Make way for the interactive whiteboard! From omnipresent oversized paper tablets on easels, to whiteboards and markers, to on-screen sharing, the process of group presentations has not evolved that much over the past years. And while large screens for GoTo meetings certainly have their place, depending on purpose and group size, they are not always an adequate solution.
Enter the interactive whiteboard
Often called a digital smart board, the interactive whiteboard presents digital functionality and design that enable you to do so much more than just write out the points you’re trying to make. Smart board technology is changing the way people carry out meetings and presentations in every sector, from education to healthcare, manufacturing to banking, government to retail, and more.
According to a recent LinkedIn article, government initiatives for digital education, the advent of virtual classrooms, e-trainings and the conversion of traditional whiteboards into digital whiteboards have all contributed to the growth of the interactive smartboard industry.
These smart boards are packed with awesome features that will totally revolutionize your next staff meeting or presentation.
Meetings become collaborative
No more death by PowerPoint or scribbling notes and diagrams on paper in a one-sided conversation. The interactive whiteboard means everyone involved—in real life or virtually—can fully participate in the presentation, either through their own device or through a built-in access feature.
Participants can share files and directly edit them in real-time, giving your meetings a more collaborative, in-person feel. By the same token, you can also limit editing access to specific people, so that a group presentation doesn’t get out of hand.
Remote meeting attendees welcome
The dramatic work from home shift due to COVID-19 caused a leap in the demand for remote attendee access to presentations and shows every sign of having become the new normal. Interactive whiteboards are great for involving people who work from home—or across the globe.
With an interactive smart board, your attendees who are logging in remotely can share files with everyone, and even share the screen that you’re presenting to people meeting on their end.
At meeting’s end, you can easily print, email and share everything that was discussed.
Annotate documents and much more
An effective presentation of ideas highlights specific points of the topics under discussion, with ideas frequently coming up on the fly. A smart board facilitates a back-and-forth exchange of ideas with exciting options such as:
- annotating by hand directly on the board by any participants, with automatic transcribing into a font
- editing and highlighting particular phrases
- image-to-text conversion
- drawing out ideas on the spot for immediate visualization and discussion
Connect to everyone in the room
With the correct app installed on your cell phone or tablet, you can simply connect to the interactive whiteboard using WiFi. From there, you can load and edit documents, draw and annotate, as well as control the flow of the meeting right from your device. These apps are compatible with both Android and iOS, enhancing full participation.
No more markers or dry erasers
With an interactive whiteboard, there’s no need for a marker—you can just use the drawing tools or even your smart device app to make annotations. Most smart boards also work with touchscreen hand gestures.
Technology has changed how and where meetings can successfully take place, while the need to keep disparate workforces connected through interaction and the exchange of ideas and knowledge has never been more important. Interactive smart boards give us the best of working together in real life and virtually. Book a personalized demo and see how an interactive smart board can help your business!