FREQUENT ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT WEBCONFERENCIN1

Transcription

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Elluminate FAQs – Version 9
FREQUENT ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT WEBCONFERENCING
USING ELLUMINATE LIVE!
General Questions About Webconferencing and Elluminate
What is Virtual Collaboration?
What is Webconferencing?
How Webconferencing Helps My Work?
What is Elluminate?
Which Communication And Collaboration Resources Are Provided by Elluminate?
What is Needed To Use Elluminate?
How Does Elluminate Relates To Other Forms of Communication and Collaboration?
How Does Elluminate Operates?
How Remote Computers Connect to the Elluminate Server?
For the Technically Minded: More on How a Client Computer Connects to the Server
What Skills Must One Have In Order To Use Elluminate?
Who Can Join an Elluminate Session?
Can I Join a Session From Home or From a Public Computer?
Questions About Equipment and Software
What Operating Systems Are Supported by Elluminate?
Are There Special Requirements for Users with MS Internet Explorer Version 7?
What Are the Minimum Systems Requirements to Run Elluminate?
What Bandwidth (Connection Speed) is Required By Elluminate?
What Should I Know About Audio Components (Sound Card, Microphone)?
How Do I Acquire a Microphone, Speakers, or a Headset?
Error Message "Audio System Error; If you continue, you will not be able to hear..."
USB Headset with Windows Vista
Can I Use a Video Camera (Webcam)?
How do I Test my Computer Microphone and Speakers?
My Microphone Does Not Work or the Sound is Distorted
How Do I Check the Status and Setup the Computer Audio Interface Card?
How do I Configure My Computer In Order To Use Elluminate?
Must I Install Any Software In My Computer?
What is Java 2 Runtime Environment 5.0 (J2SE 5)?
I Have Audio Problems After Updating to J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0
Are Elluminate Data Streams Encrypted?
When Attempting to Join a Session I Receive a “Connection Failed” Error Message
After Upgrading From Version 6.5 to Version 7 Found That I Can Not Login
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I Get a “CiceroUIWndFrame Application Error” in Windows Office 2003 Systems
Why Application Sharing Is Very Slow on a Windows Vista Computer?
Questions About Participation (Joining) in a Webconferencing Session
What Type of Participants Are There in an Elluminate Session?
How Do I Access the PAHO Elluminate Virtual Rooms?
Where Do I Get the Unique URL Required To Login To a Virtual Room?
How Do I Login As a Session Manager (Moderator) Participant?
How Do I Login As an Attendee Type of Participant?
I Will Be a Session Manager (Moderator). When Planning a Session What Should I Do?
How Do I Schedule a Session?
What Should a Session Manager (Moderator) Do When Starting a Session?
What Should a Session Manager (Moderator) Be Aware Of During a Session?
What Audio Issues Are Important for Session Managers (Moderators)?
What Should a Session Manager (Moderator) Do At The End Of a Session?
As a Session Manager (Moderator) What Instructions Should I Give to Participants at
the Beginning of a Session?
As a Session Attendee What Should I Do When Preparing for a Session?
As a Virtual Session Attendee What Should I Do When Joining a Session?
How To Invite And Manage Non-PAHO Attendees?
Questions About Organizing and Conducting a Virtual Meeting
How a Successful Meeting is Organized?
Which Are the Critical Issues To Be Considered When Organizing a Meeting?
How to Prepare and Follow a Meeting Agenda?
How to Conduct a Successful Virtual Meeting?
Which Are the Most Common Difficulties in Virtual Meetings From the Human
Communication Point of View?
How To Deliver Concise and Powerful Messages Through Visual Aids?
How To Take Advantage of a Multimedia Projector?
How do Build Visual Aids for Virtual Meetings?
Which are the Best Practices Regarding Text and Graphic Elements in Visual Aids?
Questions About Resources Available in a Webconferencing Session
How a Session Manager Deals with Unrecognized, Unwelcomed, or Intrusive
Attendees?
How To Conduct a Confidential (“Locked Door”) Session?
Can I Monitor the Activity of Other Participants During a Session?
When and How To Use The Simultaneous Speakers Feature?
I Have a High-speed Internet Connection But I Am Experiencing Slow Throughput
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How to Check and Adjust to Connectivity Problems When Using Video?
What Happens To the Audio Stream When My Connection is Slow or Momentarily
Interrupted?
What Happens If My Internet Connection Is Dropped?
How Do I Upload and Share a PowerPoint Presentation?
Is There a Tool to Convert Powerpoint Format Files to Whiteboard Format Files?
How to Save Whiteboard Screens?
How Do I Use The Direct Messaging Resource?
How Do I Create Breakout Rooms Linked to a Virtual Room?
How To Move People to a Breakout Room?
How to Automatically Distribute Participants To Specific Public Breakout Rooms
How Do I Return People From Breakout Rooms To the Main Room?
How Do I Close a Breakout Room?
Recording a Session
I Want To Know More -- Where Do I Find Information About Elluminate?
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1. What is Virtual Collaboration?
Virtual collaboration uses “mediated-communication” rather than face-to-face (FTF) encounters. The
principal modes are audioconference (AC), videoconference (VC), and computer-mediated
communication (CMC). They are increasingly being used for contacting experts not readily available
for FTF meetings, to improve response time, and to save money. Collaboration among geographically
dispersed participants is an interdependent activity and responsibility is shared for outcomes.
It is important to understand how the form of virtual collaboration, i.e., the communication medium,
influences group processes and outcomes—not only in obvious ways, such as timeliness, but with
respect to issues such as the quality of outcomes.
Most research in mediated communication focuses on comparing a given medium with FTF
communication or compares different media for specific tasks, such as negotiations. For instance, it is
known that the various communication media can have specific limitations and different costs, which
are often not evident to participants. However, these limitations can be avoided or mitigated by the
appropriate choice of communication medium for the tasks at hand and by adopting good practices
and aids.
2. What is Webconferencing?
Web-based conferencing or simply webconferencing is a form of networking and team work in virtual
environments that uses the public communication infrastructure of the World Wide Web (the Internet)
and widely implemented standards such as the TCP/IP protocol – the public domain standard by
which data are transported in the Internet global network.
Besides the communication infrastructure and resources of the Internet, webconferencing requires an
interface capable to connect to the Internet network – usually a computer and a account with an
Internet Service Provider (ISP). Thus, webconferencing relies on computer-mediated communication
to produce an outcome, such as a shared understanding, evaluation, strategy, recommendation,
decision, action plan, training or other product. Such interactive collaborations occur in “real”
(synchronous environment) as opposed to a “on demand” mode (asynchronous environment).
3. How Webconferencing Helps My Work?
Besides the obvious reduction in costs to attend face-to-face meetings, conduct telephone or satellite
audiovideo conferencing, network-centric interactions are characterized by increased information
sharing across multiple levels of traditional organizational levels.
Information sharing is made possible by networking the staff down to the individual level. They
depend upon the availability of information on the area being addressed and other relevant aspects of
the operational environment and on a technological infrastructure of interconnected computers.
Fundamental to network -centric interactivity is the notion that, with accurate and detailed information
being available, highly complex groups organize naturally and optimally from the bottom up. Such
bottom-up organization (“self-synchronization”) stands in stark contrast to what has historically and
traditionally been a highly centralized, top-down command and control approach used by top-level
managers to communicate linearly from the top down.
By enabling more extended self-synchronization, network -centric interactivity change the balance
between bottom-up initiative and top-down directive in favor of bottom-up initiative resulting in
dialogue, novel perspectives, and innovative recommendations and solutions.
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4. What is Elluminate?
Elluminate Live! Academic Edition Version 7 is a real-time Web-based virtual communication suite
primarily designed for collaboration, distance education, and as a communication tool for teams and
groups of professionals. With Elluminate Live! users can conduct real-time meetings, workshops,
training sessions, demonstration coaching, mentoring, and conduct collaborative work in an
environment that is powerful, flexible and easy to use.
5. Which Communication And Collaboration Resources Are Provided by Elluminate?
Elluminate Live! offers a set of programmed and configurable synchronous communication resources
with the following “out-of-the-box” services:
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Voice
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Instant messaging
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Presentation sharing
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Whiteboarding
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Video
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File transfer
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Simple polling
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Surveys
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Desktop and Application sharing
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Graphic calculator
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Session Recording
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Participant management
6. What is Needed To Use Elluminate?
A computer connected to the Internet public network (the Web) with a Web Browser and Java2SE
Runtime Environment installed (Java Web Start). You must also have a microphone and speakers
(ideally headphones with microphone) and the URL (“Web address”) needed to access a specific
virtual room.
7. How Does Elluminate Relates To Other Forms of Communication and Collaboration?
Since the 70’s, similarly to what have happened in other organizations, office procedures in PAHO
has been characterized by an increasing speed of communications. From the traditional mail (posted
or pouch) office communications moved to Teletype (Telex), now obsolete, evolved to Fax and with
the decrease of telecom tariffs to voice communication using telephone circuits.
The last 15 years have seen the appearance of a variety of computer-based and satellite
communications and the progression from one-to-one to one-to-many forms of exchanges. During the
last 5 years we have witnessed the development of Web-based communications that allows virtual
conferencing and workspaces involving many-to-many interrelations.
It is helpful to categorize PAHO’s communication and collaboration resources into two groups:
asynchronous and synchronous resources. The former are tools the users exploit at a time of their
own choice (“user elected time”), of which the traditional mail and electronic mail are examples -- the
latter are those that require that the persons communicating are connected at the same time (“real
time”), of which face-to-face ore telephone conferencing are examples (Fig. 1).
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In this context, Elluminate can be described as a “communication suite” that includes components
that are present as single functions in many products such as Voice over IP, Instant Messaging,
Presentation Sharing, Video, File Transfer, and Desktop and Application Sharing.
Fig 1. Communication and Collaboration Resources in PAHO
8. How Does Elluminate Operates?
The Elluminate Live! Application software resides in a server – a specialized computer connected to
the Web and responsible for running the software and controlling connected client computers -- all
user computers connected to the server using the Web public network. There is no application
program installed in the client computer, however, a special program called Java Web Start must be
present (installed) on the remote (client) user computer before connection to Elluminate Live!.
9. How Remote Computers Connects to the Elluminate Server?
When a user enters the appropriate link (URL) to the Elluminate server in a web browser, and his/her
computer has the Java Web Start already installed, after the connection is established the link
downloads a small file called Java Network Launching Protocol (JNLP) that contains the information
necessary to connect the client computer to an Elluminate Live! session.
Next, the Java Web Start program launches, reads the information in the JNLP file, ensures that the
proper Java Resource (JAR) files are in place, and makes the connection to the Elluminate Live!
Server Fig. 2).
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Fig. 2 Client (remote) users connect to the server via public networks
10. For the Technically Minded: More on How a Client Computer Connects to the Server
Elluminate Live! connects on one of two ports on the client computer – 2187 or 80. Access through
either port to the server is required to make a connection to an Elluminate Live! session.
Communication is established through a proprietary protocol called the Collaborative Communication
Framework (CCF), which is layered on a TCP transport protocol and the data traffic is conducted
through the Internet public network . Three important points:
Only authorized clients may connect to an Elluminate Live! Server
The connection is always initiated from the client
After connection, only the Elluminate Live! server may send data to the client
11. What Skills Must One Have In Order To Use Elluminate?
To start using Elluminate Live! users must:
Be familiar with the features and basic operations of Elluminate
Be aware of the minimum systems requirements recommended for running an Elluminate
Live! session
Know how to download and install Java Web Start on your computer, if not already installed.
Know how to connect, setup, and test the audio components (microphone and speakers)
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Know how to setup the connectivity speed for the computer.
Know how to join an Elluminate Live! session.
How to use the graphic interface resources during a session.
12. What Operating Systems Are Supported by Elluminate?
Elluminate runs under Linux Operating System, Mac OS X and JDS (Java Web Start is pre-installed
and automatically updated), Mac OS 9.1 and 9.2 (requires download of WebLauncher version 2.0 or
higher. You must also have Macintosh Runtime for Java (MRJ) 2.2.5 or higher installed on your
machine. If it is not, the WebLauncher installer should direct you to the correct download page on
Apple’s web site), and Solaris 9 and 10 (Java Web Start can be downloaded from Sun Java’s Web
page).
13. Who Can Join an Elluminate Session?
Staff and invited external professionals may join an Elluminate session. Every session must start with
a PAHO staff as Session Manager. As external participants generally do not have access to the
PAHO SharePoint Portal, instructions and URLs for joining a session must be e-mailed to those
participants in advance.
14. What Bandwidth (Connection Speed) is Required By Elluminate?
Elluminate is optimized for low bandwidth environments. Individual bandwidth management ensures
that all elements are always in synchronization, regardless of Internet connection speed or quality.
Recommended 28 Kbps and above. Be aware that with dial-up connections the use of video may
cause the system to malfunction.
15. Can I Join a Session From Home or From a Public Computer?
Users can join an Elluminate session from any wired and wireless (WiFi) Internet-connected computer
with a Web Browser and Java Web Start installed. However, be aware that when using public
computers, such as those in Internet Cafés, you may not have the administrative privilege required to
install the Java Web Start program if it is not yet installed. Remember that you must have a
microphone, speakers and a properly configured audio interface card to be able to use the voice
(Voice over IP = VoIP) component of Elluminate.
16. Are Elluminate Data Streams Encrypted?
Data streams from a session use SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), a protocol for transmitting private
documents via the Internet. SSL uses a cryptographic system that uses two keys to encrypt data.
