Collaborative tools & methodologies for effective online meetings

September 22, 2023
By:  Ben Davidson

It seems that the Internet makes just about anything easier to accomplish these days, and online collaboration is no exception. Where only ten years ago it would have been necessary to fly here and there in order to meet with clients or colleagues, today you have the secure and inexpensive option of online meetings.

So you want to hold an online meeting, or maybe you’re just reading this to learn a few basics in case you need to hold one in the future. In either case, read on to learn about the two collaborative methodologies or tools that make it all possible.

Web collaboration tools or groupware

This collaborative methodology is used to supplement and prepare for live web meetings. Its primary function is to enable an organization the ability to collaborate (either long distance or within the building) with others asynchronously (not in real time) online. The service itself resides primarily on a 3rd party online server, with web-based tools on collaboration oriented websites allowing you to share information, organization, and applications with others. Here are a few possible examples of the tasks you might accomplish:

  • Manage online calendars, schedule events, etc.
  • Chart, discuss, and facilitate the progress of ongoing projects
  • Share and update various other documents, activities, and knowledge
  • Survey team members to gather project related data

Web collaboration software is often back end (i.e. information resides on the online server instead of the user’s computer), but can also be desktop enabled. This type of software is often called groupware, due to its collaborative nature.

Web conferencing and online presentations

For those occasions when the emphasis is somewhat more on a live, interactive visual presentation, web conferencing is the way to go. There’s likely to be a shared visual component, say a PowerPoint slide presentation. Here are a few other typical web conference features:

  • Application sharing to manipulate the featured document or data item
  • Screen sharing or remote desktop viewing
  • PowerPoint file conversion and storage
  • File sharing
  • Web co-browsing
  • Virtual whiteboards

Unlike its close relative web collaboration, web conferencing most likely occurs synchronously, with each participant at his or her computer, connected over the Internet. Screen sharing is a common feature, meaning the image on the presenter’s screen is displayed on the screens of the other participants. Communication between presenter and participants is usually handled via VoIP, so you’ll want a decent microphone, as well as a comfortable headset or speakers.

As quality video becomes more accessible, the web conference begins to closely resemble the video conference. Furthermore, some software is able to archive events for storage and future playback, freeing you up to focus on the events at hand without having to take notes.

Finally, web conferencing solutions are available as web-based services or purchased as licensed software products. Whatever their incarnation, web collaboration and web conferencing offer an inexpensive virtual solution to the often annoying need to travel and prepare for live web meetings. No more nametags and red-eye flights, or at least, a lot less than before!

About the Author
Ben Davidson is a successful freelance writer and contributor to Web-Conferencing-Zone.com.  Your definitive guide to web conferencing services, online collaboration software and web meetings for business.