Video conferencing has become an important way to communicate and collaborate. The following 5 tips can help transform your conference room into the best video conferencing space possible!
- Room Prep: An ideal conference room that will be used for video should have any interior or exterior windows. This can lead to lighting problems from sunlight and distractions of people walking by the conference room. If this is unavoidable, purchase cloth window coverings to help reduce glare and even out any lighting situations and angle the camera away from any windows.
- Camera Location: With a one-screen camera situation the camera should be placed above the screen and in the center. In a two-screen situation the camera should be located above and between the two screens. The displays should be placed at head-height (slightly above the conference table height) so eye contact is simulated.
- Mic Check: Ceiling microphones are the best option for a large video conferencing room as they pick up only voices and not the shuffling of paper and other movement that table-top microphones can. For a small video conferencing room, a table top mic or conference phone might be the only option which is still perfectly acceptable. Whatever your situation may be, try to use the ratio of 1 mic per 2 people.
- Furniture: Using chairs with lower backs makes it possible to see everyone in the room easier than using the traditional conference room chairs. Additionally, using an oval or round table allows everyone to be closer to the screen to “see and been seen” more than a long rectangular table. This also prevents people from having to lean in to speak into a microphone if there is a shortage.
- Data Collaboration: While many systems allow you to use data sharing on the same screen as the video, this actually eliminates the point of having a video call. A great solution is to mount a second display to allow for any data or visuals to be presented during the call without having to break “eye contact” with the caller.