Both Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer support SSL. By convention, URLs that require an
SSL connection start with https:// instead of http://
17. What Are the Minimum Systems Requirements to Run Elluminate?
Before configuring Elluminate Live!, users must ensure that the computer being used is able to
support the needs of the collaboration environment.
For IBM compatible computer using Windows operating system, the hardware/software should meet
or exceed the following minimum requirements:
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Windows 98/ME/2000/XP
Pentium III 500 MHz processor
128 MB of RAM
Hard drive with 20 MB free disk space
Sound card
Speakers and microphone -- for a better audio signal, use an external microphone and
external speakers or headset
Minimum 28.8 Kbps Internet connection real throughput
A Web Browser (ex.: Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, etc.
Java Web Start (Java Runtime)
18. What Should I Know About Audio Components (Sound Card, Microphone)?
You must have the microphone and speakers properly connected to the computer audio interface and
tested to be sure the sound components are working properly. We learned that a good quality
microphone prevents distorted sound – avoid the use of built-in motherboard speakers or
microphone. In noisy environments a good headset with microphone is recommended.
It is essential to have installed the latest drivers, a type of component -specific software, for the
computer audio interface (called also an Audio or Sound Card). You can find links to the relevant files
at the hardware manufacturer support Web page. Proper audio drivers solve many audio problems
encountered by users.
Attention! Be aware that common PC microphones do not work in a Mac microphone jack and USB
microphones are required.
19. How Do I Acquire a Microphone, Speakers, or a Headset?
Most desktop systems come with external speakers. Laptops have low quality internal speakers and
some have poor quality build-in microphones. We learned that you should use a good quality
microphone to avoid distorted sound – avoid the use of built-in motherboard speakers or microphone.
It is recommended that a good quality omnidirectional desk microphone be purchased – it can be
used with desktop and laptop computers. However, it is highly recommended that users acquire a
headset (headphones and microphone) – with a headset one will have better sound quality, minimize
room background noise, and avoid disturbing neighboring workers with sound coming from the
speaker system.
PC Microphones, speakers, and headsets can be purchase from computer equipment outlets
(representative examples are Micro Center, CompUSA, Best Buy, and Circuit City). Desktop
microphones of acceptable quality cost from US$8.00 to US$20.00 (representative examples: Cyber
Acoustic CVL-1064, Altec Lansing ABM100!, Altec Lansing ABM200, Audio-Technica ATR 70C). The
price of headsets is related to the quality of components but for US$ 15.00 to US$ 45.00 one can
purchase acceptable equipment (representative examples are: Altec Lansing AHS202I, Altec Lansing
AHS515, Microinnovations MM750H, Logitech part #980369-0403). For an USB headset a good
equipment is the Logitech USB 250 – part #980356-0403
20. Can I Use a Video Camera (Webcam)?
Yes, but remember that full-motion video uses a significant portion of bandwidth and may drastically
degrade the quality of sound and response time.
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Most cameras use the high-speed USB interface. Equipment quality and image resolution are
important issues when selecting a computer camera and the price for a good camera is arounf US$
90.00. Installation and testing of the camera must be done by following the instructions of the
manufacturer’s manual. This usually involves installation of special drivers provided with the camera.
The following computer video cameras were tested and found to work with Elluminate:
Logitech®: Orbit, QuickCam® Pro 4000 and 5000, QuickCam® Messenger, and QuickCam®
Express, QuickCam® for Notebooks Pro
Creative NX Ultra, Creative WebCam Pro eX
Kensington VideoCAMs
TeleMax WC10 USB PC Camera
Nexxtech USB Web Camera
Global Media K2, Global Media KX
Micro Innovations IC400C
If a camera is being acquired we recommend the Logitech® QuickCam® Pro 5000
21. How do I Test my Computer Microphone and Speakers?
Connect you speakers and microphone or headset, with or without integrated microphone, to the
computer. ATTENTION! Frequently users connect those to wrong jacks, usually they are color coded
(pink for microphone and green for speaker).
You are now ready to test your audio configuration. First test your speakers – to do so, open any
audio playback application (e.g., Windows Media Player) and play any sound file and adjust the
sound level as required. Next you must test your microphone – go to
Start>Programs>Accessories>Entertainment and on the drop-down menu select Sound Recorder
(Fig. 3).
Fig. 3
Press the record button and speak on the microphone, you should see changes in the
frequency/amplitude display (the green line on a black background). If the line remains flat it means
that there is no sound being captured and recorded. Verify if the microphone is plugged in correctly. If
sound appears to have being recorded, click the Stop button and then hit the Play button. You should
hear your recording. You can Rewind and play again. If needed you can adjust the sound level of the
speakers by turning the volume knob on the device or by increasing the gain in the speaker properties
by hovering the mouse over the speaker icon in the tray at the bottom right of the screen and holding
down the left mouse button for a few seconds – a sliding control labeled “Volume” will be displayed.
Use your mouse to adjust the gain to the proper level.
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22. My Microphone Does Not Work or the Sound is Distorted
A microphone not working can be caused by different possibilities:
(a) Not connected properly - Verify that the microphone is correctly connected to the computer. The
microphone must usually be connected to the back of the computer into the microphone jack. In
laptops, the jack is usually on the side. ATTENTION! Frequently users connect the microphone to the
wrong jack, usually they are color coded (pink for microphone and green for speaker).
(b) Issue with microphone - If the microphone is correctly connected to the computer, ensure that you
have a working microphone by using it in other machines
(c) Sound drivers not setup properly - If the microphone is correctly connected to the back of the
computer and no issues have been found to be physically wrong with the microphone, verify that the
sound card is properly setup in your Operating System.
(d) Poor sound quality - If you experience static noise or irregular audio playback, try the following
(assuming that installing the latest drivers do not fix the problems): Click on Start, Settings, then
Control Panel. Open Sound, Video and Game Controllers and select the Audio tab, select the
Advanced button for Sound Playbak and for Sound Recoring and go to the Performance tab. Move
the Hardware acceleration slider to the 2nd notch to the left (Basic Acceleration) or to zero (No
Acceleration).
With Windows 2000, you can optimize your sound card's quality for your speaker setup, so that if you
are using headphones or desktop speakers, your audio will sound as crisp as possible. To optimize
sound quality for your Windows 2000 speaker setup, in the Advanced Audio Properties window, click
the Speakers tab. Finally, underneath the Speaker Setup text, a pull-down will appear. Choose the
speaker setup listed that most closely reflects your environment, then click OK to close the dialog
boxes.
23. How Do I Check the Status and Setup the Computer Audio Interface Card?
Regardless of which soundcard is installed there are some settings which are common to all of them.
The description that follows applies to Windows 2000.
Volume control – you not already installed, you must install some form of volume control on your
machine. If the soundcard’s drivers don’t come with one then (a rather usual situation) install Volume
control via Add/Remove Windows Components (Windows Setup) in Add/Remove programs. This is
rarely necessary in most situations.
Next you will check the status of and then configure your sound hardware. Click the Start button and
go to the Settings>Control Panel menu, then click on System. The System Properties window will
open. Click on the Harware tab and in the Device manager section click the button Device Manager.
Open the Sound, Video and Game Controllers by clicking the box with the “+” sign. You will see a
listing of devices, which may be the same or different of the ones listed in the Fig. 4.
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Fig 4. Sound, Video, and Game devices
Click each one of the installed devices and, in the General tab, in the Device Status section be sure
that the message displayed indicates that the device is working properly. If an error message is
displayed you should contact the System Administrator at your Office or Center for assistance.
ATTENTION! IF NOT A COMPUTER EXPERT DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CHANGE THE
PROPERTIES OF THE CODECS OR DRIVERS.
Next, click the Start button and go to the Settings>Control Panel menu, then click on Sounds and
Multimedia. On the Sounds tab and in the Sound Volume section, be sure that the box “Show volume
control on the taskbar” is checked. Slide the volume to mid scale (Fig. 5). Go to the Audio tab (Fig. 6).
On the Sound Playback section you should see the name of the soundcard installed. Click on the
volume control, the option should not be muted.
Fig. 5
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Fig. 6
There is an Advanced option, that depending on the characteristics of the sound card allow for Tone
Control and speaker setup. You must refer to the documentation of your computer for details on how
to set some of those options. In the Sound Playback section click the button Advanced (Fig 6). On the
tab Speakers, select the speaker setup appropriate for your computer. Next click on the Performance
tab. Here you will set how audio is played. Start with the default configuration by clicking on the button
Restore Defaults. If you find later to have problems with your audio you may come back to this
window and change the hardware acceleration level to None. This may solve the problem
encountered in some systems. In the Sound Recording section, click on the button volume. This will
open a window with sliding selectors – the Recording Control window (Fig 7).
Fig. 7
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The Microphone section Recording Control should have the Select box checked and the sliding
selector should not be at the zero level. In the Sound Playback section click the button Advanced (Fig
6). The Performance tab will be displayed. Here you will set how audio is played. Start with the default
configuration by clicking on the button Restore Defaults. If you find later to have problems with your
audio you may come back to this window and change the hardware acceleration level to None. This
may solve the problem encountered in some systems.
Finally in the Audio tab (Fig.6) check the box “Use only preferred devices” in the left lower corner.
Next, click on the Hardware tab. A list of installed devices will be displayed, the first being the the
soundcard (Fig. 8). In the Device Properties section note if the message “This device is working
properly” is displayed. Clicking the button Properties will again display the status of the device (Fig. 9)
and in this window, in the Device usage section, be sure that the option selected is “Use this device
(enable)”.
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
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Finally go to the tab Resources (Fig. 10) and in the Conflict device list section be sure that the
message “No Conflicts”is displayed.
Fig. 10
NOTE FOR USERS WITH OTHER VERSIONS OF WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM:
If you have Windows XP installed there are different names and interactive screens. For users
running Windows 9x/Me only, the following applies: via the Windows Setup tab in the Add/Remove
programs applet in the Control Panel, ensure sure that you have Audio compression installed in
Windows 9x/Me.
24. How do I Configure My Computer In Order To Use Elluminate?
Below are the steps that you will need to follow in order to attend an Elluminate Live! session. It is
recommended that you follow these steps in advance of your first session.
Ensure that you are at the computer on which you will attend your Elluminate Live! session,
and that is it connected to the Internet.
Ensure that you have microphone and speaker or a headset with a microphone and speakers
to take full advantage of the audio capabilities during the session.
Ensure that you have administrator privileges to your computer and can install software if it is
not already done. If you are unsure, please contact your system administrator.
Step One: Installing Java Web Start
(a) Go to the following Web page: http://www.elluminate.com/support/ to the “First Time
Users” section - this page will indicate if you have Java Web Start installed. If you do not,
click on the button provide to install Java Web Start
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(b) Click Yes if you see a security warning that asks “Do you want to install and run…Java
Plug-in…”. When you see the License Agreement, click “I accept the terms in the license
agreement” and click Next.
(c) Select the Typical installation. When the installation is finished, Java Web Start is ready
for use
Step Two: Installing and Testing Elluminate
(a) Go to the following Web page: http://www.elluminate.com/support/ to the “First Time
Users” section. Click on the button labeled Join Configuration Room
(b) Enter your first name on the sign in page.
(c) During the installation you may see a security warning that states “This application is
requesting unrestricted access to your local machine and network.” Click Start.
(d) You may see a License Agreement. Click on I Agree.
(e) Once you are in the Configuration Session, follow the directions displayed on the
whiteboard. When complete, choose Exit from the File menu. Congratulations, you have
installed and configured Elluminate Live! and can now join any future session without
further configuration.
If you would like to know more about Elluminate Live!, you can access several resources for first time
users as well as further details about the installation and answers at
http://www.elluminate.com/support.
25. Must I Install Any Software In My Computer?
Besides having an Internet browser installed, Java Web Start is required to launch an Elluminate Live!
session. Java Web Start is a framework developed by Sun Microsystems which allows Java
applications to be started directly from the Internet using a web browser. Java Web Start provides a
series of classes in the javax.jnlp package which provide various services to applications. Most of
these services are designed around the idea of allowing carefully controlled access to resources,
such as files and the system clipboard, while restricting the application to authorized operations.
The installation of Java WebStart is a one-time process that does not need to be repeated. The
download can take up to 40 minutes on a 28.8K modem (or less depending on the speed of your
Internet connection). Please ensure that you allow sufficient time to complete the download and
installation before your first session.
The link to the required software is available from the Elluminate website at
http://elluminate.com/support/; from Sun Microsystems at http://java.com/; and from PAHO’s
Elluminate SharePoint Page at http://portal.paho.org/sites/Elluminate/FDefault.aspx
26. What Type of Participants Are There in an Elluminate Session?
There are two types of participants in an Elluminate session:
Session Manager (also called Moderator)
Attendees
Only a Session Manager (Moderator) has full access to Elluminate functionalities. Note that the name
Moderator used here refers to the technical (Elluminate control) moderation function of a session -- a
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session may have a Chairperson that may or not be also a Moderator, responsible for managing the
session.
The following rules apply to any Elluminate session:
ALWAYS start session as a Session Manager (Moderator), i.e. the FIRST participant must
always be a Session Manager. This is required in order to have, from the start, a participant
with full access to the functionalities of Elluminate.
Every session must start with a Session Manager (Moderator) that is a PAHO STAFF!
