Tech in meetings needs to enhance, not distract

Technology in meetings needs to be used carefully to bring people together instead of causing unneeded distractions, according to a statement by Imago Venues. The conference and events venue provider researched the value of face-to-face communication in meetings and examined how technology affected audience retention.

Established to unify Loughborough University’s various meeting spaces under a single brand, Imago Venues questioned focus groups to record how people responded when given more interactive seminars or if a white board and pen still proved the most effective means of group communication. With fears that younger generations are quicker to lose concentration, Imago Venues wants to warn event organisers and group leaders that technology isn’t always the answer.

“There has been much talk about the use of technology and social communication to engage millennials,” said Emma Boynton, head of sales and marketing at Imago Venues. “Some research suggests that gamification and interactivity is necessary in order to gain the enthusiasm of attendees, particularly those under the age of 25.”

Although society is encouraging people to become more actively involved in discussion to avoid boredom, if the technology being used isn’t relevant to the topic it runs the risk of distracting from the point. The report showed that a strategic objective behind all technology use leads to much more effective results than using additional media unnecessarily.

“Whilst it is important to recognise that there is a demand for a personalised approach with technology,” continued Boynton, “event organisers should remember meeting attendees want to learn something valuable and develop relationships that will benefit them, and technology isn’t always the way to achieve this.”