ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTOR BOOSTS COMMUNICATION WITH ACTIVBOARD INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS

Better internal communication means a more efficient and effective company. Supporting this goal, a major electricity distribution company in New Zealand has implemented ActivBoard interactive whiteboards at four of its premises in the North Island. As a result, training managers, executives and technical experts report tangible improvements in the ability to communicate and collaborate with all groups within the organisation.

In the Business of Electricity

As an electricity network owner and New Zealand’s largest service provider to New Zealand’s electrical distribution sector, the company takes pride in its reputation for excellence, innovation and use of technology to improve business. The company provides electricity and fibre infrastructure to several regions across the country, while also delivering contracting services as far afield as Melbourne, Perth and the Pacific Islands.

As a longstanding tool of business in most boardrooms, the whiteboard has served as a handy device to communicate ideas, share information, support brainstorming and complement PowerPoint presentations. However, it has always had obvious limitation limitations: handwriting can be difficult to read, the board can quickly get messy and once erased, any content depends on the memory of those who physically saw it.

Like many companies, this organisation conducts regular training sessions, shares Health and Safety plans and presents relevant information to staff and outside consultants. Executives also routinely present information by PowerPoint and engage with staff to share plans and ideas, drive discussions and foster open communication channels. “Standard whiteboards had been used for a long time in training and coaching sessions, with pens and erasers used to convey information,” says the training manager. “These were used in conjunction with a laptop with a projector to aid presentations.”

Limitations with the old style of doing things were obvious, the spokesperson notes. “If you want to move information around, that meant erasing and rewriting it; you also only have one format – writing or drawing – to present information, having to switch to a projector or screen when combining PowerPoint, online information or video content.”

Interactive Whiteboard Technology

Appreciating the potential for improved communication by embracing the latest digital technology, the electricity distribution company upgraded the standard whiteboards to the ActivBoard Pro 500 Wall mounted  Interactive system and the ActivBoard Pro 500 Mobile for greater flexibility.

ActivBoard 500 Pro combines the latest multi-touch interactive whiteboard technology with dynamic and intuitive Dual-User Pen and Touch capability. The system includes integrated slim-line speakers and amplifier, along with Promethean ActivOffice which allows seamless integration with Microsoft Office products like PowerPoint, Excel and Word.

The Fixed Systems includes a fixed wall mount and either an Extreme Short Throw or a Short Throw projector; the wheeled Mobile System is easy to move from room to room, and includes an Extreme Short Throw Projector.

The training manager explains the appeal of the interactive whiteboard systems: “We wanted something that was more versatile and more flexible and utilised the latest technology. We also wanted the ability to print out or email the information which was presented so that notes could be distributed at the end of meetings. A standard whiteboard gives a single shot at it and once erased, the information is gone.”

More Engaging Presentations and Training

As a result, presentations, training sessions and executive updates are made more effective, interactive and engaging, confirms the spokesperson. “The improved visual factor in conveying information means the ability to hold attention spans for longer,” he explains. “And when people are paying attention, it is easier to communicate well and drive participation.”

Where a standard whiteboard might lead to people losing track of a presentation, he says the ActivBoard interactive solution ‘keeps everyone on the same page’. “It’s a lot better than just a PowerPoint presentation, in which people tend to fall asleep. With the ActivBoard, you can mix and match information and no presentation has to be exactly the same as the other. With the ability to include audience input on the board, the learning experience is considerably enhanced.”

He says the electricity company uses the ActivBoard devices in its participation centres for brainstorming, training, alerts and various communications. “With the touchscreen, manipulation of information is handy. You just tap the screen to pause a presentation or video to explain a point, and you can write over the screen and save those notes electronically. Integrating video is easy, while at the end of every session, the ability to print off or email the session and give the audience notes means they have something to refer to in their own time.”

The spokesperson adds that the ActivExpression learner response system provided with the ActivBoard systems is proving an invaluable asset. “ActivExpression is currently being used as development tool. We have used it to gain an understanding of a group’s knowledge of such things as industry standards and team awareness.”

ActivExpression, he explains, allows learners to interact and engage through a wirelessly connected handheld device. “We have used it effectively to break up longer sessions to keep everyone engaged, while it encourages team participation. In combination with the ExpressPoll feature for anonymous voting, it is handy when there is a mix of seniority and not everyone feels comfortable communicating their opinion.”

Simple to Learn, Easy to Use

Importantly, the systems are easy for staff to use, confirms the spokesperson. “If you know how to work on a computer, going over to ActivBoard is quite easy. There is perhaps a slight learning curve moving from a plain whiteboard, but it integrates easily with Microsoft Office and getting used to the functionality is a quick process.”

What makes it appealing, he notes, is when any user sees what the system is capable of. “We’ve been using ActivBoard for about 6 months, so it is fairly new in the organisation. However, as more executives see them in action, our use of the technology is increasing and gaining momentum. When people see it in action, they also see the potential to improve their own meetings and training sessions with visual and interactive content.”

For more information

Visit www.activboardnz.com

About ACTIVboardNZ

ACTIVboardNZ is a well-established technology vendor and the exclusive distributor for several leading international manufacturers of interactive and audiovisual display technology.