VIDEO CONFERENCE

1. VIDEO CONFERENCE WHAT IS A VIDEO CONFERENCE?

2. A VIDEO CONFERENCE CAN BE DESCRIBED AS COMMUNICATION BY MEANS OF SOUND AND IMAGE • REQUIRES THE USE OF DATA NETWORK-IP OR TELECOMMUNICA-TIONS NETWORK • AS MANY AS FIVE PARTIES CAN BE CONNECTED SIMULTANEOUSLY

3. FOR MULTI PARTY CONNECTION, TWO ALTERNATIVES ARE AVAILABLE • THE IMAGE IS DIVIDED, EVERYBODY CAN BE SEEN IN THE PICTURE SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FIVE-PARTY CONNECTION, WHEN ONE’S OWN PICTURE CANNOT BE SEEN. • THE IMAGE IS GOVERNED BY SOUND, THE CAMERA FOCUSES ON THE PERSON TALKING

4. POINTS TO CONSIDER PRIOR TO THE VIDEO CONFERENCE • SET THE CAMERA POSITIONS IN ADVANCE • THE PARTICIPANTS SHOULD BE SEATED CLOSE TO EACH OTHER • WHEN TWO OR THREE PERSONS TAKE PART, ONE CAMERA POSITON MAY SUFFICE • WHEN SEVERAL PERSONS TAKE PART, THE CAMERA IS SET WITH TWO PERSONS IN EACH POSITION

5. THE VIDEO CONFERENCE • THE PERSON FACILITATING THE CONFERENCE AND THOSE WHO WILL SPEAK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ARE SEATED IN A CENTRAL POSITION AND PREFERABLY IN THE SAME PICTURE • START BY SHOWING A PICTURE OF ALL PARTICIPANTS • A SPECIALLY DESIGNATED PERSON SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CAMERA WHEN THERE ARE MANY PARTICIPANTS

6. INFORM THE FACILITATOR: • IF THE IMAGE IS NOT SATISFACTORY • IF THE CAMERA NEEDS ADJUSTMENT • IF THE ROOM IS TOO DARK OR TOO BRIGHT • ASK THE OTHER PARTY IF THE IMAGE THEY ARE RECEIVING IS SATISFACTORY

7. TEST THE SOUND PRIOR TO THE CONFERENCE • CHECK THAT EVERYBODY FINDS THE SOUND SATISFACTORY • CHECK THAT EVERYBODY CAN BE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR • AVOID ACOUSTIC FEEDBACK BY ADJUSTING THE LOUDSPEAKERS TO A SUITABLE SOUND LEVEL

8. FIND OUT HOW THE MICROPHONE WORKS AND HOW IT SHOULD BE POSITIONED • A PERSON WHO IS INCORRECTLY POSITIONED IN RELATION TO THE MICCROPHONE WILL NOT BE HEARD

9. AVOID MOVING THE MICROPHONE DURING THE MEETING • THE MICROPHONE IS SELF-CALIBRATING, WHICH MEANS THAT EACH TIME IT IS MOVED, THE SOUND QUALITY RECEIVED BY THE OTHER PARTY WILL BE IMPAIRED

10. AVOID DISRACTING NOISES • KEEP THE DOOR TO THE VIDEO CONFERENCING ROOM CLOSED • DISCONNECT THE TELEPHONES • PLACE DOCUMENTS IN THE CORRECT ORDER TO AVOID DISTURBING SOUND, E.G. RUSTLING OF PAPER • DO NOT MOVE THE CHAIRS DURING TRANSMISSION

11. THE PARTICIPANTS’ CLOTHES • AVOID RED, WHITE AND BLACK CLOTHES • SHARP COLOURS AND LARGE PATTERNS ARE ENHANCED IN VIDEO COMMUNICATION • THE BEST COLOURS ARE BLUE AND GREEN

12. THE LAYOUT OF THE ROOM • A WHITE OR PALE BACKGROUND MAKES THE TRANSMITTED IMAGES DARK • THIS CAN BE CORRECTED BY PLACING DRAPES ON THE WALLS THAT ARE FEATURED IN THE PICTURE • BLUE OR GREEN DRAPES ARE MOST SUITABLE

13. IF THE ROOM GIVES RISE TO A DISTURBING ECHO, THE DRAPES WILL ALSO HAVE A CUSHIONING EFFECT

14. STARTING A VIDEO CONFERENCE • THE FACILITATOR INTRODUCES HIM/HERSELF AND WELCOMES EVERYONE • THE FACILITATOR ASKS IF EVERYBODY CAN SEE AND HEAR SATISFACTORILY • THE FACILITATOR PRESENTS THE AGENDA AND ASKS IF THERE ARE ANY FURTHER ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED

15. CONDUCTING A VIDEO CONFERENCE • CREATE A DIOLOGUE INSTEAD OF A MONOLOGUE • ASK IF EVERYBODY CAN SEE AND HEAR SATISFACTORILY • WAIT A FEW SECONDS EXTRA BEFORE ANSWERING IN ORDER TO AVOID INTERRUPTING EACH OTHER

16. END THE VIDEO CONFERENCE • THE FACILITATOR BRIEFLY SUMMARISES THE CONTENT OF THE CONFERENCE • ASCERTAIN WHETHER THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL COMMENTS • THE FACILITATOR CONCLUDES THE CONFERENCE • THE PERSON WHO MADE THE VIDEO CONNECTION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DISCONNECTING IT

17. GOOD LUCK