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New Technology Cures The Boring Business Meeting
Unproductive Meetings Become Measurable Events...
And They're Even CEO Friendly
According to the Wall Street Journal, CEO's
feel that meetings account for the largest share of unproductive
time on the job. Attendees agree that between 30 and 50 percent of
time spent in meetings is a waste. A 1989 Hofstra University study,
for example, found that up to one third of all meeting time is
unproductive. Training is even less effective. Only 10 percent of
training expenditures ever result in observable changes on the
job.
But, new audience response techniques and
technologies are helping to transform static, unproductive meetings into
interactive and measurable business events. Meridia's wireless audience
response system is the newest tool on the meeting horizon. CEOs and
business leaders at all levels are using and praising the new technology
as a cure for the unproductive meeting.
The system was developed by Meridia, a
Philadelphia-based interactive Information company. It consists of
individual hand-held wireless keypads audience members use to respond
immediately and anonymously to pre-planned and impromptu questions. The
questions, posed by presenters throughout a meeting, are displayed on a
large video screen at any time. An on-site computer using Meridia's
software instantly compiles the results and displays them on the same
screen in three-dimensional color bar charts. The percentage or number
of audience members voting for each answer can also be revealed.
"Interaction breeds commitment," said Rick
Baker, Meridia's president and founder. "Meridia's interactive meetings
generate lasting enthusiasm and a level of post-meeting action that the
old, static meeting style could never achieve."
This audience interaction technology is used to
measure changes in knowledge levels, track evolving perceptions, and
evaluate meeting effectiveness. Results of each question can be
displayed by rank order or against averages, and be tracked and
cross-tabbed according to demographic or other criteria. The resulting
information can be used to tailor the content, direction and pace of
individual meetings or meeting sessions.
Immediately following the meetings, printed
reports and/or disk copies of the results can be made available on-site
for review and analysis. Also, the Meridia system can be tailored to any
size business meeting, from ten people to several thousand.
The Northwestern School of Speech reports that
the attention span of an Audience is approximately nine seconds. Survey
research among meeting participants shows that Meridia's interactive meetings
achieve significantly higher level of attentiveness throughout the
meeting. Audience interaction also increases understanding and retention
of important information.
Meridia's meetings also benefit meeting presenters.
Presenters using audience response have been rated by attendees as being
significantly more interesting, more professional, and more persuasive
than presenters delivering traditional, static presentations.
"Traditional meetings have held audiences
hostage for too long," says Baker. "Meridia provides managers with a
powerful tool to measure and track the success of each meeting."
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"...meetings account for the largest share of unproductive time on
the job."
"RSVP interactive meetings generate lasting enthusiasm and a level
of post-meeting action that the old, static meeting style could
never achieve."
"RSVP provides managers with a powerful tool to measure and track
the success of each meeting."
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Meridia Audience Response Home Page
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