businessinfomag.uk
magazine
32
Whiteboards
A meeting of minds
Business Info:
What, today, are the
most common applications for
interactive whiteboards?
Daniela Dexheimer,
NEC Display
Solutions Europe
:
“Video-conferencing
rooms are already well established in
most corporate facilities. These were
mainly dedicated rooms with a classic
video-conferencing solution and a
passive display. Now, corporates want
to combine interactive working in the
meeting with video-conferencing on
one single interactive display. Real
collaboration between participants is
important – and not just for delegates
within a room; they also need to connect
with people remotely. The big buzz word
here is the ‘Huddle Room’.
“Interactivity no longer stops at one
single interactive display or projector.
Some corporates are looking into edge-
blended projectors or even touch video-
walls that provide one big interactive
surface. Companies with a focus on
creative work, especially, love the idea of
a space that becomes their ‘pulsing hub’,
fostering creative talent.”
Lucy Meredith,
Panasonic Visual
System Solutions:
“We have seen
interactive whiteboards used in the
education sector to engage students
and help with peer tuition. Captivating
the minds of young learners is essential
in order to give them the best possible
education.We are dealing with a
generation of children completely at
home with interactivity, touch-screen
technology and instantly available
software.
“There are many parallels between
the interactive technology needs
of organisations in education and
business. For example, a classroom
requires interactive technology for
modern teaching aids, just as a modern
conference room needs interactive
technology for video-conferencing.”
What are the key trends in interactive whiteboards?
Business Info
asks four experts for their
insights into market trends and technology developments.
Chris Parker,
Sharp Business Systems
:
“Interactive whiteboards are commonly
used for corporate meetings and training
and are typically housed in meeting
rooms and boardrooms. Increasingly, these
technologies are also finding a home
within schools, colleges and universities.
There is so much more than video-
conferencing to consider when using an
interactive whiteboard – for one thing, it
enables live annotation and interaction
with Microsoft Office modules.”
Natalie Harris-Briggs,
Steljes
:
“Applications vary greatly according to
each specific industry. The most common
use case we see is simple ‘whiteboarding’
– the back-to-basics functionality of
capturing notes and picking up a pen
and writing on the board. The second
most common application is sharing and
displaying content and presentations –
the fundamental requirement for people
when they use a projector is to put up a
presentation on screen and go through a
set of slides.
“Historically, the biggest challenge has
been getting started on an interactive
display or whiteboard, and the need to
have software running on a dedicated
PC or connected laptop. Employees
would often have issues with connecting,
operating the machine or even knowing
the password.
“Another application on the increase
is the use of interactive whiteboards with
video cameras to hold video and web
conferencing calls. The latest models can
support a range of applications, from
‘whiteboarding’ and sharing content to
audio/video calls, all within one system.”
Business Info:
Have you come
across any unique or interesting
applications for interactive
whiteboards?
Daniela Dexheimer,
NEC Display
Solutions Europe
:
“What we have found
is that corporates are starting to think
We are
dealing with
a generation
of children
completely
at home with
interactivity,
touch-screen
technology
and instantly
available
software
Daniela Dexheimer,
product manager
solutions, Marketing
& Business
Development, NEC
Display Solutions
Europe
Chris Parker, senior
product manager,
Sharp Business
Systems
Natalie Harris-Briggs,
group marketing
director, Steljes
Lucy Meredith,
product marketing
specialist, Panasonic
Visual System
Solutions
Continued...
