Tips for Success
Here are some ways you can help ensure that you and your materials
have the effects you want -- and none that you don’t -- in
a videoconference. If you’re familiar with presenting on television,
you probably already know many of these tips. A similar set of guidelines
applies to both.
Preparing materials
Getting the room ready
Looking and sounding your best
Encouraging participation Preparing materials
Create visuals in a horizontal format with at least 1-inch margins
to provide a safe area for variation among video monitors. PowerPoint
slides are an optimal shape and size by default. In Microsoft Word
or other layout software, set the page orientation to horizontal
(or landscape) and the margins to 10 x 7.5 inches.
Use a basic sans-serif font (Arial, Helvetica,
or Verdana), with
a size of 36 or greater. (The thin parts of serif fonts such as
Times or Palatino tend to break up when viewed via videoconferencing).
Use black type with a light
blue background, or yellow type
with a dark blue background, for the best legibility. Avoid using
red type or color -- it appears to “bleed” on the
screen.
For the Cornell logo, the best options are the black
insignia/logotype on a white or light-colored
background, or the white
insignia/logotype on a black or dark-colored
background. The red insignia/logotype or red background does
not usually render well in a videoconference.
Limit each line of
text to 5-6 words, and each page to 5-6 lines.
Avoid using underlining or italics for emphasis. Plain text has
the best legibility.
Avoid animations (text in motion). Static images are displayed
more clearly and faster than moving images.
Do not embed video clips in PowerPoint -- they cannot be displayed.
Instead, show them with a video player such as QuickTime, RealPlayer,
or Windows Media Player.
If you’re delivering a lecture-type presentation or seminar,
plan to present about 25 percent less material than you would
in a traditional classroom.
Send copies of handouts to participants beforehand to help them
prepare and to be sure they can clearly see your materials.
Getting the room ready
Arrive well before your videoconference starts to test the videoconferencing
system and the interface to your laptop.
Minimize distracting glare and uneven lighting by pulling the
shades on windows and doors, and covering glass-framed wall hangings.
Make sure the room has adequate lighting, typically what would
be used for standard office work. If it’s too dark, the other
sites won’t be able to see you clearly.
Position equipment so that the video monitor is close to the
camera. This makes eye-to-eye contact with the other sites easier.
Label a tent-shaped card with your site’s name or location
(use bold, plain letters) and place it on the table in view
of the camera.
Connect to the remote sites before the scheduled start time.
Looking and sounding your best
Wear neutral, muted, or pastel solid colors. Avoid plaids, stripes,
polka dots, very bright colors, and the colors white or red—they
can cause distracting effects on screen.
Speak in a normal voice, with the microphone close to you whenever
possible.
Keep your microphone muted except when your site is presenting
or engaged in dialogue.
When your microphone is on, be careful with side conversations
and do not rustle papers or make tapping sounds near the microphone.
Any sounds you make will be heard by the other sites.
Look directly at the camera as often as possible. Imagine that
the remote sites are with you in the same room.
Be natural, but limit excess movement to avoid looking jerky
on screen. If you walk around while speaking, remain in a small
area and walk slowly.
Encouraging participation
Start the videoconference with a “meet and greet” --
having each site identify where they are and introduce themselves.
Depending on the number of participants, this can be a simple location
designation (“Cornell”) or a person-by-person introduction.
Before speaking, say your name and location (for example, “This
is Pat at Cornell.”) That helps the video equipment switch
to your site, and also helps other sites identify who is speaking
before video monitor catches up.
Direct your questions to a specific site, and preferably a specific
individual. Expect a few extra seconds of delay in getting an answer
because of the technology and distance involved (at minimum, un-muting
the microphone).
When answering questions, first repeat the question and say
who asked it, for example, “In response to Pat’s question
about how these additional resources will be applied…” Some
sites may not have heard the question clearly or been able to
tell who was speaking.
If you’re delivering a lecture-type presentation or seminar,
consider presenting your content in 15-minute chunks and
then interacting with the remote sites for 5 minutes, for example,
with questions and answers, or a problem-solving exercise.
CIT Audio/Video and Classroom Technologies Services Home
Audio/Video Streaming and Webcasting | Videoconferencing
Classroom Technology Database | Classroom Technology Consulting and Design
Last updated: April 10, 2006
Reformatted: May 16, 2007
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