At a time when every
business on earth is facing challenges due to the Covid-19 quarantine, having a
Virtual Conference is a great way to keep the ball rolling and keep your
company in the competitive game.
If while reading this you’re
thinking about another boring virtual staff meeting, think again. Participating
in a Virtual Conference is exciting, productive and stimulating for all
participants and delivers results that that may be iterative for years.
How does it work?
Conventional experience teaches
us that by getting “off campus” employees can brainstorm unencumbered by office
politics and workplace distractions.
However, instead of checking
into a 4-star hotel and banquet room, all participants are in remote locations,
i.e., their homes. The sponsor company saves on catering, airfare, lodgings and
miscellaneous expenses. In-person discussions are supplanted via online video
conferencing apps like Zoom, BlueJeans, Google Hangouts or Skype.
In many conferences, the
idea is more important than the execution. Emphasis is placed on thinking
outside the box and shooting for the moon. By contributing from home offices,
kitchen tables or easy chairs, teams experience a sense of ease and informality.
Sharing ideas feels safe.
Add an Artist Facilitator
to your event and you’ve increased your brainstorming possibilities.
Why would an Artist add
to my teams’ effectiveness? Simply put, the Artist is there to accelerate the
brainstorming.
The Artist (in these
cases also may be called a Graphic Facilitator, Illustrator, Info Graphics
Artist, Storyboard Artist) provides visual representations of the major themes
and discussions in ways that further stimulate team evaluation of the topics.
Friendly drawings, illustrations, info graphics, storyboards and even rough
sketches add an additional dimension to the main idea. Members contribute more
rapidly to advance the idea and clarify their message.
Progress/Results
Since the Artist
is often an outside participant and may be working with the team for the first
time, it’s normal that he should interject, interrupt or request
clarification as needed, which demands team members to clarify their thoughts
and direction.
All formats are up for
grabs in the virtual conference. The fluidity of processes makes presentation
formats fun and engaging for all. The contributing Artist brings an unexpected
thrill to participants, who are excited to see their ideas visualized as
illustrations, storyboards, info-graphics and cartoons. Presenters enjoy
holding the drawings in front of them while they make an informal presentation.
They may pin-up the work, make it available on a team site or in power point
decks for additional talking points.
Side Effects
As an Artist who has
joined many of these events – both on-site and virtually – I can honestly say I
was doubtful the virtual conference would captivate me. I was pleasantly
surprised. I was completely engaged and at ease with my team discussion and
proud of how much we accomplished in a short time.
On one occasion I crafted
a video using illustrations and motion graphics to present my team’s idea. The
client was so pleased they asked if I would record the voice-over narration for
the video so they might add a copy to their company library!
It’s not unusual for the
artist to share quick “side drawings” with the team – usually caricaturized
portraits. Team member have lively reactions, including “I can’t wait until you
draw me” or “Draw me while we are at lunch?” One thing I personally enjoy is
giving my team a souvenir illustration containing all the portraits. Assembling
everything on my home workstation is a breeze to share immediately, which would
be a different story in person.
You’ll find planning the
event is easier and requires less manpower than an on-site conference. The money
saved can easily be rerouted to contract an Artist for the event.
Plan It Now!
Don’t let the lockdown on
businesses hold your company hostage. Consider the power of Virtual Conferencing
for your next productivity event and brainstorm effort.
By including an Artist to
facilitate your Virtual Conference, you can heighten participant engagement,
get more for your money, and make a lasting impact on your company for years to
come.
