Communication tips for video conferencing

• If Automatic Speech Recognition is available and to be used, it would be good to test this feature before the meeting starts.
• Make sure you are in a well-lit area but do not sit with a source of light behind you. This can put your face into shadow and make it harder for someone to lipread.
• If an agenda of the video call was handout beforehand, it would give a clear reference point to follow during the meeting.
• Assign a facilitator to ensure the meeting stays focused and on track to provide context for what is being said.
• Face the camera and don’t cover your mouth or rest your chin on the hand while speaking as it’ll make this harder to lipread.
• Make sure that only one person is speaking at a time. This can also help make sure captions are more accurate, if they are used.
• Mute your microphone when you are not speaking to remove unwanted background noise.
• One other simple addition would be for people to click on the ‘raise your hand’ icon before speaking.
• Make use of chat functions that might exist when using video or voice software. They can help to clarify details, especially with numbers or dropping attachments.
• Ensure a written summary or minutes are distributed following the meeting.