| Webconferencing: cost effective and green replacement for face-to-face meetings? |
ITU Live is brought to you by Adobe® Connect™.
To view the interview Flash® Player version 8 or higher is required. |
 Special offer for ITU Live viewers
A special webconferencing 'pilot' package is available for ITU Live viewers via Adobe partner, PGi.
A hosted Adobe Connect environment is available for just £4,501 for one year, giving your organisation 10 named organisers (that can each have unlimited meeting rooms capable of 'holding' up to 100 attendees) in an SSL secure environment to trial web and videoconferencing. Click here to email for further information. |
September 2010
Webconferencing: Sophisticated collaboration tool? Or cost effective and green replacement for face-to-face meetings?
- Dr Joel Smith, Head of Information Systems, The Food and Environment Research Agency
- Andy Jones, Senior Learning Consultant, Thomson Reuters
- William Cawthorne, Business Development Manager, Adobe Connect, Adobe UK
- Helen Olsen, Managing Editor, ITU and UKauthorITy.com
| Audience Live poll results: | |
|---|
| Can video and web conferencing technology help the public sector to cut meeting and travel costs? | Yes: 92% |
| Can video and web conferencing technology help the public sector to cut costs related to learning and development? | Yes: 100% |
| Can video and web conferencing technology help the public sector reduce its carbon footprint? | Yes: 100% |
| What is the main block to the use of video and web conferencing in your organisation? | Culture: 75% |
| Will video and web conferencing become more commonplace within the public sector over the next two years? | Yes: 89% |
Highlights from the interview include the following:
| Time | Description |
|---|
| 02.10 | Why did FERA use web and video conferencing? £30,000 worth of savings, for an annual outlay of £10,000 with a hosted service (via PGi). |
| 06.30 | How long has Thomson Reuters been using this? For eLearning? And for video / web conferencing? Virtual teams around the world, learning and working together - saving "a huge amount". |
| 11.20 | What costs are involved in setting up and running web and video conferencing? Hosted or In-house? Benefits of a low cost route via hosted / cloud services. |
| 14.24 | Bandwidth - what is the burden? Hosted vs In-house. |
| 15.40 | Added value from existing operations by adding video and web conferencing to the mix. |
| 16.20 | News ways of working and 'business as usual' - despite travel disruption or travel bans. |
| 17.50 | US Department of Defence - 5.3 million Adobe Connect users across the globe (300,000 at any one time) sharing knowledge on eg IEDs on the ground in Afghanistan and rolling out rapid/life saving training. |
| 21.50 | Best starting point? Start off with a hosted solution and grow - prove the solution, change behaviour and explore the possibilities. |
| 23.15 | Adobe's experience during the recession - travel restrictions and focus on using web and video conferencing to maintain contact and build relationships. "A 120% increase internally of Adobe Connect during the travel restrictions" turned in to "a continuing trend despite current relaxing of restrictions". A permanent change in travel and meeting habits. |
| 25:35 | How do you change culture so that people look first to web/video conferencing rather than face-to-face meetings? Different generations and the take up of new technologies; building on relationships, virtual teams and comfort zones - a mix of meeting alternatives. |
| 30:20 | Necessity for change. "There is no way in Thomson Reuters that we can always travel around the world." |
| 29:30 | How does the technology change the learning environment? From body language to interacting with the audience in different ways - involving the participants - requires a mind shift from traditional presentations. |
| 34:35 | Encouraging change: A gradual journey with external drivers (cost) will lead this to become 'business as usual'. Leadership, however, is essential. |
| 38:15 | Quality of user experience: The power of the technology and the quality of its use are key factors in encouraging uptake. |
| 40:30 | People like to travel! Physical travel and face to face meetings will never be replaced, but cutting costs essential, plus the technology gives added flexibility for mobile and flexible working. |
| 43:45 | Tools to track cost savings and carbon reduction from web and video conferencing: £6,500 savings from those viewing this webcast live compared to travelling to London to hear the interview today. |
| 45:50 | Panel's advice to the public sector - should they try this technology? "Yes, the return on investment, especially with a hosted solution, is rapid." "We need to think about doing things differently, this technology should be part of the toolkit..." "It is a tool for knowledge sharing, collaboration and communication." "It can change the way we work." |
For more information about appearing on, or sponsoring, ITU Live, contact Helen Olsen here.
