Once upon a time, the term virtual meeting invoked images of jerky video, out-of-sync audio, sky-high prices, and system crashes. Slowly but steadily, however, technology has been improving and prices falling. Then came the terrible events of September 11. In the months since, technology that links people electronically--for example, shared collaboration spaces, audio- and video-conferencing, and e-learning--has been gaining popularity, even among people who were critics just a short time ago.
Viewed in light of workers' reluctance to travel, such technology seems like the knight on the charging white steed come to rescue companies from the dilemma of how to continue with business, while understanding people's anxieties. Are we sure technology can rescue us? First, we must know how to use it effectively.
According to a recent survey by Development Dimensions International, in 2001 only 28 percent of its clients had led a virtual meeting. However, 100 percent said they expected to lead one or more in 2002.
Complexities abound, says DDI. Meeting participants may
* live in different time zones
* speak different languages
* receive materials in different formats (fax, computer file, and so forth)
* use different technologies to access the meeting
* be uncomfortable with virtual interactions.
Facilitators of virtual meetings must perform all of the same tasks required for an effective in-person meeting, but the electronic component heightens the importance of preparation, leadership, and follow-up. DDI offers checklists for each of those stages of virtual meetings at
www.ddiworld.com/inthenews/vmeetings.asp.
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