.
• For a larger on-line meeting 2 facilitators may be needed (just as you would for a larger F2F meeting. One can be working with the group while the other concentrates on technological issues e.g. “pushing out” data and documents to participants or scribing on the virtual whiteboard.

Virtual meeting options are improving all the time. The technology is rapidly being refined. In a few years what we are using now will seem clunky. Some of the technologies e.g. Second Life have great potential but are currently not suitable for business environments.

Working on-line presents special challenges for the facilitator. The nuances of communication are concentrated into fewer mediums. Facial expressions and body language are missing or limited and in written forums we don’t even have voices to work with. It is so easy for people to be misunderstood. Questioning and clarifying techniques are even more important.

Although nothing takes the place of personal interaction, there may come a day when real-time meetings and events are a premium. In our fast-paced and efficiency-focused world on-line meetings and workshops work will increasing be the norm. Make sure you don’t compromise on the quality of interaction and results and employ the services of a skilled facilitator who has worked in on-line environments before. Sandy Schuman’s article What to look for in a facilitator is just as relevant for on-line as face-to-face group facilitation. http://www.iaf-world.org/i4a/pages/Index.cfm?pageid=3289

Contact me if you want to discuss your options in more detail.