VIDEO CONFERENCING BEST PRACTICES

Best Practices for Effective Video Conferencing

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

Prior to the video conferencing event

• Create a video conferencing agenda.
• Since most video conferencing 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 video conferencing event. Be sure to include the video conferencing date, time, time zone (if applicable), complete list of participants by location, and a video conferencing contact name and phone number.
• Try to appoint a video conferencing 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 video conferencing event.
• Ensure in advance that the video conferencing 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 video conferencing presentation.
• Provide participants with instructions to follow in the event of technical difficulties or a disconnection during the video conferencing event.
• Always have a plan B in case there are problems with your video conferencing presentation.

During the video conferencing event

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

What to wear to your video conferencing event

Most video conferencing 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 video conferencing 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 video conferencing monitors.
• Avoid dangling jewelry. It can create unwanted sounds picked up by the video conferencing microphone.

Video conferencing options may vary by location.