More than one participant can afterwards login as Moderator, but those have some
restrictions regarding functionalites
A Session Manager (Moderator) can give and remove Moderator permissions to any Atendee
at anytime during a session
Attendees can be internal or external professionals
27. How Do I Access the PAHO Elluminate Virtual Rooms?
At this time, there are ten (10) virtual rooms configured for meetings and available to all PAHO staff
and to invited external professionals. Eventually this number may change. One can compare the
virtual rooms to physical “brick and mortar” meeting spaces to which the same rules of room
utilization, scheduling, and etiquette will apply. PAHO virtual meeting rooms are of two types:
UNSCHEDULED (5 rooms) – those virtual meeting spaces are always available on a firstcome first-served basis. They can be equated to physical rooms that have their doors always
open and, if no other user is conducting a meeting there, free for anyone that wants to
conduct a meeting.
SCHEDULED (5 rooms) – those virtual meeting spaces require booking. They can be
equated to physical rooms which use must be scheduled in advance. Scheduling calendars
for each room will be found in the PAHO Portal SharePoint Elluminate site.
Each virtual room, Unscheduled or Scheduled, has two (2) URLs – one URL for participants that will
login as Session Manager (Moderator) and another URL for participants that will login as Attendee.
Those URLs are changed every few months for security reasons.
To login to a PAHO Elluminate vi rtual room the user must have the appropriate URL (one for
Moderator and another for Attendee) for that room. NOT USING THE UNIQUE URLS FOR EACH
ROOM WILL PREVENT PROPER LOGIN.
28. Where Do I Get the Unique URL Required To Login To a Virtual Room?
The URLs required by participants to join a session, one for Session Manager (Moderator) and one
for Attendees, are accessed at the PAHO Portal SharePoint Elluminate site at
http://portal.paho.org/sites/Elluminate/Tab4.aspx
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29. How Do I Login As a Session Manager (Moderator) Participant?
login as Session Manager (Moderator) and another URL for participants that will login as Attendee.
To login to a PAHO Elluminate virtual room as SESSION MANAGER (MODERATOR) the user must
have the appropriate Moderator URL for each virtual room, found as a link in the page
http://portal.paho.org/sites/Elluminate/Tab4.aspx . NOT USING THE UNIQUE URLS FOR EACH
ROOM WILL PREVENT PROPER LOGIN.
30. How Do I Login As an Attendee Type of Participant?
login as Session Manager (Moderato) and another URL for participants that will login as Attendee.
To login to a PAHO Elluminate virtual room AS ATTENDEE, the user must have the appropriate URL
for each virtual room, found as a link in the page http://portal.paho.org/sites/Elluminate/Tab4.aspx
. NOT USING THE UNIQUE URLS FOR EACH ROOM WILL PREVENT PROPER LOGIN.
31. I Will Be a Session Manager (Moderator). When Planning a Session What Should I Do?
(A) Preparing the Content - Before you sit down to deliver an Elluminate Live! session, you
need to think about the content you want to deliver as well as how you plan to deliver it. The
following issues are pertinent to a successful virtual session:
(a) Design content and create presentations to include interactivity and variety to engage all
types of learners (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.). Make sure you provide opportunities for
participants to interact and collaborate with each other as well as with the material.
(b) Make sure the content you create is easy to see. Keep background templates simple so that
they don't distract from the content you want to share. It's usually a good idea to avoid
gradient colors in the background.
(c) Use a font type and size that is easy to read. Usually no smaller than a 12 point standard font
such as Arial or Verdana should be used. Avoid serif type fonts.
(d) Use visuals whenever possible especially for complex processes or procedures.
(e) Avoid slide after slide of bulleted lists. Transform bulleted lists into graphical representations,
lists of questions, polls, and quizzes.
(f) Identify multimedia files you wish to include in your session.
(g) Create quizzes or surveys to use during your session.
(h) Create customized Clip Art collections in order to load images easily during the session.
(i) If you have never managed an Elluminate session before, you should take some time to
familiarize yourself with the features and functionality of the service and allow yourself to get
comfortable with this new collaboration and presentation delivery tool.
(j) Practice before leading your first session! You should be comfortable with the content you are
delivering as well as with the tool. Invite co-workers to your practice sessions to make the
sessions more realistic. Practice using the tools you intend to use during the session.
(k) Practice with two computers – one with you as the moderator and another logged in as a
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participant. As you work with your presentation, look at the participant computer to see what
they are seeing.
(l) Don’t try to use all the resources in your first session. Get comfortable with Elluminate basic
features and add resources over time.
(m) Record your practice sessions and review your work.
(n) If not fully comfortable with the tool, and specially if a large meeting is being planned, plan to
deliver your session with a co-moderator. This person can assist you in the presentation,
respond to text messages, and conduct sound checks with participants. Make sure you work
with the co-moderator to identify who will perform which activities.
(o) Identify a space that is comfortable and quiet with no distractions.
(B) Administrative Issues
(a) Unless the meeting is an ad hoc session conducted in a non-schedule virtual room, you must
schedule your meeting using the SharePoint Calendar Webpart for each scheduled virtual
room.
(b) Prepare a communication, to be send by electronic mail to participants, at least one day
ahead of the session, containing the following: agenda; virtual room booked for the session, if
required (as is the case with external participants, the URL needed for Attendees to join in;
tentative list of participants, participant roles laying out exactly what you expect of your
participants; and eventual instructions including attachments of short instructional material on
the use of Elluminate.
(c) For first-time users, it is helpful to take some time to conduct test sessions a few days in
advance of the real session with two or more participants. Set up a time, for example an hour
or two, when new participants can call in and someone walks them through accessing the
session, checking their audio, and the basics of the interface. In this way, new participants
will attend your first session prepared to engage, rather than apprehensive over the new
technology. Include activities such as testing connections, audio components, and participant
comfort with tool (functioning of audio components, talk button, hand raising, and rules of
order). This will go a long way to avoid problems during the session with users that are still
not proficient with main features of the tool.
32. How Do I Schedule a Session?
(a) Go to the SharePoint Elluminate site and click on the “Rooms/Salas” tab or navigate directly
to it by pointing your browser to http://portal.paho.org/sites/Elluminate/Tab4.aspx
(b) Verify which Scheduled Room is available by checking the Calendar “Booking for Scheduled
Room … (WDC Time)” for each room.
(c) Select the desired Scheduled Room and on the Calendar “Booking for Scheduled Room …
(WDC Time)” click New Item
(d) A data entry form will be displayed. Enter the appropriate information and click “Save and
Close”
(e) Verify that your entry is properly displayed in the Calendar
(f) If you decide to cancel or change the date of your meeting do not forget to update the entry in
the Calendar to free that date and time for other eventual users. ONLY THE USERS THAT
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ADDED AND ENTRY IN THE CALENDAR ARE ALLOWED TO CHANGE THAT ENTRY
33. What Should a Session Manager (Moderator) Do When Starting a Session?
Use the checklist below as you join the session:
(a) Join the session 10 – 15 minutes before the session is scheduled to begin.
(b) Ensure that you set your Connection Speed correctly when you first join the session.
(c) Step through the Audio Setup Wizard to ensure your microphone and speakers are working
properly.
(d) Open web pages and applications needed for application sharing and screen captures.
(e) Load multimedia files. Close all nonessential applications.
(f) Prepare a list of web sites you want to view in a separate text document.
(g) If desired, set your preferred hot keys for audio and application sharing by selecting Hot
(h) Select the desired session configuration under the Tools menu.
(i) Load your content (e.g., PowerPoint or image files).
(j) Navigate to the first slide in your presentation and ensure that Follow Moderator is checked.
(k) If working with a co- moderator, give moderator privileges when he/she joins the room.
(l) If desired, disable the audible hand raise notification.
(m) Set the number of people (up to four) who can speak simultaneously; the default is one.
(n) Resize the font in the Direct Messaging window to your preference.
(o) If desired, protect the whiteboard content in order to prevent attendees from saving and
printing the whiteboard screens.
(p) If desired, set the Polling tool to “Make Responses Visible.”
(q) Create formal breakout rooms and load content if required.
(r) Turn on the recording, if needed
(s) As the Session begins, you will see participants' names appear in the Participants window
when they join the session. Greet participants as they join the session. Have them speak to
you as well so that you can check their audio.
(t) Remind participants to use the Audio Setup Wizard to test their microphone and speakers.
(u) Verify that participants set their Connection Speed when they first join the session. They can
check their settings from the Session menu.
(v) Assign privileges to participants as appropriate.
(w) Remind participants to click the “Stepped Away” button if they are temporarily away from their
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computer.
(x) If there are participants new to Elluminate Live!, give them a brief overview of the interface
including how to raise their hand and how to send a Direct Message.
34. What Should a Session Manager (Moderator) Be Aware Of During a Session?
(a) Speak clearly and don’t rush.
(b) Animate your delivery. You must use your voice to project energy and enthusiasm into your
delivery.
(c) Visualize your participants. Consider using Live Video for introductions or encourage them to
setup their User Profile and include a picture.
(d) Look at the whole screen, not just the whiteboard area. For example, watch the Direct
Messaging window for text messages and the Participants window for new participants
joining the session.
(e) Watch the Activity Indicators in the Participants window to know if participants are
encountering any delays in receiving data such as audio or the whiteboard content. Adjust the
pace of you session accordingly.
(f) Encourage participants to raise their hands when they have a question or comment.
(g) Ask questions and provide opportunity for interaction. Provide specific instructions on how
participants should respond: use the polling responses or by raising their hand.
(h) Poll the participants at various intervals to obtain feedback. View the polling summary as
needed. Consider sharing the results when appropriate. Clear responses after each poll.
(i) Use the whiteboard tools to assist you in your delivery. For example, use the Highlighter to
call attention to specific regions on the screen. Try to provide some mark up for each screen.
(j) Include features such as Application Sharing, Breakout Rooms, Multimedia, Web Tour, or
Quizzes to assist you in delivering your content and making the sessions more engaging and
interactive.
(k) Remind participants that, when in a breakout room, they can raise their hand to notify you that
they have a question or send you a private text message even if you are not in the room.
35. What Audio Issues Are Important for Session Managers (Moderators)?
As a Moderator, you should ensure that all participants can hear you and that you can hear the
participants when they speak. The following issues are pertinent to a proper audio:
(a) Remind participants to use the audio gauges to adjust their microphone and speaker
volumes.
(b) For optimal audio, the Mic slider should be positioned so that the Mic gauge shows green
when you are speaking. Move the Mic slider to the right to increase the volume of your
microphone. If you see red in the gauge, move the slider to the left, as your voice may sound
distorted when you are speaking if the volume is too high.
(c) As a moderator you can help participants adjust their microphones to the optimal level using
the “+” and “-“ signs that appear next to the Talk button as they are speaking.
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(d) Elluminate provides a utility that allows you and each participant to test and configure the
audio at anytime during your session. This utility can be accessed by selecting Audio Setup
Wizard from the Tools menu.
(e) Remember that when you are speaking, everyone in the session can hear you. If you want to
speak to a particular participant, make sure you address them by name so that the participant
knows you are speaking to him or her.
(f) As you speak, pay attention to the red and orange activity indicators next to each participant’s
audio privilege as these indicate if participants are delayed in receiving audio. You can mute
your microphone if needed to allow participants to catch up.
(g) If you wish to speak to a participant regarding a private matter, you and the participant can
have a private conversation in a breakout room or you can communicate with the participant
through private text messages. However, depending on your session configuration, all other
moderators in the session may see your private messages.
(i) If a participant accidentally leaves their microphone on, you can regain control of the
microphone by taking away their audio privilege.
(j) Use the audio hot key (CRTL+F2 is the default) to press and release the TALK button.
(k) By default the audio will be set for one simultaneous talkers. To increase that number to 2, 3,
or 4, select Audio and then Allow Simultaneous Talkers from the Tools menu. This feature
should ONLY BE USED FOR SMALL MEETINGS OF UP TO 4 PARTICIPANTS to avoid the
th
need to be taking away microphone privilege to give it to a 5 , 6th, 7th, etc. speaker.
(l) BE AWARE THAT SIMULTANEOUS TALKERS HAVE OPEN MICROPHONES AND IF
EXTERNAL SPEAKERS ARE USED THE FEEDBACK WILL MAKE THE CONVERSATION
DIFFICULT, IF NOT UNINTELLIGIBLE. READ CAREFULLY THE INSTRUCTIONS WHEN
SETTING UP MTHE MULTIPLE SPEAKERS OPTION.
36. What Should a Session Manager (Moderator) Do At The End Of a Session?
(a) Thank participants for their attendance.
(b) Stop the session recorder, if the feature was used.
(c) If you have not protected the whiteboard screens, save or print them.
(d) Save direct messages if needed.
(e) Stand by for further questions until all participants have left the session. If participants do not
leave the session by themselves, remove such participants by highlighting the participant,
right click on the mouse, and select remove participant
(f) Make notes of any changes you might want to make in future deliveries.
37. As a Session Manager (Moderator) What Instructions Should I Give to Participants at the
Beginning of a Session?
It is suggested that every session should start with an introduction were the Session Manager
(Moderator) instructs participants along the following topics:
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(a) How voice will be managed. Only one participant will speak at any time (the standard mode of
voice management) or if full duplex will be used (up to four participants speaking concomitantly).
(b) Participants should Speak clearly and avoid rushing.
(c) Remote participants must raise their hand when they have a question or comment. The Session
Manager will indicate who will be the next speaker. In general the floor should be given to participants
in the order in which requests were made (hand raising).
(d) After being given the floor, participants that have raised their hand, must lower it to avoid being
listed as requesting the floor.
(e) When the Chair gives the microphone to remote participant they can speak by clicking on the
TALK BUTTON. Remember to RELEASE THE TALK BUTTON after finishing the intervention.
