What to Look for in an Effective Online Meeting Platform
A well-organized platform for online meetings is essential to ensure an efficient and effective meeting. A platform must have features that allow participants to collaborate effectively in capturing thoughts and tasks and share them with remote team members. It should also offer tools for taking notes in real-time using a whiteboard, sharing notes and creating Kanban boards and mind maps to illustrate project progress. It is also crucial to take into consideration the ability to plan ahead and the reliability and availability of the platform.
The most well-known video conference platforms include Skype, Zoom, Webex and Google Hangouts. Google Hangouts, a free tool, provides instant messaging, video calling with up to ten people and collaborative document sharing. It can be used for video conferences, team meetings and webinars. It is compatible with Google apps and services, and offers HD streaming video as well as cloud-based recordings and screen sharing. Its interface is easy to use and simple but it’s prone to audio and visual display problems, buffering delays and dropped calls.
Other features that you should look for in a reliable online meeting software include the ability to create and manage a meeting agenda and to add participants. Some platforms allow you to drag and drop files into your virtual meeting room. This is great for UX designers who want to utilize their wireframing tools within the same virtual room, or software engineers that can offer a link to their code repository or a new feature. It is also recommended to look for a platform that allows you to easily access documents, applications and websites. This will allow team members to quickly access screenshots, notes from previous meetings, or bug trackers without having to leave the meeting.