Pros & Cons of an Online Conference

Looking at the current situation (COVID-19) all companies are forced to give WFH and maximum conferences go cancelled or it is happening virtually.

Videoconferencing also provides transmission of static images and text between two locations, in addition to transmission of full-motion video images and high-quality audio between multiple locations.

Online conferences offer many benefits – namely, they’re much more cost-effective than most in-person events, and if you use them wisely, you can garner much of the same value from the experience. That said, a lot like other online learning venues, they may not be right for everyone.

As we know every coin has two sides, so it has the same Pros and Cons.

Let’s start with pros – 

This form of conferencing promotes employees’ well-being, as it is much more flexible. Participants can join from work, school or home, making it possible to avoid the side effects of business travel: jet lag, logistics, separation from colleagues and family. Looking at the current scenario online conference is the best.

Flexibility: accessible 24×7, any place as long as you have an internet connection

Choice: a quick question or comment, or a long reflective account are equally possible

Limitless: you can never predict where the discussion will go; the unexpected often results in increased incidental learning

Coming to Cons – 

Another downside of video conferencing is that it puts users at the mercy of technology, which may decide to stop working halfway through a meeting. Dropped connections, camera malfunctions and choppy video streams can quickly make a video conference frustrating or useless. It is also worth noting that although video conferencing may work out to be cheaper than travelling to meetings, it is by no means free.

Isolation: some learners prefer to learn on their own and don’t participate in the discussions

Information overload: a large volume of messages can be overwhelming and hard to follow, even stress-inducing

Time lag: even if you log on daily, 24 hours can seem like a long time if you’re waiting for a reply; and then the discussion could have moved on and left you behind

Finally, projections show that by next year, half of all video calls will originate from a mobile device. Moreover, the ultra-high-speed networks available today provide new opportunities for videoconferencing.

Author – Satyabrata Majhi