(f) Speakers must be aware that other remote users, located in different sites, receive the audio
stream with different timing due to dissimilarity of transit time and node delays for transmission
through a variable number of communication links and nodes of the Internet public network at any
particular moment. This different “latency time” for each remote site requires that users:
Always wait two seconds after pressing the talk button and actually starting to speak
Wait three seconds at the end of intervention before giving the microphone to another
participant in order to give enough time for participants with longer communication latency to
catch up with the session.
38. As a Session Attendee What Should I Do When Preparing for a Session?
Verify the correct virtual room URL of the workspace where the session will be held
Verify the correct time of the session. Remember that all times refer to Washington Time
(Eastern Daylight Time)
Find comfortable a place with no distractions
If in a cubicle use a headset to avoid disturbing your neighboring colleagues
Ensure that your Internet connection is active and your audio interface and peripherals are
working correctly
If this is your first session, take the Elluminate Live! Getting Started and the Participant
Orientation online audiovisuals at
http://portal.paho.org/sites/Elluminate/Tab3.aspx or refer to the Elluminate Live! Participant
Guide for more information on all the features
39. As a Virtual Session Attendee What Should I Do When Joining a Session?
Be sure to join the session 5 – 10 minutes prior to the start
Use a meaningful login name – remember that other participants may not identify you if you
use your e-mail username, abbreviations, etc. Ideally you should use the first and family
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names and, between parenthesis, your country three-letter acronym.
Set your Connection Speed to the Internet
Use the Audio Setup Wizard utility to test your microphone and speakers and adjust the
speaker and microphone sound level to the proper level (SHOULD AVOID GAIN REACHING
THE RED END OF THE SCALE!)
Participate in the session by responding to polls and providing feedback to the moderator.
Remember to raise your hand when you have a question or a comment.
Remember to lower your hand after your question or comment.
Use Direct Messaging to send messages to other participants and the moderator during the
session.
Remember that running other applications on your computer (such as an Internet browser)
can slow your connection
40. How To Invite And Manage Non-PAHO Attendees?
Since non-PAHO professionals (external participants) do not have access to the PAHO Portal
SharePoint Elluminate Site, when organizing a meeting the responsible PAHO staff must send via email the URL to join as ATTENDEE to each external participant. This can be sent together with the
invitation to the meeting, agenda, timetable, and other pertinent information.
IN NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHOULD PAHO STAFF SHARE WITH EXTERNAL USERS THE LINK TO
JOIN SESSIONS AS SESSION MANAGER (MODERATOR)
ALL SESSIONS MUST BE INITIATED BY A PAHO STAFF LOGGED AS SESSION MANAGER!
DURING THE SESSION, AS REQUIRED, THE SESSION MANAGER (ALWAYS A PAHO STAFF)
MAY TEMPORARILY GIVE MODERATOR PRIVILEGE TO EXTERNAL USERS IN ORDER FOR
THEM TO UPLOAD PRESENTATIONS OR SHARE APPLICATIONS
41. How a Session Manager Deals with Unrecognized, Unwelcomed, or Intrusive Attendees?
Only Session Managers (Moderators) have the privilege of removing participants from a session. To
remove an unrecognized, uninvited, unwelcomed, or intrusive participant from a session, go to the
Participant Info window and:
(a) Click on the name of the participant you wish to remove. Then right-click (or Click+Control)
on the participant’s name and select Remove Participant from the menu that appears.
Alternatively, from the Tools menu, select Moderator, and then Remove Participant.
(b) In the Remove participant dialog box, click Yes to remove the participant from the
Elluminate session. The participant is disconnected from the session immediately.
42. How To Conduct a Confidential (“Locked Door”) Session?
The Session Moderator is responsible for the management of session participants, for controlling
access of participants, and for the maintenance of session confidentiality.
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When a session is initiated, by default it is open (unlocked) to any participant. Any person with access
to the URLs for Moderator and Participant can join that session. This Unlocked or Open Session does
not provide confidentiality and could be compared to a meeting held in a room with an open door.
Elluminate provides the option to Moderators to easily control access and presence of participants in
a session and to protect the confidentiality of the activities held in a session. This type of Locked
(Closed or Confidential) Session is achieved by configuring participant’s access permissions ONCE
THE SESSION IS STARTED.
A Locked Session could be compared to a meeting held in a room with a closed door. It is
recommended that for meetings in which access and confidentiality are desired, and AFTER ALL
THE PARTICIPANTS HAVE JOINED THE SESSION and the activities started, the Moderator should
“close the door” of the virtual meeting room to new participants.
At any time during a session, Moderators can lock the room to restrict any new participants from
entering the session and thus create a Closed or Confidential Room. To lock (“close the door”) the
room:
(a) From the Tools menu, select Moderator.
(b) Deselect (disable) the “Allow New Participants to Enter the Session” check box. You may
change this selection at any time. Once the “door is closed” any person attempting to join a
session will receive a message indicating that the room is locked.
The following issues are pertinent to a “locked session”
(a) Any person attempting to enter a locked room is not “seen” by the moderator and the only
way for a participant that was expected to be in the meeting but arrived late, after the “door
was closed”, to communicate with the Moderator is by other means outside the Elluminate
environment (telephone, e-mail). Punctuality is a must in locked sessions.
(b) If any of the participants that were in the room at the time it was locked are disconnected
due to a connectivity failure, they will still be permitted to re-enter the room.
If, by any reason, a unwelcomed participant is in a locked room, the Session Manager can remove
that participant. To remove a participant from the session, go to the Participant Info window and:
(a) Click on the name of the participant you wish to remove. Then right-click (or Click+Control)
on the participant’s name and select Remove Participant from the menu that appears.
Alternatively, from the Tools menu, select Moderator, and then Remove Participant.
(b) In the Remove participant dialog box, click Yes to remove the participant from the
Elluminate session. The participant is disconnected from the session immediately.
Terminating a locked session involves the Session Manager (Moderator) leaving the session after all
participants leave the room. The Session Manager (Moderator) is responsible for exiting the session
in order for the virtual room to revert to its default (unlocked) condition. To terminate a session:
(a) Go to the File menu drop-down list and then click Exit.
(b) DO NOT LEAVE A LOCKED SESSION RUNNING AFTER IT IS FINISHED AS THE
VIRTUAL ROOM WILL BE BLOCKED TO OTHER USERS.
43. Can I Monitor the Activity of Other Participants During a Session?
Through clear indicator lights, eve ryone knows who is doing what in the session, for instance, who is
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talking, using text chat, drawing on the whiteboard, or sharing video or an application.
44. When and How To Use The Simultaneous Speakers Feature?
When a room is first launched the simultaneous talkers per session is defaulted to one talker. For
small meetings with up to four participants the simultaneous talk feature allows full duplex audio. As
the moderator, you have the option to allow up to four simultaneous talkers per session. To change
the simultaneous talkers, do the following:
Go to Tools > Audio > Allow Simultaneous Talkers
The Allow Simultaneous Talkers dialog box appears (Fig. 11)
Move the slider over to the appropriate number
OK the dialog box
Fig. 11 - Simultaneous talkers setup dialog window
Issues regarding the simultaneous talk feature:
(a) Simultaneous talkers can keep their Talk control button (Mic) always on – This means that the
microphones are constantly open and because of this all talkers must obligatorily use either a headset
or echo-cancelling microphone to prevent an echo for everyone else who will be listening.
(b) Bandwidth limit - be aware that a 28.8 Kbps dialup line will be completely saturated by three
simultaneous talkers
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(c) Suppress Transmission of Silence -- When the talk button is pressed, bandwidth is being used.
Bandwidth usage increases with every user that has the talk button pressed. The more bandwidth
that is used for audio, less bandwidth will be available for the other features such as application
sharing, playing of multimedia files, etc.
Even if no one is talking while the talk button is pressed, audio is still being transmitted. To avoid this
problem, a feature named Suppress Transmission of Silence, when enabled, will detect when no one
is talking and will not transmit any audio, thereby reducing the amount of bandwidth usage. By
default, this setting is enabled. To check that the option Suppress Transmission of Silence is enabled,
do the following (Fig 12):
Fig. 12
Go to Tools > Audio > Suppress Transmission of Silence
The Suppress Transmission of Silence dialog appears
Select the option Suppress transmission of silence
Click Ok accept and save the settings.
(d) Use in larger meetings – The use of the feature is discouraged if you have more than four
participants. If all microphones are active (Talk button pressed) and eventual fifth participant will not
be able to speak unless the Session manager (Moderator) takes the microphone from one of the
simultaneous speakers to give to the new speaker and so on.
45. I Have a High-speed Internet Connection But I Am Experiencing Slow Throughput
The fact that one has a high-speed connection does not guarantee adequate throughput as the
conditions of network data traffic, congestion in backbone channels, and node latency in the public
network of the Internet and quality of ISP (Internet Service Provider) service is outside user control
resulting that the performance of any Web-based application is unpredictable at any given time. Keep
in mind that between you computer and all the other remote participants and the server there are
many nodes, links, and service providers (Fig.13)
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Fig.13
46. How to Check and Adjust to Connectivity Problems When Using Video?
Video allows you to add a human touch to your sessions. Users can share their web cam with all the
attendees in the session. This can be used to show the presenter, as well as to conduct
demonstrations and simulations. However, video uses a significant amount of bandwidth.
As you are sharing your web cam, pay attention to the red and orange activity indicators next to each
participant’s name as these indicate delays in receiving video information. If users are on a slower
Internet connection, you can adjust the quality of the video you are transmitting from Fine Color to
Coarse Gray. Similarly, depending on the user’s bandwidth, each user can adjust the quality of video
received.
47. What Happens To the Audio Stream When My Connection is Slow or Momentarily
Interrupted?
Audio buffering and acceleration for participants who have an internet break or slowdown is very
powerful and absolutely unique to Elluminate. No content is lost. You will notice that, in these
circumstances, the pitch of the participants’ voices will increase due to the faster delivery of the audio
data packets once the connection is reestablished – buffered data is delivered at faster rate in order
to allow the participant to “catch-up” with the session – and then normalizes once the connection
speed normalizes.
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48. What Happens If My Internet Connection Is Dropped?
There are session indicators at the status bar is found at the bottom of the window. Located here are
indicators, buttons, and text indicating how long the session has been open, what application you are
sharing, etc. Pay attention to the green rectangle indicator box (Fig. 14) on the left of the status bar.
Fig. 14
When this indicator is green it indicates that you are connected to the Elluminate Live! session. If the
color is yellow, this indicates that you have an unstable connection and if the indicator turns red, then
you have been disconnected from the Elluminate Live! session.
If you are disconnected, the running application will try to reconnect automatically, if this fails a
message will be displayed. The server maintains the information about the user for about 5 minutes
giving you time to reconnect. If the Internet service is reestablished, you will reconnect and will be
back in the same session. Cached voice and images will be transmitted to you in a greater speed
than normal and you will hear the speaker’s voice with a higher pitch due to the faster delivery of the
audio data packets once the connection is reestablished – buffered data is delivered at faster rate in
order to allow the participant to “catch-up” with the session – and then normalizes once the
connection speed normalizes.
49. After Upgrading From Version 6.5 to Version 7 Found That I Can Not Login
Previous users of Elluminate 6.5 may find that they are unable to login to a virtual room in Version 7.
This problem is infrequent and is related to persistence of identity data in browser and Java cache.
Users affected by this problem either receive a system messages during the login routine related to
authentication to access the session URL or may find they are logged to a different virtual room than
the one that correspond to the URL.
To solve this problem, users must clear (delete) the following components:
Browser cookies and cache files
Java cache files
Clearing Browser Cookies and Cache Files
Important Note: The instructions that follow are for Internet Explorer v. 6x
(a) Clearing Browser Cookies
1. Click on the “Tools” menu option
2. Select “Internet Options”
3. In the tab “General” click “Delete Cookies” in the section “Temporary Internet files”
4. A dialog box will open requested confirmation. Click “OK” to continue.
(b) Clearing Browser Cache Files
1.
2.
3.
4.
Click on the “Tools” menu option
Select “Internet Options”
In the tab “General” click “Delete Files” in the section “Temporary Internet files”
A dialog box will open requested confirmation and the option to delete all offline files
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5. Check the box to delete all offline content
6. Click “OK” to continue.
Clearing Java Cache Files
Important Note: For instructions on how to determine what version of Java Web Start go to the
following URL:
http://supportcenteronline.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=2653&task=knowledge&questionID=17
(a) Windows Operating System
(a.1) Java Web Start version 1.4.2_x
1.
Open Java Web Start (either the icon on your desk top or in your programs folder)
2.
Click "File" then "Preferences"
3.
Click the "Advanced" tab
4.
Click the “Clear Folder” button. Then OK.
5.
Close the Java Web Start Application Manager
(a.2.) Java Web Start version 1.5 (J2SE 5)
1.
Go to your Control Panel
2.
Open Java (You may need to switch to "Classic view")
3.
Click the “Delete Files” button. Then OK.
4.
Close the Java Control Panel
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(b) Mac OS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
X
Open a Finder window
Choose "Applications", "Utilities", "Java" and open Java Web Start
Click the Java Web Start menu and choose "Preferences"
50. I Get a “CiceroUIWndFrame Application Error” in Windows Office 2003 Systems
In Elluminate version 7 Academic, and in specific configurations of Windows Office, when exiting a
session the following Application Error Message is returned running Windows Office 2003:
The error occurs when user closes the session interface, even when already having previously left the
session. The referenced memory address is the same in all installations. While annoying, the error
does not cause any problems to your session or to your computer. The problem is related to the
Speech and Handwriting Recognition component of MS Office XP Suite, when those components are
enabled.
