Meeting style and structure

Synchronous communication: same time – same location

This is the classic meeting type. Where the meeting participants can get together easily, or where the outcomes of the meeting demand, it may be most appropriate to hold a synchronous meeting with all the participants in the one location. This is often a meeting room designed and set up specifically for that purpose.

In the past, a meeting room may have been physically isolated from the day-to-day business areas. The idea was to remove participants so they could concentrate on the matters at hand. Now, many organisations run more interactive face-to-face meetings. They may seek real time data to support decision-making (such as current sales figures), or bravely seek anonymous real time input from participants via their computer terminals. Meeting rooms may thus require considerable technology, even though everyone is gathered in the same room.

Synchronous meetings (same time, same location) have advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of synchronous meetings Face-to-face meetings

Participants 'get the whole story', including body language, tone of voice and overall atmosphere. This helps people to make informed judgements.

Serendipity – when people are gathered together, they will talk about what interests them. Often, valuable information can change hands and problems can be resolved immediately (or to put it in technical terms, knowledge moves from tacit to explicit). People often prefer face-to-face meetings because they can get so much accomplished in the breaks!

Disadvantages of synchronous meetings Face-to-face meetings

Cost, particularly if participants have to travel.

Risk, where participants have to drive long distances.

Administrative time and cost (arranging a time, venue and so on).

Key participants may not be available.

Think of a room in which you have attended a meeting. If you could redesign the room to better facilitate the meetings, what would you change or what would you include? Write a 'wish list' of requirements and a brief description of the overall layout of the room. Post it to the ValleyView Meeting room, under the topic, Room design, and compare it with the responses of others.

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Meeting style and structure

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