Working hybrid, one of the most significant challenges is allowing all meeting participants, both present and remote, a smooth conferencing experience. This doesn’t merely mean providing attendees with top-notch video and audio quality, but also, doing so in a way that will keep them all equally immersed and engaged, and keep them from developing videoconferencing fatigue.
To get a closer look at this intricate challenge, I sat down with Lauren Simmen, Director of Product Marketing at Crestron, who provided her take on the subject and shared how Crestron‘s Sightline solution tackles it.
What You See is What You Get
According to Simmen, current challenges in video conferencing can be likened to film editing challenges.
“The information conveyed in video conferences relies largely on a visual language,” Simmen notes.
“And when the use of that visual language isn’t optimal, it robs all the attendees, both present and remote, of key information they need to collaborate effectively.”
Simmen is referring to that awkward shot remote workers often see when they join a meeting, viewing in-office staff members in a medium-to-long-shot that doesn’t do justice to what they actually look like.
“The further away from the camera they are, the harder it is for remote viewers to grasp nuanced facial expressions or body movements,” Simmen explains.
But not only does the less-than-flattering angle rob us of important information – it can also create an off-putting, not to mention intimidating effect.
“As modern viewers, we’re used to seeing speakers or presenters who are framed in a single, solo shot,” Simmen says.
“This means that if we join a meeting remotely and have to bare the sight of people conversing in profile for long periods of time, it can make us feel quite uncomfortable without even realizing why.”
A similar phenomenon can arise when speakers in a video conference aren’t properly framed.
“Camera angle has an immense effect on the feeling that we get when looking at a speaker,” Simmen explains. “An angle that’s too high, too low or too ‘tight’ on the speaker can create various negative sentiments, from mild urgency to downright anxiety.”
Videoconferencing Fatigue: How Do We Fight It?
The crucial video mistakes mentioned above happen numerous times every day in offices and conferencing rooms around the world. This leads to meeting participants often getting inaccurate information or simply not getting some of the information at all, which in turn might make them fill in the blanks in a negative way.
All things considered, it’s no wonder why so many workers develop what is often referred to as ‘videoconferencing fatigue.’
“Videoconferencing fatigue doesn’t only affect remote workers, but also in-person meeting participants who aren’t able to hear or see their remote co-workers clearly enough,” Simmen notes.
“Being highly aware of this widespread phenomenon, Crestron created the Sightline experience to be able to cater to participants’ most nuanced video conferencing needs.”
Crestron’s Sightline solution uses AI tracking technology to cut between speakers and automatically frame them according to the natural flow of live conversations. It keys on individual speakers to increase engagement and decrease fatigue combining camera, display and audio solutions.
“The more we helped our customers navigate their hybrid work journeys, the more we realized that videoconferencing in larger spaces doesn’t allow remote participants to fully engage in the meeting,” Simmen shares.
“By relying on some of the concepts we’ve learned from film and broadcast, we’ve been able to develop a solution that ensures meeting equity to both in-person or remote employees, giving each collaborator an experience that is tailored to them.”