De-installing the Speech and Handwriting Recognition components will generally solve the problem.
However, if you use these components you can leave them enabled and when presented with the
error message just ignore and close it. To de-install Speech and Handwriting Recognition:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Go to "Control Pane "Add/Remove Programs"
Select "Microsoft Office" and click on the "Change" button
Navigate to "Office Shared Features" and open the "Alternative User Input"
In both “Speech and Handwriting Recognition” select "Not available" in the drop-down box
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51. How Do I Upload and Share a PowerPoint Presentation?
To load your presentation, you must have Session Manager (Moderator) status.
Method 1: Loading Directly onto the Whiteboard –
Click on the “Load Presentation” tool in the Whiteboard window (a yellow folder icon).
In the Select Screens dialog box, determine whether you wish to insert the file before or after
a screen, replace a screen or as a sub-topic of a screen.
Determine whether you want to insert the file in relation to the Current Screen or Selected
Screens.
Click OK. The Load File dialog box appears. Navigate to the folder containing the file you
want to load.
Select Filter for PowerPoint File (*.ppt) from the Files of Type drop-down menu. Locate the
file you want to import, and select it. The file name will appear in the File Name text box.
Then click Open.
In the next dialog box, select the screen size of the slides and click OK. Here you can set the
whiteboard screen size based on a monitor resolution (default of 1024x768) or a customized
size where you can specify the height and width of the slides.
The presentation will now be loaded and each slide in the presentation or image will be
loaded onto a separate whiteboard screen as a background image.
Method 2: Using PowerPoint Converter and the Presentation Wizard
Elluminate provides two external utilities that allow uses to create high resolution and larger sized
whiteboard files. This allows moderators to convert PowerPoint presentations to a whiteboard file
outside Elluminate Live! that can be loaded onto the whiteboard once in the session. These utilities
are available from http://www.elluminate.com/support/ in the “Tools” section
The PowerPoint Tool Converter, allows you to create high resolution, larger sized whiteboard
files directly from PowerPoint presentations. It is available from
http://www.elluminate.com/support/ppt_converter.jsp. The Converter allows users to
scale the whiteboard content, and converts PowerPoint presentations to higher resolution and
larger sized whiteboard files providing better viewing quality. The Converter can currently only
be used for PowerPoint 97, 2000, XP and 2003 running on Windows 98, 2000 and XP.
The Presentation Wizard, at http://www.elluminate.com/support/ppt_converter.jsp
converts PDF files, PowerPoint presentations, StarOffice and OpenOffice presentations into
high quality Whiteboard files that you can easily load into your Elluminate Live! sessions. The
Presentation Wizard is available to Windows, Mac OS X, and Solaris users. The Presentation
Wizard can be used for Microsoft PowerPoint 97, 2000, XP, 2003 on Windows and Office v.X
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for a Mac. StarOffice / OpenOffice must be installed on your computer to use the
Presentation Wizard (Note: StarOffice / OpenOffice is not needed to convert PDF files).
Method 3: Loading Presentation Slides as Images
For users using PowerPoint 2004 on a Mac, when loading a presentation using Method 1 you will
encounter an error. This is due to the way PowerPoint 2004 for the Mac handles its image
conversions, which is the first step in the whiteboard conversion process. One solution is the use the
Presentation Wizard mentioned in Method 2 but this requires users to install OpenOffice or StarOffice.
The steps below provide an alternate method:
Open the PowerPoint presentation. From the File menu, select Save As.
In the Save As dialogue box, choose either GIF, JPEG, PNG from the Save as type
dropdown menu.
Save all the images in the presentation. A folder will be created where each slide in the
presentation will be saved as a static image and numbered accordingly.
To load the slides click on the “Load Presentation” tool in the Whiteboard window. In the
Select Screens dialog box, determine whether you wish to insert the file before or after a
screen, replace a screen or as a sub-topic of a screen. Determine whether you want to insert
the file in relation to the Current Screen or Selected Screens.
Click OK. The Load File dialog box appears. From the Files of Type drop-down menu select
Filter for Image Files. Navigate to the folder created in Step 4 containing the images.
Select all of the images by clicking the first image and then the last image while holding down
your Shift key.
From the Screen Creation Options shown on the right be sure to select Alpha-Number order.
Click Open which will load the images. Each image will be loaded onto a separate whiteboard
screen as a background image.
Note: This method can be used with other presentation software such as Photoshop,
Keynote, etc. The steps to save slides as images will be similar in each application.
52. Is There a Tool to Convert Powerpoint Format Files to Whiteboard Format Files?
Users can create high resolution, larger sized whiteboard format (.wbd) files directly from PowerPoint
presentations. The PowerPoint loading utility within Elluminate Live! optimizes the whiteboard slides
for 800x600 size displays. With Elluminate Live! supporting the ability for participants to scale the
whiteboard content, this utility allows you to convert your PowerPoint presentations to higher
resolution and larger sized whiteboard files providing better viewing quality.
The Converter can currently only be used for PowerPoint 97, 2000, XP and 2003 running on
Windows 98, 2000 and XP.
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Microsoft PowerPoint must be installed on your computer to use the Converter.
Close all Elluminate Live! sessions and PowerPoint presentations before using the Converter.
For large sized presentations, we recommended that you allow sufficient time for the
conversion process.
The converted whiteboard file can be loaded in any Elluminate Live! session.
Users can Access the Powerpoint Converter by pointing the active browser to the following
URL: http://www.elluminate.com/support/ppt.jnlp
53. How Do I Use The Direct Messaging Resource?
The Direct Messaging window can be used to send a text message to everyone, to selected
participants, or to a single participant in the session. Depending on your session configuration, the
moderator may be able to monitor all messages sent between participants, including private
messages. Direct messages are color-coded:
Black means that a message was sent to everyone in the session.
Blue means that you sent or received a private message.
Red means that a participant has sent a private message to another participant.
If a participant has the Direct Messaging privilege he or she will be able to send a text message to
everyone, to selected participants, or to one participant in the session.
Note that:
Participants can always send a text message to the moderator even if they do not have the
Direct Messaging privilege. The message will appear in the discussion region as a private
message (in blue) to all moderators.
The moderator can grant and remove the Direct Message privilege by clicking on the icon or
space in the Direct Messaging permission column of the participant window next to the
participant name.
Sending Direct Messages - You can send direct messages to everyone (All), to moderators only, to a
single participant, or to a group of participants.
(a) To All, Moderators, or a Single Participant:
Click in the textbox area and type your message.
Click the to: dropdown menu and select All, Moderators, or the participant to whom you would
like to send your message
Click Send, or press Enter. The message appears in the discussion region.
(b) To a Selected Group of Participants:
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To select specific participants to receive your message hold down the Shift or Ctrl key and
click on the names of the participants in the Participants window. The participants’ names are
highlighted when selected.
Click in the textbox area and type your message.
Click the to: dropdown menu and select the option Selected.
Click Send or press Enter.
Filtering Direct Messages - During the session, you may wish to view only certain text messages. Use
the Show: dropdown menu and select an option. Now only those messages matching your filter will
appear in the discussion region. You may change your selection at any time.
New Message Indicator - When you are filtering messages, you will be notified when there is a new
message. The Show: dropdown menu will be highlighted in red if there is a new message you have
not seen. To view the new message, revert to All in the filter.
Resizing Direct Messages - You can resize the text messages in the discussion region. Right click
anywhere in the discussion region to access the menu options or from the Tools menu select Direct
Messaging.
Saving Direct Messages to a File - You can save the Direct Messaging discussion region to a text file
to review later. From the File menu select Save and then choose Direct Message Conversation. In the
Save Direct Messaging Conversation dialog box, choose a file name and location. Then click Save.
Best Practices
To track when direct messages were sent, select the Display date and time button in the
Direct Messaging window.
Manage conversations using the Direct Messaging filter. For example, if you have a group of
participants collaborating through private text messages, you can view only their conversation
using the Direct Messaging filter. Select the names of the participants working together in the
Participants window (click each name while holding the CTRL key on your keyboard) and
then choose All Selected from the Show dropdown menu. Only the messages between the
selected participants will appear in the discussion area.
Filter your Direct Messaging if you are distracted by the conversations.
Use Direct Messages for introductions (for a large group) or for brainstorming activities.
Save Direct Messages to review the text questions or comments from your session.
Use the scroll bar in the Direct Messaging window to scroll up to review old messages. To
see the last message, scroll back down.
To save time when typing the same message to send to participants, prepare a separate text
file that contains standard greetings and messages for participants. Open the text file during
the session and use the standard keyboard shortcuts to paste your message in the text box.
On Windows: copy (CTRL+C) and paste (CTRL+V). On a Mac: copy (CMD+C) and paste
(CTRL+V).
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54. How Do I Create Breakout Rooms Linked to a Virtual Room?
Breakout rooms can be created ahead of time or on the fly. A breakout room has the same features
as the main room and can be used to facilitate small group activities, workgroups of a main meeting,
or private meetings during a larger meeting. Breakout rooms have their own private audio,
whiteboard, application sharing, video, polling, etc. Be aware, however, that what is said or viewed in
a breakout room will not be captured in a recording.
Session Managers (Moderators) can create private or public breakout rooms at any time during the
session and move participants between rooms. There is no limit on the number of breakout rooms or
the number of participants in each room. When the last Session Manager (Moderator) or Participant is
moved out of the private breakout room, the breakout room will automatically close.
To create a private breakout room:
1. Private breakout rooms required that at least one participant is in the room. In the Participants
window, click on the names of participants you wish to move to a breakout room. Hold down your
Shift or Ctrl (Command) key to select multiple participants.
2. Right-click (Control+Click) and select Send to Breakout Room and then select New Private
Breakout Room from the context menu. Alternatively, this option is also available from the Tools >
Breakout Rooms > Send to Breakout Room > New Private Breakout Room. Elluminate Live! (Fig.15)
Fig. 15
3. A new private breakout room will automatically be created. The Participants window will be updated
displaying the name of the private breakout room and the participants in that room. The naming
convention for a private breakout room is Private Room (1), Private Room (2), Private Room (3), etc.
A breakout room appears with a folder icon next to it. The participants in the room are listed along
with their privileges (Fig. 16)
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Fig. 16
To create a public breakout room:
The advantage to creating a public breakout room versus a private breakout room is that a public
breakout room does not require any participants in the room. This means that you can create the
room, load content for the participants to collaborate on and then during the session move
participants into that room. When all the participants and moderators are moved out of the public
breakout room, the breakout room and its contents will still remain (unlike a private breakout room
which closes when no one is left in the room), allowing you to use the room and content again.
1. In the Participants window right click anywhere in the window (press the Control key) and select
Create Breakout Room… from the context menu or alternatively, go to Tools > Breakout Rooms >
Create Breakout Room…(Fig. 17)
2. The New Breakout Room dialog box appears
3. Enter a name for the breakout room and click OK (Fig. 18)
Fig.17
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Fig. 18
4. The Participants window will be updated displaying the name of the breakout room. A Public
breakout room with no participants or moderators in the room
55. How To Move People to a Breakout Room?
You can send participants and moderators to the Main Room, a private breakout room, or a public
breakout room. To send participants and moderators to a specific room:
1. In the Participants window, click on the names of participants you wish to move to a breakout room.
Hold down your Shift or Ctrl (Command) key to select multiple participants.
2. Right-click (Control+Click) and select the option Send to Breakout Room and then choose from the
list of available rooms. Alternatively, go to Tools > Breakout Rooms > Send to Breakout Room. The
Participants window will be updated displaying the participants in each room.
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56. How to Automatically Distribute Participants To Specific Public Breakout Rooms
The Distribute Participants feature allows you to automatically distribute the participants and
moderators in the Main room into breakout rooms. The breakout rooms created using this feature are
public breakout rooms. There are three ways you may distribute the participants:
Into the last breakout room they were in — this option will return all the participants to the last
breakout room that they were in prior to returning to the Main room. If they were never in a
breakout room, they will remain in the Main room.
Into x groups — The participants in the Main room will be divided up as evenly as possible
into the x number of groups. For example, if you have 10 participants in the Main room and
ask for groups of 4, you will get groups of 3, 3, 2, and 2 rather than 3,3, 3, 1.
Into group of x people — enter the number of people in each group. Based on the number of
participants in each group, the appropriate number of rooms will be created. For example, if
you have 5 participants in the Main room and wanted to have 2 people in each group, three
rooms will be created with one room only having one person in the room.
You also have the option to include moderators in the distribution and to stipulate the name of the
breakout room(s). Each room will contain the base name (that you've entered or the default Rm.) and
the numbers 1, 2, 3, etc. appended to the base name. To distribute participants and/or moderators:
1. In the Participants window right click anywhere in the window (press the Control key) and select
Distribute Participants… from the context menu or alternatively, go to Tools > Breakout Rooms >
Distribute Participants…
2. The Distribute Users dialog box appears.
3. Select how you wish to distribute the participants from the Main Room.
4. If you wish to include the moderators in the distribution, then select the option Include Moderators
in the distribution.
5. Modify the base name if you do not wish to use the default base name.
6. Click OK.
7. The users will be distributed according to your definition.
57. How Do I Return People From Breakout Rooms To the Main Room?
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In one step, you can return everyone to the Main room regardless of where they are. To return
everyone to the Main room:
1. Right-click anywhere in the Participants window, and select the option Return Everyone to Main
Room from the context menu. Alternatively, go to Tools > Breakout Rooms > Return Everyone to
Main Room.
2. All the participants and moderators will be moved back into the Main room. All private breakout
rooms will automatically close; public breakout rooms will still be listed in the Participants window.
