Location, location, location!
Before you even switch on your computer – consider your setup. You might not be in an office boardroom or conference room, but you can still optimize your “meeting” environment.
- Find a quiet room or part of your house to set up your computer – a home office desk, dining table, or kitchen island works well.
- Make sure you don’t have any direct light shining from behind you – i.e. a window on a bright day – as this will make it hard to see you.
- Make sure your webcam is at eye level so the video call feels more natural.
Get the right technical setup
Whilst modern technology is incredible, it can still slip up at unexpected times – so prepare fully to have the best experience possible.
- Choose a video conferencing tool you’re comfortable with – Zoom, Skype, Cisco Webex, or Google Hangouts Meet are popular choices.
- Ensure participants have the correct link to join your meeting in advance, and are informed in case they need to install software to access it.
- Disable all desktop notifications or noises – we’ve all experienced how distracting they can be!
- If you’re the main host, instruct participants to mute their microphones if they’re not speaking.
Adapt your presentation for remote delivery
To make sure your meeting is inclusive and interactive, you’ll need to adapt your content and presentation style accordingly.
- Consider your presentation length and shorten if possible – include 5 minutes “contingency” time for unforeseen technical problems – for example, participants having connectivity issues
- Share a concise agenda with participants beforehand so they know a good time to ask questions or cover any other business
- Make time during your presentation for pauses and ask if anyone has questions or comments – this is especially important if you can’t see all participants
- Keep your audience engaged by adding interaction to your presentation – consider adding a few slides to your kahoot and ditch traditional slide deck altogether, or host a kahoot to wrap up when you’re finished presenting. We find that fewer slides means more engagement, but both approaches work well when you host via video conference.
- Don’t forget to follow up! Share your presentation afterwards to prompt feedback, and keep the conversation going.
Whether you’re new to remote work or a veteran, you can learn more on how Kahoot! can keep you connected over video conferencing, or enable self-paced learning in teams of any size.
