When you're using telepresence rooms it's important to have
an immersive experience. You want the best and most natural meeting experience
possible so your contacts, clients and employees can have a predictable
participatory discussion that is free from distractions. This includes the
design of the telepresence rooms, which must have excellent lighting and audio
components, meet recommended dimensions, adequate power, and HVAC requirements
as well.
Small distractions can build up when human beings are in
uncomfortable surroundings. You may even want to go so far as to include
certain colors on the walls, framed art, and pay special attention to the
fabrics and textures of the furniture and flooring as well. This gives the
telepresence rooms an overall look and feel that is in keeping with the
branding and image of your company.
When discussing important and critical business through
telepresence meetings face-to-face, the communication and interaction should be
as clear and natural as possible. This creates the greatest chance of overall
understanding of what has been discussed so everyone at the meeting is on the
same page. There are some elements of the room that should be in place that
will help with this seamless experience.
Make sure the room has been treated with the best acoustical
materials and architectural interior design. The lighting must be optimal for
reading and viewing video without being irritating to the eyes. When these
principle elements are applied it's called “room remediation.” The company that
provides the telepresence rooms should be able to tell you exactly what the
rooms include to make your meeting as distraction-free as possible. Having said
this, there should be room for flexibility as well.
Know if anyone attending the meeting has special needs of
any kind. Perhaps one of the attendees is physically challenged or has trouble
with their vision. Take these conditions into consideration. Something as
simple as incorrect or insufficient lighting can create poor video quality, which can be an interference.
Ultimately, you want everyone on both sides of the
telepresence meeting to feel like they are having a real face-to-face meeting.
This will engage everyone to a greater degree, which can only provide a higher
level of energy and creativity to the task at hand. Instead of feeling
inhibited by the sense that the more they move and talk the less will be heard
and understood, your participants can freely contribute.
Scientific studies show that as human beings we gain most of
our understanding and communication through physical cues and facial
expressions when we speak to each other. If you can't be in the same room for a
meeting, then finding the best telepresence rooms with the best equipment is the
next best thing.
There are a number of successful and meticulous companies
who offer this service. Make sure you check to see if they have rooms in areas
near where your participants can gather. If the participants need to travel too
long of a distance to get to the meeting, it can defeat the entire purpose of
why you set up the meeting via telepresence. Know where your people are and
where they can meet. It's good business.