58. How Do I Close a Breakout Room?
A private breakout room will automatically close when all of the participants and moderators are
removed from that room. A public breakout room must be manually closed. When you close any
breakout room, the participants and moderators are returned to the Main room. To close either a
private or public breakout room:
1. In the Participants window, highlight the breakout rooms you wish to close. You may close more
than one at a time.
2. Right-click (Control+Click) and select the option Close Breakout Room from the context menu.
Alternatively, go to Tools > Breakout Rooms > Close Breakout Room.
3. All the participants and moderators will be moved back into the Main room and the breakout room
will disappear from the Participants window.
59. I Want To Know More -- Where Do I Find Information About Elluminate?
Online user support is available at the PAHO SharePoint Portal Elluminate site that can be accessed
by pointing your browser to http://portal.paho.org/sites/elluminate
In the PAHO SharePoint Portal Elluminate site users will find pages with assistance in configuring
their computers, technical and reference documents in English and Spanish, paced audio-visual
training materials, guidelines and tips for conducting virtual meetings, and URLs for login to PAHO
virtual web conferencing rooms. At the site, users will also find important information related to how to
access your recordings, how and where to obtain the links to install the required software, and who to
contact for help.
60.USB Headset with Windows Vista
If you are using Microsoft’s newest operating system, Vista, and a USB headset, you may find that
the USB headset does not work in your Elluminate Live! session. Here's a quick solution of running
the Windows Vista driver update to ensure have you have the most updated drivers for most USB
headsets.
To enter the Device Manager, go to the System utility in the Control Panel. From the Control Panel:
1. Select System
2. Select Hardware
3. Select Device Manager
4. Select Sounds, video and game controller
5. Double-click on USB Audio Device
6. Click on the Driver tab
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7. Click on Update Driver
8. Use the Hardware Update Wizard to update your driver. Windows will automatically look for
updated drivers for your hardware.
If unable to find any, you will need to go the hardware manufacturer's website and download new
drivers.
61. Recording a Session
Session Managers (Moderators) can record sessions. Elluminate Live! sessions can be recorded and
played back. The record and playback capability enables those who missed a session to view it at
their leisure and allows the creation of scripted sessions to be delivered asynchronously. Playing back
recordings is the next best thing to being there. All of the audio, video, public direct messages, polls
and quizzes, whiteboard content and annotations, multimedia, as well as every shared application in
the main room, is recorded and played back in perfect synchronization. Moreover, Elluminate
recordings are interactive with the following features: (a) easy-to-use controls allow viewers to pause,
forward, rewind, or navigate to a certain location in the recording; (b) recordings allow the “social
networking” and community building that happened during the live session to be extended to watching
recordings; (c) users can save slides, distributed files, and text messages.
Recorded sessions are saved in the Elluminate server and you must contact a PAHO staff who has
administrator permissions to the server and request the URL of the recording (each recording is
saved with a unique URL). You may also request that the file be posted in the Elluminate SharePoint
site for all to read or you may want to post or distribute yourself the URL link to the recording.
If recording has been placed under the moderator’s control, it may be started and stopped/paused at
any time. The moderator can also erase the content recorded so far and then resume recording at
any time. When the recording begins during the session, it captures all activity in the main room –
public direct messages, whiteboard interaction and application sharing – as seen from a participant’s
perspective. Elluminate records all activity, and ignores periods of inactivity. A break in activity during
a live session will compress into mere moments during playback. This means that when the recording
is viewed, the gaps are not played back, avoiding lengthy periods of inactivity and thereby allowing
users to focus their attention and time on the content.
WHEN RECORDING A SESSION BE AWARE THAT THE RECORDING IS ONLY FINALIZED AND
SAVED TO THE SERVER WHEN THE ROOM IS CLOSED. IT IS AN ESSENTIAL STEP AND
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MODERATOR THAT (A) HE/SHE BE THE LAST TO LEAVE A ROOM IN
ORDER TO BE SURE THAT EVERY PARTICIPANT IS OUT AND (B) THE ROOM IS CLOSED .
62. How to Save Whiteboard Screens?
The Whiteboard window does not appear in any of the Minimal Window Layouts views. If you need
the whiteboard, select the Default Window Layout again and the Whiteboard will appear.You can
save the whiteboard screens in Elluminate Live! in the following formats:
WBD File: When whiteboard screens are saved as a Whiteboard file (.wbd), they are saved as one
file that can only be imported and reviewed in an Elluminate Live! session.
WBP File: When whiteboard screens are saved as a Protected Whiteboard file (.wbp), they are saved
as one file that can only be imported and reviewed in an Elluminate Live! session. These files are
protected and cannot be printed, saved, or edited unless the moderator removes the protection flag
by going to Tools, Whiteboard, and de-selecting the option Protect Whiteboard.
PDF File: When whiteboard screens are saved as a PDF file (.pdf), they are saved as one file and
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can be reviewed outside of the Elluminate Live! environment.
PNG File: When whiteboard screens are saved as Image files (.png), they are saved as separate
images and can be loaded individually onto the whiteboard as images or used in any other image
processing application.
To save whiteboard screens:
1. From the File menu, select Save and then choose Whiteboard…OR From the Tools menu, select
Whiteboard, and then select Explore Screens…. The Whiteboard Screens window appears. Select
the screen you wish to save and then right-click (Control+Click) on the selected screen. The context
menu appears. Select Save to a File…
2. From the Save File dialog box, navigate to and open the file folder in which you want to save the
whiteboard.
3. Type a file name in the File name text box.
4. Scroll through the Files of type drop down menu and choose the file format.
5. Click Save to close the Save File dialog box. The Select Screens dialog box appears.
6. Choose whether you want to save all the screens in the Current Screen Group, only the Current
Screen or Selected Screens. If you choose Selected Screens, you will then see a Select Screens
window that displays all of the available screens. Select the screen(s) you wish to save. Use the Shift
or Ctrl (Command) key to select multiple screens. Then click Ok.
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63. How a Successful Meeting is Organized?
Successful meetings do not just happen -- they're designed. Producing a meeting is akin to producing
a great product. One does not just start building it but proceed in a stepwise manner by designing,
planning, and carefully considering what people, equipment, materials, and processes are needed to
make the meeting a successful one.
Why meet? People meet for a variety of reasons. Except for social meeting, we meet in order to move
group actions forward -- we call this a task focus. To do this, participants do two things in meetings -they present information to others by communicating, building, and sharing a common reality and they
collaborate by reviewing, evaluating, discussing, problem-solving, and deciding.
In planning a meeting, remember that for the task needs to be met, the meeting process needs must
be met. The meeting content addresses task needs while the meeting processes attends to
organization and conduction of the meeting -- paying attention to process ensures that tasks get
done. Before the meeting be sure to consider the following:
- Advance agenda
- Participants
- Plan, discuss, and assign roles to participants
- Time and place
- Preparation of materials
- Scheduling the virtual environment (webmeeting) resources
- Inviting participants
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Want to have a better audioconference or videoconference? If so, then pay attention to these four
factors: scheduling, material distribution, equipment, and protocol (rules of the meeting). Plans that
avert potential problems in these areas will go a long way toward compensating for lack of physical
proximity among participants.
(a) Scheduling people and facilities
Use email, phone, fax or other means to inform each participant of the meeting and to schedule their
attendance. Allow plenty of time for juggling individual calendars. A good rule of thumb is to give
yourself one full week for scheduling - adjust upward or downward based on the number of
participants and the complexity of their schedules. While scheduling and verifying participants'
attendance, make sure they all know in which virtual room they will be conferencing and that they
know how to use their equipment.
(b) Planning material distribution
It's easy to lose track of time when planning meetings that include remote participants. It's tempting to
work on materials up to the last minute, but you may run out of time to distribute them to participants
at remote sites. Be prepared to distribute presentations and other documents during the virtual
session by having them uploaded in advance into the server using the File Transfer facility of
Elluminate. This is a sure way to make remote people feel even less included.
Set a deadline for materials to be distributed that allows for e-mail non deliveries or slow networks.
Establish a procedure to verify receipt of materials by each participant or each site and check the
status of everyone's materials at the start of the meeting.
(c) Check equipment particularly the audio peripherals
Reserve enough time before the meeting starts to make sure your conferencing equipment is working
at all locations. Have a designated technical contact at each location to help with any last-minute
problems.
Test all the equipment used for the conference prior to the scheduled starting time. Make sure
operation of the equipment is adequate and that at least one participant is familiar with virtual
meetings and has agreed to operate the technology. Be sure to know who to call in case of problem,
usually an expert user or the IT support professional on location.
(d) Protocols and facilitation
Since participants most of the times can not see each other, unless video is used, virtual conferences
often require simple protocols and/or facilitation. It can be hard to tell which voice belongs to whom or
when it is appropriate to speak, especially if participants are not already acquainted with each other.
One highly effective protocol is simply to have participants begin speaking by giving their name and
location: "This is José Silva in Brasília. I want to ask. . ." It is also helpful to establish a speaking order
that relates to the meeting's agenda. Stimulating participants to ask questions will enhance effective
communication and will strengthen the sense of "connection" between participants. Be sure, at the
beginning of a meeting and during the meeting, to point out the hand up/hand down feature to request
the floor during a session.
Lastly, when there are many participants gathered in one location to conference with remote
individuals (or groups) by phone, a designated facilitator may be useful. The facilitator can remind the
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large group to include the remote participants in the discussion and to attend to their more limited
opportunity to provide input. A good facilitator will also check in with remote participants every few
minutes to solicit their input for the gathered group.
(e) Meeting content – a focus on the content
- Be clear about the meeting's objective. This important because if participants can not articulate the
clear purpose of a meeting, they will make up their own. If this happens, your meeting will wander in
as many directions as there are participants. Defining a clear objective makes sure that the reason for
coming together to present and collaborate is clearly stated to all participants.
- Create a solid agenda. An agenda is an outline of things to be discussed at the meeting, along with
the time allotted for each item. To create an agenda, first look to the meeting objective, since your
agenda is a path to achieving it. Then look to the participants since they will also have ideas about
what is important. Two important tips about the agenda: prioritize agenda items in terms of
importance to most participants and assign realistic amounts of time to each agenda item.
Meetings that lack focus are frustrating and improductive. You can save yourself and others this
frustration by setting and following a practical agenda. Think of an agenda as a roadmap that will
ensure your meeting serves its purpose. The measure of a great agenda is its relevance to the
meeting's objective and its importance to the participants. To anticipate and plan for relevance, ask
three questions:
- To achieve our objective, what do we need to do in the meeting?
- What conversations will be important to the people who attend?
- What information will we need to begin?
- Prepare in advance. Take the time to prepare for the meeting -- advance preparation will allow the
meeting to move forward smoothly, eliminating wasted time and the impression that the meeting was
unproductive.
(f) Meeting process - a focus on the people.
Who will participate? On a small project team or task force, it will be easy to determine who should
participate in meetings. However, in other situations, it's not always a clear choice. These questions
provide a useful filter for choosing participants:
- Whose input do we need?
- Who's needed to make a decision?
- Whose buy-in do we need to move forward?
Answer these questions and you will be able to establish who must participate. Many meetings are
held whether or not key participants are available. You can save yourself and everyone else the need
to attend multiple meetings by choosing participants appropriately and scheduling meetings to
accommodate key participants' calendars.
At least four important roles are played in any well-run meeting – note that a same participant may
assume more than one role and that during a meeting roles of moderator and facilitator may be
exchanged:
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- Session Manager (Moderator) - responsible for the “running” of the webmeeting resources and the
management of the virtual room
- Moderator – responsible for presentations or leading a discussion
- Facilitator – responsible for guiding, controling, and timekeeping in discussions and exchanges of
the meeting
- Attendees – invited participants
64. Which Are the Critical Issues To Be Considered When Organizing a Meeting?
Effective virtual meetings require planning, such as setting meeting objectives, preparing an agenda,
and preparing materials from presentation and distribution.
(a) Objectives, Outcomes, and Agenda -- the first thing to do is to outline the meeting objectives and
create a tentative agenda. Next one must decide which are the desirable outcomes for the meeting.
Will you need to have a Q&A session or to set aside time for brainstorming? Outlining the direction of
the meeting will help you keep the meeting on track and participants will know in advance what is
expected of them.
(b) Time -- When choosing a time for a videoconference, be sure to consider the different time zones
of other participating sites. Try to avoid meetings during other participants' lunchtime or before or after
their regular business hours. Once you have the time set, send out your invitation or announcement
to all the participants, along with the meeting objectives and agenda. It's also useful to alert the IT
professional at the PWR or Center or the primary contact for each site who can handle equipment
setup, operate the webconferencing, and troubleshoot last minute issues. Be aware that when
scheduling a virtual meeting that all times are Washington Time (EDT).
(c) Preparedness of Remote Sites -- make sure all the equipment in each site is configured well in
advance. Notify your appointed site contact to make sure they are involved in the coordination and
setup. Lastly, get a telephone number for the telephone in the meeting room at each site in case lastminute technical difficulties occur.
(d) Visual Aids -- good presentation design and implementation are a must for every presentation, no
matter what the delivery medium. If you're showing your presentation to remote sites through the
webconferencing system, these design rules will help make the presentation more effective:
- Compose slides or visuals using 24-point type or larger. Sans-serif fonts are best. Use upper- and
lowercase characters, with no more than six lines per screen.
- Black type on a light blue background has the best visual appearance and readability. Avoid using
red fonts, as they appear to "bleed" on the screen, and avoid underlining words because it makes
them harder to read when presented on a computer screen.
