What software are you using for the timeline?
I used Excel but you could just as easily use a table in Word, or any other word processing/spreadsheet software. Another option is to use some type of project management software. I like to use ToodleDo.
How do you know that webinar is the best format for communicating a topic?
First figure out what you want to communicate and then see if the web conferencing software and format allows you to communicate your information in a meaningful way.
Does the event manager have responsibility for scheduling the weekly meetings?
Yes the event manager <producer> is responsible for getting everyone organized so that is inclusive of organizing your weekly meetings. Every organization is different though so if the person who is serving as the event producer isn't typically the person who would do this, the event producer should at least be overseeing this task.
Are you going to talk about facilitation online?
I am from the perspective of dealing with how to engage your participants in your webinar. Online facilitation is a large topic so if you have specific questions let me know and we can talk more offline.
Who is the timekeeper today?
Kathy Whitener is the timekeeper today. She and I are sitting in a conference room together and she flashes me sticky notes and hand signals. We worked out the details during our practices.
Must you use ppt, or can other software be used to develop the slides?
You can use any type of software to develop your ideas. As far as presenting them though, most of the web conferencing services require that you use PowerPoint if you want to be in the screen/tool view that you are seeing now. You can share other applications or web pages, you just needed to move the web conferencing software into a different mode and view.
Can you talk about strategies to engage and interact with participants?
I can and we will also cover this later. In short though you want to look at your content and figure out where you want feedback or Q&A periods. Don't worry so much about the fact you are online. Imagine yourself preparing for a face-to-face scenario. Once you've got that figured out, then take a look at the communication/interaction tools the web conferencing service offers and adapt. Ideally you want something at least every 5 minutes. You want to keep people engaged online. Also because you are online you need to be intentional about checking in with your attendees, because you can't see their facial expressions etc. to know if they are understanding you.
How long did it take you to become proficient in developing and presenting?
I began preparing for this webinar the end of August (about 6 weeks ago) and I then spent many hours practicing what I wanted to say. Practice is key.
Which computer does the moderator/timekeeper use?
They can either be at the host computer, or their own and logged in as a regular attendee. I had Kathy login as a regular attendee so that I can have a view of what's happening on an attendee's screen.
Can you do a webinar with just a presenter and no host?
You can do a webinar with one person, but in that case, the presenter and the host are the same person. The host is literally the computer in which you start the meeting on and the presenter is the person presenting the material, so the presenter could be the host, but I don't recommend it.
If the host is on one computer, then the speakers can be anywhere in the USA, right?
Yes that's right. I could start a meeting here in California and then I could designate someone in New York as the presenter.
So, if we talk to you, to answer questions, and nobody else hears us?
Your phones are muted, but anything you type in public chat is public and essentially "heard" by other attendees. I've chosen to rely upon the chat tool for communication, but if you are perfectly comfortable managing the phones, you can of course choose that path.
Any tips for people who haven’t scripted themselves before? People aren’t used to doing that.
I started out just literally writing out what I wanted to say. I then read it outloud and quickly found that my voice as a writer is significantly different from my voice as a presenter so I had to make a lot of changes. After I made a change I practiced again and repeated this process several times until I was 100% comfortable in my message and timing. A great suggestion from Katy.....if someone isn't comfortable just sitting down and writing, they could record what they want to say and then transcribe it.
What about using video clips?
I don't recommend showing a video from your computer because its such a bandwidth hog. Also, the video gets out of synch and playback varies per user based upon the speed of their internet connection. I also don't recommend that you use the video feature for the presenter....it take up a lot of bandwidth and it doesn't really enhance your presentation.
Are you using a ppt with your script on the notes section?
Yes. I created a PowerPoint and then for each slide I placed my script into the notes section. This is really helpful for practicing and figuring out your timing. Its also great for when you are presenting. I actually printed my PowerPoint so I have 1 page per slide and on that slide is my script. This is also a great thing to have in the event of a technical problem.
I guess the three options for interactivity are chat, polling, and white board. Are there others?
For the most part yes. Voice is another option. You'll want to try out the different web conferencing services to see which tools you like the best.
Seems important to acknowledge that there is cost in the personnel time to prep (even though other costs are saved by eliminating travel).
Absolutely! So often we hear about the free tools and services on the internet, but to effectively use them, we need to train ourselves on their use. Also, it important to note that as much, and of times more, planning goes into planning an online event as a face-to-face event. You'll save money by travel and potentially reach more people, but you are still putting in a good amount of effort.
How much does DimDim cost?
DimDim is free for up to 20 people. They do also offer a free teleconference service but its not a toll free number. So to avoid having my attendees pay a long distance fee I chose to use the SpecialQuest teleconference service because it offers a toll free number. I believe all of the web conferencing services I previously mentioned offer free (or at least dirt cheap) voice over IP (VOIP), that is sharing your voice through your computer's microphone and speakers. If possible, you try and avoid using VOIP.
I noticed that if you don’t cover questions, Kathy is backing you up and reminding you in the same office or do you have a private chat between host and presenter?
I'm glad you picked up on this. We are in the same office, but if we weren', I would be relying upon the private chat tool. We discussed a process for dealing with a flurry of questions during our practice sessions.
Couldn’t you unmute the phones for the last Q&A session?
I could, but the reason I like to use chat is because I can receive more questions through chat then I could through the phone. It also keeps things more orderly for me as the presenter. It would be difficult for me to monitor chat questions and questions coming in through the phone.
Translation issues?
As you can see, on this DimDim interface that there are number of places that are exclusive of my PowerPoint and chat where there is text and instructions written in english. You'll need to check with the different web conference services to see if they offer their service in a language other than english.