Why do people talk about collaboration so much nowadays? Is it just a temporary trend or a cultural change? What is the role of technology in this process?


There is a simple explanation for this trend: studies show that companies which are better at managing collaborations achieve superior financial results. Furthermore, you are more likely to innovate when you work as a team than when you work individually.


Jane Hammersley European Business Manager Collaboration Maverick


THE AUTHOR OF “BRILLIANT MEETINGS”, WITH EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN SALES, COACHING AND MANAGEMENT, COMBINED WITH IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF NEW AUDIOVISUAL TECHNOLOGIES, JANE JOINED MAVERICK IN 2012 WITH THE GOAL OF EXPANDING THE BUSINESS INTO THE COLLABORATIVE SECTOR.


THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN THE FIELD OF COLLABORATION


SUPPORTS JANE’S BELIEF THAT COMPANIES CAN IMPROVE THEIR EFFICIENCY AND PERFORMANCE BY HARNESSING THE POWER OF MEETINGS AND THE PROCESS OF EXCHANGING IDEAS


Obviously technology has a key role in this process because participants in a meeting are very often in different places. Collaboration is being redefined as the experience of people working together to develop collective solutions, even if they are in different locations or time zones.


Technology in meeting rooms is not a recent phenomenon. What is different about it now?


The most common way of collaborating remotely has long been video conferencing. However, initial users complained about bad experiences caused mainly by complicated systems and broadband problems. Making calls was a complex process and required a certain level of technical knowledge of the system to use it.


Now things have changed significantly. High definition video conferencing and increased use of video desktop solutions, such as Skype and WebEx, have ushered in a new era for video and participants really feel as if they are in the same place at the same time, improving the collaborative experience. This increased use and the changing attitude of users is encouraging companies to adopt video conferencing as they realise how the advantages could benefit them.


Do technological systems which improve interactivity between people represent an evolution in traditional video conferencing systems?


In the past, during meetings, a single information source was used, often a PowerPoint presentation which was shown, providing little opportunity to interact with other people and with the document itself.


Now, meetings are changing rapidly and often digital content is used which is more dynamic and allows a more active interaction between participants.


So technology can guarantee good collaboration?


Collaboration is an attitude, not a piece of technology. However, technology can support and facilitate different types of collaboration and foster an environment where individuals actively share ideas and information flows freely and dynamically.


All managers should seek to implement collaborative behaviour and think more strategically about the technologies which promote it.


MEETING & COLLABORATION SOLUTIONS. THE MAVERICK GUIDE >5


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36