- When composing your presentation, set your computer's display settings to VGA or SVGA (800 x
600) or XGA (1024 x 768) resolution.
- Distribute copies of your presentation materials or handouts to all participants in advance of the
conference or at the time of the conference by using the file distribution facility of Elluminate.
(e) Learn How to Conduct Virtual Meetings -- leading teams across distance, time and culture
requires good team leadership skills. Web conferencing tools like Elluminate offer a host of audio,
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visual, instant messaging, whiteboard, file sharing, polling, and other technological resources to
facilitate communication and interactivity but the technology does not supplant the need for skilled
leadership. What do you do? Start by making three commitments:
- Know the principles that build empowered teams and follow them
- Zealously battle obstacles arising from time, distance and cultural diversity
- Match the technological resources to your communication and information needs.
The challenges of working on a distributed virtual environment include all of the challenges of working
with a team that works together at one location, plus the added variables of distance, time and
culture. If you feel challenged in conductiong presential meetings, you may want to consider
practicing some basic skills before attempting to lead a team with members in remote locations.
Experience has shown that many managers accustomed to completing projects through close control
and micro-management of various tasks fail when managing a distributed team. The reason for this is
that it is nearly impossible to engage in high-control management and micromanagement of
numerous groups and individuals who are located in different places, time zones, and cultures. To
successfully build an empowered team, whether local or remote, you must accomplish the following:
- Create a shared sense of purpose
- Develop shared decision-making
- Build expected norms for behavior
- Ensure that the team truly shared a common identity and bond
(f) Prepare yourself for the meeting -- credibility with your audience is dramatically enhanced when
you move crisply and seamlessly through your presentation. Additional practice will tend to keep you
more on track and less apt to drill down into content not critical to your key points.
65. How to Prepare and Follow a Meeting Agenda?
Agendas are terrific tools to keep meetings focused - but only when they are diligently managed and
followed. Agenda items can be set by the group leader, developed from prior meeting minutes,
standardized for periodic meetings of a work group, determined by a structured group process for
planning or decision making, submitted in advance by meeting participants, or proposed by
participants at the beginning of the meeting.
Conventional wisdom advises that agendas should be created and distributed in advance. For formal
meetings and meetings requiring preparation, this approach still makes sense. However, for informal
meetings or for those called in the midst of change, building the agenda at the start of the meeting is
an effective strategy. In this case, you'll poll participants for items they think should to be covered,
build the agenda, prioritize and allocate the required meeting time.
Not every agenda has to be built from scratch. Some activities recur at effective meetings and one
should consider seven core issues:
(a) Be Specific -- lack of shared clarity about a meeting's objective or direction makes any team
meeting frustarting. A productive meeting will follow an agenda, however, the most productive
meetings are the ones where, even before considering agenda items, attendees get clear about the
overarching objective of the meeting. At the top of an agenda a short statement providing a clear
48
enunciation of the meeting objective will provide direction for the meeting. For even greater clarity, the
objective can be stated in terms of desired results or outcomes. An outcome is a clear description of
what you will deliver by the end of the meeting.
(b) Check-in -- begin promptly and dive immediately into the meeting content, invite participants to
check in by reporting whatever immediate concerns they need to set aside mentally in order to be
"present" with each other and to focus on the task at hand. A five -minute go-around helps people
gather focus and get down to business.
(c) Meeting Objective -- participants expect meeting leaders to state the purpose of the gathering and
let them know what results are expected.
(d) Roles -- announcing and coordinating roles early in the meeting lets participants know who is
responsible for what. You can declare a meeting-specific leader, facilitator, time keeper or any other
roles you require.
(e) Agenda Review -- if an agenda has been prepared in advance, review it with the group for its
relevance to the meeting objective and its importance to the participants. Be flexible, adding new
items that the group thinks are relevant. The agenda should be displayed for all to see as uploaded
PowerPoint slide/s or using the Application Sharing facility of Elluminate.
(f) Summary -- the next-to-last agenda item for most meetings is a summary to review decisions
made, actions agreed to or assigned during the meeting and any open issues.
(g) Meeting Evaluation -- to improve your meetings, end them with a two-minute discussion of what
went well and what participants would want to be different in the future. Record comments and
address them in future meetings.
66. How to Conduct a Successful Virtual Meeting?
Tending to both the content and process aspects of your meetings will go a long way toward making
them more effective and productive.
Meeting ground rules is a powerful way to meet the social needs of team members and keep them
focused on their tasks to reach the expected results of the meeting. Most participants come to a
meeting with expectations of how others should act. If expectations are met, people have a satisfying
experience. If expectations are violated, then people become upset or withdrawn.
(a) How do you turn expectations into results? Discover important expectations and make them
explicit rather than implicit:
- Start and end meetings on time
- Hold one conversation at a time
- Honor points of view that are different than yours.
- Don't interrupt.
- Speak openly and honestly.
(b) Decision-making process. If you want participants to be engaged in and committed to the meeting,
49
the decision-making process should be clearly understood. Doing this will ensure that peoples'
decision-making behavior is consistent with expectations. There are three basic decision-making
processes: autocratic, where a leader makes the decision, democratic, where each participant votes
and the majority rules, and consensus, where all members "consent" or agree to move forward before
finalizing a decision. Clarifying the decision-making process is important because nothing saps trust
and morale from a group faster than misunderstandings about decision-making authority and process
(c) Discussion-management process. Because of its overwhelming importance to the satisfaction of
participants, planning for discussion management or facilitation of the meeting is a critical skill for
great meeting leaders. Start with clarity about who is to run the meeting and whether the leader will
also act as the facilitator. The default choice - that the group leader or manager runs the meeting and
calls on others to talk may not be the best choice. A more participative format allows for the manager
or leader to set the meeting objective and then take a seat with the members while another team
member actually facilitates the discussion. This format encourages all members to participate.
(d) Follow the agenda and support the objective of the meeting by keeping discussion focused on
relevant topics. To reinforce meeting or team objectives or rules of the meeting, post them on a
shared display and review them periodically to make sure they still represent the commitment of the
group.
(e) Participant behavior recognition or correction -- when you notice participants actively upholding
the objectives and rules of a meeting, recognize them and express your appreciation. When someone
fails to keep them, let the participant know you expect him or her to behave as agreed. Codes of
conduct only work to the degree that members uphold the ground rules. Create close tolerance on
only those issues required to maintain an effective meeting or team. We all have distinct styles and
personalities. In the long term, supporting such diversity is one of the most valuable benefits of
creating rules of conduct in the first place.
(f) Use of time. Keep time schedules: be on time, start on time, end on time. People care a lot about
how long meetings are and when they're scheduled. You may not be able to satisfy everyone, but
some guidelines can be applied. Look to the objective and agenda to estimate how long it will take to
cover critical points. Think also about participants' schedules and preferred times.
(g) Pre- and post-meeting communication. The best way to create commitment to and participation in
meetings is to be clear about why you'll be meeting. Involve as many potential attendees as possible
in planning either the content or the process of the meeting. Capturing and reporting key outcomes of
the meeting are critical for follow-up activities. At a minimum, be sure to capture these items in your
meeting notes: decisions, action items, and open issues
Helpful Hints
- If you have a common or recurring problem in your meetings, propose a new agreement that would
correct it.
- When voting on agreements use a simple thumbs-up/thumbs-down method - it's quick and effective.
- Post your agreements in the meeting room where everybody can see them.
67.Which Are the Most Common Difficulties in Virtual Meetings From the Human
Communication Point of View?
Research has shown that effective trust-building and conflict resolution depend heavily on the visual
component of face-to-face meetings. Difficulties in human intercommunication are the chief obstacles
of virtual environments due to:
50
- Voice is the most important mode of human communication. The correct setup of the audio portion
of a web conference is fundamental and particular attention must be directed to proper microphone
audio level, maintaing proper distance when speaking into a microphone (about 15-20 inches), and
avoiding noisy environments or improper microphone manipulation
- Limitation of communication, formalization of exchanges, and absence of sensorial and emotional
cues of a face-t o-face meeting
- Multiple participants -- a group conference differs from a telephone conversation in that it involves
more than two people in at least two locations
- Requires participants to change behaviors -- when people meet without the benefit of visual cues, it
is difficult to manage turn-taking. Identifying the speaker can also be a problem. Successful virtual
conferencing requires participants to follow protocols like announcing who's speaking and asking if
anyone else has something to say
- Potential for feeling excluded -- when a group of people are in the same room conferencing with
individuals in remote locations places, those in the same room have the advantage of being able to
see each other. Unless this imbalance is carefully monitored, remote participants may feel "left out" of
the group activity
- Technology intermediation with attendant requirement for the simultaneous management of different
interfaces for each “communication channel” – voice, written messaging, controlling visual aids, etc.
Using the technology well can be a challenge in "remote" environments. There is a direct correlation
between fear and preparation. It has been proven time again that confidence and composure in
presenting to an audience, especially large ones, is in direct correlation to the comfort level with the
technology one is using.
- Individuals and groups have defined work "cultures," just as distinct in many ways as cultures
separated by geographical borders and languages. Accepted ways of expressing preferences, views,
and values vary and those challenges are compounded in a multilingual environment.
- Visual displays, usually PowerPoint or Word files must be constructed taking into consideration the
way they are displayed in a web conferencing environment. Presentations mus convey meaning
across cultures.
68. How To Deliver Concise and Powerful Messages Through Visual Aids?
A presentation has to answer three questions - if you fail to answer even one, your audience will may
not grasp the message you want to deliver.
What's up?
People want facts. As you open your presentation, the audience wants you to give them the lay of the
land, or at least a benchmark or two. This is the time to present statistics and figures and short quotes
that summarizes the nature of the problem that needs solving, the condition that needs improvement,
or even the achievement that needs celebrating. In the "What's up?" stage of your presentation, just
tell your audience the way things are - no embellishment, no interpretation. All you have to do is
convince them that your assessment is accurate; if you don't, everything you say after this will be
suspect. Build a solid case that answers this first unspoken question.
51
So what?
The audience may buy your premise, but do they care? Raw data needs a human being (you) to give
it meaning. Now it's up to you to interpret what you say - to convince the audience that your facts and
figures are important. You must answer these unspoken challenges quickly and fully. Another way to
describe the "So what?" stage is, "What's in it for me?" This stage is all about importance. It's about
how the knowledge you're imparting can benefit the audience. It's where you say, "Listen up - here's
why." But even if people believe both your assessment and your interpretation, you'll still leave them
at a loss unless you answer their third question - and perhaps, their most important one.
Now what?
The "Now what?" section is both a call to action and your prescription for success. Here, you need to
change attitudes, suggest an action, push a skill, lay out a plan. Just make sure you answer the
question, "What do we do after we leave here?"
69. How To Take Advantage of a Multimedia Projector?
A multimedia projector on a conference room displaying the desktop interface of a virtual session is a
great tool for brainstorming, managing projects and collaborating long-distance on new solutions. A
multimedia projector, when harnessed to your PC becomes a real-time collaborative tool. Here are
several ways in which a multimedia projector can make your meetings much more productive and a
lot more interactive.
Brainstorming
With a multimedia projector, you can capture all the ideas that mushroom from a brainstorming
session by capturing them in a word processor, spreadsheet, or specialized software such as
MindManager and projecting them onto a screen and sees by local participant and by remote
participants logged to a virtual room. Once all those ideas are visible, you can sort, combine, and edit
them until a plan for action takes shape. Brainstorming is far more powerful if you don't have to wait to
have ideas typed, transcribed and distributed for a second or even a third meeting.
Managing projects
With a multimedia projector, you can capture the team's action items and open issues electronically
during a meeting using collaborative applications such as SharePoint or project management tools.
When you meet next time to review and update the status of the project, the online data becomes a
living document that can be displayed with the multimedia projector, discussed, and updated in real
time for everyone involved. This way, your team can review and monitor each project more efficiently
and even cut down on the number of meetings.
Bringing software into your meeting
The Application Sharing facility of Elluminate allows word processor, e-mail, and any application on
your desktop to be shared in real-time with meeting teammates. For example, instead of staring at
static printouts during your next planning meeting, your team can play out countless "what if"
scenarios on the big screen with powerful spreadsheets. You can use those programs to create as
many graphs and charts as your team needs to get the job done. Plus, information from web sites
becomes instantly available when you tap into your network during the meeting using Application
Sharing or Web Tour resources.
52
70. How do Build Visual Aids for Virtual Meetings?
Visuals are an essential part of every presentation. They can add interest and excitement to your
presentation and most importantly they're your key tool for helping the audience remember your
message.
Yes, substance is essential but from the moment participants join a sessions they will let their
perceptions guide how willing they are to follow what you're about to say. Even before you open your
mouth, they've formed one of two opinions based on something as basic as your title side: that you
whipped the presentation together with whatever time and tools you had handy or that you took the
time to craft a unique, professional presentation. And one of the most useful tools you have for
persuading them to listen to you is that most fundamental of silent impressions - your presentation
template.
(a) Use a good presentation slide template design
In presentations, as in other designed products, our message doesn't have to be defined by the tools
we use. It's defined by the clarity of our story, the passion with which we tell it and its relevance to our
audience. However, a good visual aid is very important. Template design is clearly a process that
requires some trial and error. But once your template is created, it will bring continuity to your
presentations. Whether you're a seasoned presenter or a first-timer, this is where positive first
impressions begin.
Step 1: Frame Up
To create a frame for your custom template, the determination of the color scheme is very important.
Then create a base color for your background layer. A mid-tone density works best here; you can
always go darker later on.
