We often talk about all the advantages video has for remote teams with respect to increasing engagement in meetings, creating camaraderie, building trust… I could go on and on. But in today’s episode, I want to focus on some of the disadvantages of using video conferencing.
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This article is written by Lisette Sutherland on 28 August, 2017
Hello Lisette,
I’d like to add another challenge to your list of videoconference downsides I came across quite often:
Mixed meetings with partly local and partly remote participants can be very unsatisfying.
Well known is the problem that remote attendees can easily get out of the conversation, either because they are not heared or they cannot follow local chats.
Less often discussed is this problem: Many local participants stare at the monitor with the remote participants and focus on them, while ignoring local colleagues.
“A running TV catches always the attention.”
Afterward many complain, that the focus of the meeting layed mainly on the remote attendees. Though they were the ones ignoring everything that happened local.
A solution to this might be: If at least one person is on video call, EVERYONE sould be on video call.
(see Trello’s tip #3 https://blog.trello.com/6-mistakes-when-you-work-in-office-but-have-remote-team-members).
– Steffen, @stclj
What you describe is lack of skills in setting-up and facilitating blended meetins, not something set in stone 🙂 Some of my teams have ONLY blended meetings and both people in the room and people on screen regularly share positive feedback. Sometimes – because it’s thier turn – people on screen even facilitate that kind of blended meeting. It can work, but team and facilitators need to learn how to do it in a way that’s comfortable for all involved.
Good tips Lissete 🙂
Another tip: mix staring into screen with staring straight into webcam 🙂 That simulates eye to eye contact and improves human connection between people having on screen conversation.
Thank you! Great tip.
Hybrid meetings are tough! I agree that having everyone be on a video call is a good solution. If it’s only 1 or 2 remote participants, I would buy Kubi’s for them and have them attend via telepresence – https://www.revolverobotics.com/
I did a podcast about hybrid teams a while back. It doesn’t specifically address hybrid meetings, but it still might have some good tips: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/69-when-one-person-is-remote-the-whole-team-is-remote/
Which gets me thinking… hybrid meeting tips would be a great podcast episode!! Thanks for the idea – I will credit it you when it comes out. 🙂
Hello,
using a Kubi for remote participants seems a reasonable idea. This way they won’t enthrone on a big screen high above the others.
I guess in larger group the “Kubi Enhanced Audio Kit” might be necessary.
Does anybody know, what happens to Revolve Robotics? Since May Kubi is sold by Xandex.
Is Kubi still a product with a future?
– Steffen, @stclj
The company (Revolve Robotics) has wound down, but the manufacturer continues to produce and sell the Kubi. So the Kubi lives on!