Replies

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  Jo Cook September 12, 2018 at 9:58am

  Hi Elizabeth,

  Great question, and a really important one!

  Any platform you already have is a great place to start. It won't cost extra money and people might already be used to it for different things, such as meetings. 

  However when you get beyond just starting and the basics, the platform makes a huge difference. For instance, speaking with a client a while ago they postulated that they couldn't use live online programmes for a particular skills development programme as they usually had some paired-coaching activity. It turned out that their platform didn't allow for breakout rooms, so it was restrictive and therefore not allowing them to do the work that they wanted to. 

  Cisco WebEx

  WebEx Training Centre is a good next step for you as it will be similar to what you know from Meeting Centre. However it does look and functions differently at the moment as it hasn't had the same updates just yet that Meeting Centre has. It will give you more interactivity tools, such as the green ticks/red crosses rather than just a hand up. It will also offer polling, breakout rooms and other stuff too. It has some nice features and is relatively easy to use.

  If you have a relationship with Cisco/reseller already, this might not be too difficult. Personally I've had a horrific time getting anyone to sell me a WebEx license, but hopefully you won't have that same problem!

  The biggest draw back with WebEx Training Centre is the lack of PowerPoint animation support. You can read more about it in this post here: https://lightbulbmoment.community/groups/opencommunity/forum/webex-...

  Adobe Connect

  Adobe Connect is an awesome tool. It has some legacy issues and challenges with glitches and smoothness, but it's currently going through a massive upgrade and by the end of the year I think it will be a definite front runner once again. Read more on this post here - https://lightbulbmoment.community/groups/opencommunity/forum/adobe-...

  There are three key reasons I use and love Adobe Connect:

  1) Layouts - you can set up the layout of the screen however you want. Big slides, small slides, chat on left or right, two chats, video and chat etc etc. You decide how it looks. Within reason, other people see the same as you so it's easier to support people in where things are on the screen.

  2) Presenter only area - a back stage space for you to have things ready to go (slides, polls etc). More importantly, it's a great way when co-presenting to keep in touch with the other people. It's invaluable especially for webinars with speakers who aren't live online experts. 

  3) Ominpotent control - WebEx is great if you are the host AND have the presenter ball (to control slides etc). However in Connect you always have all the control. This is essential when your presenter/co-host isn't as up to speed as you. 

  Zoom

  This is a very poplar alternative to both of the above. It's realtively well priced, has some different types of licences for the kind of delivery you want to do, lots of options to turn on and off. It's quite easy to use too.

  There are a few things I like less about Zoom that with the other two. You share your slides rather than upload them. This is fine when it's one presenter, but if you have a host and a speaker, or multiple speakers, it becomes a barrier in smooth operation. 

  The whiteboard functionality isn't great as it's over the top of a screen share rather than on an individual slide. This makes it clunky I think. 

   

  I really hope that this helps! What are some specific thoughts and challenges and needs you have that can help with more advice?

  What do other people think - can you add or backup what I'm saying, or disagree with it completely!?

   

   

  

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