Step 2: Integrate
Now you can integrate your key template elements. In most cases it is desireble to use PAHO’s logo
and create a new lay er for it; splitting up all the background elements of the template into separate
layers will give you more flexibility later in the process. Start by placing the logo at the bottom right.
You want the logo or any banner repeated in all slides to create an impression - nothing more, but
nothing less. If any single element stands out, the audience member's eye will constantly be drawn to
it. So it's generally a good idea to move the "identity" elements to the edge, leaving a clean,
nondistracting center for your main text and graphics.
Step 3: Add texture
On a dark background template, subdued elements tend to disappear when there's too much ambient
light around the screen. A light-colored background, on the other hand, may wash out onscreen.
Either way, adding texture to the background gives it some dimension as well as some much-needed
density. One way to do this is to create a new layer and apply a base color and some texture.. Be
sure to reduce the opacity of that layer to create the subtle texture pattern desired.
Step 4: Save it
When you think you're done, select FILE SAVE A COPY, and choose the JPEG format. Short for
Joint Photographic Experts Group, this highly compressed file format retains the quality of your image
and can be easily shared between Windows and Macintosh computers. Put the compressed image
into the PowerPoint background (FORMAT, BACKGROUND, PICTURE TAB), but not into the master.
53
That way, the image's background will drop out nicely when printed in black-and-white from
PowerPoint.
Step 5: Put on finishing touches
Your background is placed, but your template isn't quite done. Jump into your PowerPoint master
slide and choose readable fonts (such as Arial, Univers, Garamond or Times) for your title and body
text. Then align the title (providing enough space for a two-line wrap), adjust your body text around
your background elements and add some appropriate bullets. In PowerPoint (97, 98 and later
versions), FORMAT, SLIDE COLOR SCHEME will take you to the master color scheme; find the
usage descriptions for your colors and change the text colors accordingly for your new background.
(Note that the last four colors become the first four colors in any charts you create.)
(b) Test the template
The real test for any template design is how it looks in its final medium (i.e., computer monitor, LCD
projector). Design that looks great on your monitor can look quite different in another computer screen
and different resolution.
71. Which are the Best Practices Regarding Text and Graphic Elements in Visual Aids?
One of the best ways to totally confuse and disorient your audience is to place as much text and as
many meaningless graphics on each of your screens as possible. Because an audience's natural
inclination is to read what's on the screen, you will take the focus of their attention from you for
extended periods of time. Visual clutter also has another unintended result — loss of credibility. Think
of the best presenters you've ever seen and the visual aids they've used. We often fill our screens
with long sentences in small text that are impossible to read when the slide frame is necessarily
reduced in a remote desktop that may not have the best resolution…
Design each visual to make one major point or theme -- The dominant idea or concept should jump
out at the audience immediately, followed by bulleted summary information to support it. Keep your
visual simple, neat and uncluttered. Make sure it isn't complex or busy. Don't squeeze all the text or
graphics into a small area in the center. Spread your elements out and make everything as large as
possible for quick, easy viewing.
Legibility is always a major problem and it refers to the ease in which the audience, especially those
in the back of the room or in a remote location, can read your visuals. Some typeface designs are
more legible than others. Unless you have total control over your presentation environment always
design for the worst-case scenario. Screens are always smaller and room lighting always brighter
than desired. Designing for the worst-case scenario avoids the disappointment certain to result when
presenting under less than ideal circumstances.
(a) Number of words and font size and weight
Limit the number of words and use large, bold letters. Use fewer than 45 words on each visual. A
good guideline for text-based visuals is six to eight words per line and no more than five to seven
lines per visual. Use only one font and use upper- and lower-case letters. Sans serif faces such as
Helvetica or Futura are more readable when projected than are serif faces such as Times New
Roman. Avoid using a period at the end of bullet points except in the case of a quoted statement.
Employ weight contrast for visual interest. Many typeface designs are available in multiple weights
ranging from Light (thin strokes) to Black (thick strokes). These add interest to your presentation
visuals and help you to visually separate each element of slide architecture.
54
Edit out words you don't need until each statement is as concise and to-the-point as possible.
Diligently copyedit and proofread. Be consistent when it comes to noun phrases or verb phrases, and
tense for text lines and title. Check spelling and use consistent punctuation. Verify accuracy of people
and organizations.
(b) Grab Viewer’s Attention
Write titles that read like headlines. Each visual title should shout out a specific idea or point, grab
attention and titillate interest. "Quality in Vaccination" is informative, but "Quality Rises Dramatically in
Vaccination" is both informative and dynamic.
Highlight key words and graphics. Use a different color, size or text effect (bold, italics) to draw
special attention to key words or ideas. But use them only for special emphasis. Mixing too many type
faces, such as italic and bold and various fonts, creates excessive contrast and slows reading. Other
techniques for drawing attention to key ideas include using arrows, asterisks or enclosing words or
graphics in geometric shapes.
(c) Be careful with formats, colors, and patterns
Don't mix horizontal and vertical formats. Stick with one or the other. A horizontal format is preferred
because it appears larger and conforms to the TV and movie images we're all used to. Avoid stark
contrasts. When you switch between starkly different design elements (colors, size or style) or content
messages you give the audience mixed messages. Focus on being consistent in all areas of your
presentation.
Use colors sparingly. Although color is effective for drawing attention to key points, don't overdo it.
Never use more than three colors on one visual, and consider using the same three throughout your
presentation for consistency. Use colors to contrast, highlight and differentiate categories, separate
groups of data or call attention to a key point. In general, light -colored text against a dark background
is easier to read from a distance than dark text on a light background.
(d) Maintain maximum foreground/background contrast.
Be sure there is sufficient difference in tonal value between type and the background it appears
against. The further apart the typeface and background colors are, the easier the typeface can be
read. Be especially careful when placing type against graduated background fills -- backgrounds that
make a smooth transition from light to dark or one color to another. When your presentation employs
a graduated background, consider placing the text chart itself against a solid fill.
(e) Use capitalization with care.
Titles set in upper-case type are harder to read than titles set in upper-and-lower-case type. The titles
take up more space and the words themselves lack the unique shapes formed by descenders and
ascenders.
(f) Fine-tune the details.
Typographic detailing includes choosing the right bullets as well as modifying their color, size and
distance from the text they introduce. Often, minor changes in your choice of bullets and spacing can
make a major difference in the appearance and readability of your presentation. Take the time to
modify the bullet choice and spacing that comes with your software program's templates and, when
you have arrived at choices you like, create your own custom templates. Reduce line spacing within
slide lines while adding additional spacing between bulleted items
55
A few hints:
1. Remember that most eyes aren't perfect. Because color-perception deficiencies are common,
certain color combinations -- including red/green, brown/green, blue/black and blue/purple -- should
be avoided.
2. Red should be handled with care. Red is one of the most influential colors in your software palette - but it also carries negative cultural attachments, so use it carefully.
3. Don't forget your basic black. Often overlooked, black is a background color with useful
psychological undertones; it connotes finality and also works well as a transitional color. Green is
another background color with positive associations.
4. Arrange colors from dark to light. We perceive dark colors as being "heavier" than light ones, so
graphic elements that are arranged from darkest to lightest are the easiest for the eyes to scan.
5. Keep the eye moving. Large, simple geometric shapes will be the first thing your audience focuses
on; text will generally be the last. When designing visuals, keep innate scanning tendencies in mind.
6. Don't "overdesign." Today's presentation software programs provide you an endless array of
design options. Consider using the pre-designed templates these programs offer, and avoid radically
changing backgrounds, colors, fonts and borders unless you're customizing your presentation to your
audience. When you're designing your visuals, remember that elegant, simple design is always more
effective than jarring, flashy design.
72. Are There Special Requirements for Users with MS Internet Explorer Version 7?
Due to Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) new security setup we recommend that all participants and
moderators connecting using Internet Explorer 7 make appropriate modifications in the configuration
of the browser.
Two problems that users who do not make these changes may see are:
(a) difficulties in playing flash files (.swf) uploaded to the multimedia library (a white or blank
multimedia window appears)
(b) when logging into sessions, having your name appearing as “Your Name 1” in the participant area
of the interface even though only logged in one time thus behaving as if you have logged twice into
the same session.
To modify your IE7 settings to solve these problems, do the following:
1. Access the Tools ? Internet Options menu in IE7. If this menu is set to hide by default press the
alt-key to show it.
56
2. Select the Security tab of the Internet Options, select the "Trusted sites" security zone, then click
the "Sites" button.
3. Add "*.elluminate.com" (the * makes all sub domains of elluminate.com trusted) and "localhost"
as a trusted website. Make sure the checkmark for "Require server verification (https:) for all sites
in this zone" is not checked. This change will allow flash files (.swf) uploaded to the Elluminate
Live! multimedia library to play properly.
57
4. Close the Trusted Sites dialog then click on the "Custom level..." button in the Custom settings
section on the Internet Options Security tab.
5. Set "Automatic prompting for file downloads" to Enabled. This will allow you to properly launch
meetings from the SAS Java applets.
73. When Attempting to Join a Session I Receive a “Connection Failed” Error Message
This message displays when you are prevented from connecting to an Elluminate server to
authenticate and join a session. This may be caused by a firewall/proxy or lost Internet connection.
Ensure that you are connected to the Internet and that the connection is active. After that, you will
may to configure your computer's firewall or proxy settings to allow access to Elluminate. This may
require the intervention of a System Administrator.
74. I Have Audio Problems After Updating to J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0
After updating to J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 (JRE 1.5.x) you may experience issues with some
functionality including the Audio feature, where the sound may seem choppy or may echo.
The solution is to empty the Java Web Start cache. This will require a new download of the resource
58
files for Elluminate and will correct the corrupt file.
Clearing Java Cache Files
Important Note: For instructions on how to determine what version of Java Web Start go to the
following URL:
http://supportcenteronline.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=2653&task=knowledge&questionID=17
(a) Windows Operating System
(a.1) Java Web Start version 1.4.2_x
1.
Open Java Web Start (either the icon on your desk top or in your programs folder)
2.
Click "File" then "Preferences"
3.
Click the "Advanced" tab
4.
5.
(a.2.) Java Web Start version 1.5 (J2SE 5)
1.
Go to your Control Panel
2.
Open Java (You may need to switch to "Classic view")
3.
Click the “Delete Files” button. Then OK.
4.
Close the Java Control Panel
(b) Mac OS X
1.
Open a Finder window
59
2.
3.
4.
5.
Choose "Applications", "Utilities", "Java" and open Java Web Start
Click the Java Web Start menu and choose "Preferences"
75. Why Application Sharing Is Very Slow on a Windows Vista Computer?
When hosting an Application Sharing session in Windows Vista, it may be slowed by using Aero
desktop graphics. To speed Application Sharing as much as possible configure your display settings
for “Adjust for best performance” as follows:.
On the My Computer icon on your desktop right click on My Computer Select Proprieties If the My
Computer icon is not on your computer click Start>Computer>System Properties. Both paths above
will bring up the System window.
Under the Tasks menu, click Advanced System Settings. A dialog window called User Account
Control will appear, click Continue. Under performance section of the Advanced pane, click on
Settings. Now select Adjust for best performance Click ok, and close out all windows opened in this
process. This should speed up your application sharing.
Additionally, as the person hosting the Application Sharing session, you can make a change within
your Elluminate Live! session to help speed up application sharing. Follow these steps: click
Tools>Application Sharing>Hosting Options>Other Options and set the image quality to "highest
speed"
76. What is Java 2 Runtime Environment 5.0 (J2SE 5)?
Java 2 Runtime Environment (which includes Java Web Start) is an application that is responsible for
updating and launching Elluminate on the user's computer. Created by Sun Microsystems as a way to
launch full-featured applications with a single click from a Web browser, Java Web Start will launch
Elluminate without going through a manual installation process.
Once the Java 2 Runtime Environment is installed on a computer, you simply need to click on a link
within an email or from a web page to be launched into an Elluminate session. If the files to launch
Elluminate are not yet present on the users computer. J2SE will automatically download these files
and when the download is complete, it will launch Elluminate.
Technical Note: The previous version of JRE (Java Web Start) was 1.4.2. The latest version of JRE is
now named J2SE 5.0. Java technology was introduced 9 years ago and it's been over 5 years since
the introduction of J2SE (Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition), the 2nd generation Java platform. This
release has been renamed 5.0 rather than 1.5.0 to better reflect the level of maturity, stability,
scalability and security built into J2SE. You will see both names at different times for the latest
release.
77. Error Message "Audio System Error; If you continue, you will not be able to hear..."
When Elluminate starts, it verifies that it can access available sound devices. If it cannot locate your
sound card, it will continue to launch, but without the audio module. Elluminate Live! may fail to locate
installed sound hardware in the following situations:
60
· (a) If another application has locked the hardware;
· (b) If the driver for the particular hardware is not functioning correctly; or
· (c) If the hardware is malfunctioning or not in place.
1. Clear the Java web cache
2. Ensure all speakers and microphones are plugged in prior to launching the session (a USB device
is the most common reason for this error)
3. Make sure no programs are using your sound card, rebooting your computer typically forces any
programs grabbing control of your device to stop.
4. If you are using Windows, you can also check and make sure that your default sound card is
selected by:
(a) First open up "Control Panel"
(b) Open "Sound and Audio Devices"
(c) Select the audio tab and make sure that you have your sound card selected as "Default Device"
(d) Next select the Voice tab and make sure that you have your sound card selected as "Default
Device"
Version 9
R.J.Rodrigues
April 18, 2007

FREQUENT ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT WEBCONFERENCIN1

Transcription

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