E-Meeting AccessWhat is E-Meeting Access?1. E-Meeting

Good morning. First of all, thank you for inviting me to talk about our electronic meetings system. I’ve got a handout to give you at the end. But please feel free to make notes.
    So, what is E-Meeting Access? Well, quite simply, it enables you to conduct meetings either face-to-face or remotely using networked computers. Now, you’re probably wondering "what’s the point of using computers"? Well, the point is that unlike traditional meetings, everyone gets the chance to contribute because they communicate through the keyboard. This means people can communicate openly with no fear of criticism. And believe me, that can make a big, big difference.
    So what are the key advantages of E-Meeting Access? Well, first of all, there is simultaneous input, meaning that everyone "talks" at once—although electronically, of course. This produces lots of contributions as the process draws on the creative energy of the whole team—not just individuals. Also, because ideas are submitted anonymously, people are free to "think the unthinkable". Now this may not sound like much, but believe me, it’s a fantastic way of promoting innovation within your company. It also means that all ideas are the property of the team—which is a great boost to team spirit. And each suggestion is evaluated on merit and not on feelings towards the person who came up with it. Imagine that. A meeting without any personal politics.
    With E-Meeting Access, ideas belong to the group. This means they are analysed objectively without personal feelings interfering with the way they are developed or rejected. Thus ideas are pro-cessed far more quickly than in traditional meetings. And with everyone getting involved at the same level, there is no domination of the proceedings by one or two strong characters. What’s more, because the meeting’s conducted on computers, everything is automatically recorded so there’s no need for a secretary to take notes or minutes. But of course, the real beauty of the system is that you don’t need to be in the same place—or even the same country—to hold the meeting!
    So, how does it work? Well, let’s look at some of the key features of E-Meeting Access. First of all, there’s the DrawingPad, which makes drawings produced during the meeting available to everyone else in the group. Pen passing and free-for-all drawings are also supported. Next we have FileShare, with this function, the distribution of documents among the team couldn’t be easier. Whether it’s a spreadsheet, report or graphic image, just drag it into the FileShare window and it’s accessible to the team. Thirdly, Consensus gives instant feedback on suggestions by using one of three voting methods. There’s the 10 Point Scale, Yes/No, and Agree/Disagree. Once more, all votes are anonymous so honesty is guaranteed. And finally, there’s Briefcase, which lets you access your favourite applications during the meeting. If you want to use things like your calculator, your calendar or notepad, simply drag them into the Briefcase and they will be available whenever you need them.
    Right, I’d now like to demonstrate just how the system works.