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The Evolution of the E-Meeting June 2003 "Words are but the signs of ideas." Samuel Johnson, the 18th century author and lexicographer, was stating the obvious. Human creativity is a reflection of our ability to use the spoken, signed, pantomimed, and written word to convey concepts, thoughts, and even feelings. The invention of the telephone revolutionized the ability of the spoken word to travel great distances in short amounts of time. The Internet and its associated infrastructure have changed all forms of word power by creating more ways of transmitting and sharing words efficiently.
This new pervasive access to hearing, reading, and sharing words cuts the cycle times of refining the ideas that they create and improve. Now even groups like Alcoholics Anonymous can hold interactive online weekly meetings at anytime from anyplace and really make a difference. Still, for some the biggest challenge remains -- pre-scheduling of meetings instead of ad hoc use of the tools.
Katheryn Romley, VP of Marketing with VIACK Corporation, recently shared a different view -- the e-meeting. The product VIA3 provides "a real-time secure environment to expedite discussions on joint business documents, projects and tasks." Whereas Web-conferencing is a forum for communicating to a large audience at a specified time, e-meetings can facilitate, personalize, and even hasten decision making with its environment that encourages "spontaneous discussion."
Speaking with Katheryn provided me understanding that were substantive differences between the conferencing and collaboration products offered in the marketplace. She helped define some of the many decisions that we must make, before adopting one or more of the available solutions as our standard.
Commonality
Before discussing functional or application differences, we must all remember that each Web conferencing and e-meeting product is trying to address a universal goal -- reducing cost and increasing speed of communication without losing a personal touch. This is not replacing the human by posting a choreographed Powerpoint presentation on some Web site. Instead, we are humanizing that interaction from a distance. Primary costs that are being obviated may be travel and employee head count (by making a single person more available for "face-to-face" not travel time).
How would I use it? What should I use it for?
Defining the function of a likely choice is begins before feature criteria. In this step we must clarify expectations of use and environment. Knowing how it will be used will quickly reduce the field of vendors for some uses. Be worried if vendors are not asking and responding to the following questions.
Features
Now we are ready to discuss the specificity of functionality. Some less obvious elements to consider follow:
Competitive landscape
There are many solutions, each with unique twists and best matches besides VIACK. Microsoft purchased Placeware which can be purchased directly or through resellers like Accutel. Webex has marketed the presentation leveraging the celebrity brand of Lily Tomlin’s satiric routine of a Ma Bell operator. And do not forget to consider low cost alternatives like NetMeeting. Most solutions are outsourced even for the
largest users, but that too is likely to change over the next few years.
Online meeting and conferencing services will continue to become a more popular means of using words to create and improve ideas. Though still fairly immature, the potential cost savings justifies reviewing and analyzing this option in conjunction or instead of teleconferencing and videoconferencing strategies.
CHAIM YUDKOWSKY, CPA, CITP is Chief Information Officer at Textilease Corp., a uniform and first
aid services company serving the Southeast. He may be reached at 301-937-4555 or
cyudkowsky@ByteofSuccess.com. Chaim is available to speak to your group or business on a variety
of technology topics.
2003 SmartPros Ltd. All rights reserved.
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