Make training fun

It can be true that some employee training sessions revolve around topics that aren’t necessarily especially interesting. Take the example of health and safety briefings. While these are absolutely essential for any business, they can often come across as dull or unnecessary.

You can counteract this by making the sessions as fun as possible. A training session on the driest of topics can be lifted by injecting humour and allowing employees to relax as they learn. One of the best ways you can do this is by using charismatic and engaging trainers. The right presenter who can have fun will really improve the amount that staff members can get from a session.

Another popular way to keep staff interested is through gamification. Gamification works by introducing aspects of games to motivate people to achieve certain goals. For example, when running a sales training event you can set up a league table for sales. This could then lead to prizes being awarded for the best performance.

Make use of audience response systems

An audience response system (ARS) allows you to receive immediate feedback from individual handheld devices. This has a huge variety of uses in training sessions as it allows you to engage individuals through the technology.

One use is in testing and quizzes to ensure that everyone in the session is paying attention and understand the material they are being introduced to. Instead of having paper tests that then have to be assessed and marked, ARSs allow for instantaneous assessment. Which can then be displayed anonymously.

Live Q&A sessions help to keep employees interested in the subject matter instead of expecting employees to sit and listen for the duration of the training.

Encourage interactivity

It’s not actually particularly useful for employees to listen to a lengthy lecture filled with stats. In fact, if you are trying to get a message across it’s a much better idea to break up the training sessions with opportunities for interactivity. This can come both through Q&A with the tutor and time for peer-to-peer discussions.

People often learn best by talking things through with their colleagues. It gives them the chance to share their own stories and experiences which can often be far more effective than examples given by trainers. You might find that some members of staff are performing a task in a different way to others. When alternative methods are shared it can ultimately lead to an improved way of working.

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Launching a new product can be an exciting time for you and your company, and holding a product launch event is a great way to generate interest. It is also a good way of advertising and showing off your fancy new product and to get new customers. If you’re hosting a product launch, its important to make sure your audience is engaged, having a good time and interested in your product. Take a look below at our top tips on impressing your guests.

Plan your event

Proper planning is key to a good event. A well-structured timetable can also help your audience know what is happening when. It can also help you plan different events throughout the day. Think about when you might want to schedule your launch speech, product demonstrations and other events.

Remember to schedule breaks or allow time for your audience to have some time to eat and drink. Keep in mind that you want your audience to stay focused on your event and to engage with your product launch. Serving food and drink at the same time that you’re trying to talk about your fantastic new product for example is more than likely to distract your audience.

Don’t forget to plan your speech!

The speech is one of the most important parts of a product launch. It’s a chance to really show off your new product and to get people interested. However, a speech can be tricky to get right and if it is not done well your potential customers could get bored and lose interest.

Imagine you are part of the audience listening to your speech, what would you be most interested in hearing about? For example, adding a lot of technical details can be difficult to keep track of and to remember. Make sure to include key information about your product, what it does and how it can help your customers. Remember not to let the speech go on for too long either!

Use audience interaction

Audience interaction is an excellent way to get people involved with your presentation, and is a great way of grabbing people’s attention. It can also be a great chance to get feedback from your guests. An Audience Response System for example is easy to use and can be handed out to everyone at your event. You can also collect data anonymously and in real time, which lets you get an unbiased answer from your guests.

If you would like to know more about Audience Response Systems, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today. Our friendly and professional team are happy to discuss your requirements and to help with anything you need.

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At CLiKAPAD, we often work with companies that are used to using conventional voting and feedback methods, such as paper forms. If they’re reluctant to let go of their tried-and-tested methods, here are the top reasons why an Audience Response System (ARS) is universally a better option.

1 – Better voter engagement

Not only do many people enjoy the novel feeling of using a handset to cast a vote, being able to see the results almost instantly provides a gratification boost that can’t be matched with a paper form. This means a higher percentage of responses for each question you ask, leading to more data that paints a more accurate picture overall.

2 – Honest responses

Peer pressure and “group think” are very real phenomena and can easily skew a vote. In the time it takes to complete a paper feedback form, respondents can have the opportunity to confer with fellow participants and modify their original thoughts.

Although this may not be completely eliminated with an electronic vote, the pace of providing multiple, single-button responses minimises this dramatically. Plus, anonymity allows respondents to give their honest opinion without fear of repercussion.

3 – Faster results tallying

CLiKAPAD handsets report votes immediately, allowing you to see the results as soon as the voting window has closed. Even if you choose not to display the results in your live presentation, the data is instantly available and won’t need to be manually scanned or assessed.

4 – No room for error

The more that feedback forms are transported, counted or managed by actual people, the more opportunity there is for human error. Save yourself the effort and uncertainty of a recount or loss of data with a quick, digital system where the votes are only in the hands of your voters.

5 – Low-cost

Printing and distributing high volumes of paper forms can get expensive (particularly if they get discarded and aren’t even used). It’s also not great for the environment. Buying or renting an ARS might have a higher initial outlay, but the system can be used again and again without producing waste.

If you’re interested in how your organisation might benefit from swapping traditional feedback methods for an ARS, please get in touch. We have extensive experience working in various industries and all kinds of events, and would be delighted to discuss your ideas and requirements.

The post Digital ARS Voting vs. Traditional Feedback Forms appeared first on CLiKAPAD.

There’s no doubt that audience feedback is an incredibly important insight, but it’s 2018 – there are better ways to collect it. If you’re working with a live audience, electronic data collection is the way forward.

Why is an Audience Response System (ARS) better?

Firstly, the palm-sized voting keypads are intuitive to use and far less cumbersome than paper surveys, and responses just require the quick push of a button. Even the novelty of being handed a credit card-sized keypad is enough to capture the audience’s attention at many events.

Secondly, an ARS is interactive. Rather than giving your audience a mute document for them to fill out in isolation, an ARS invites discussion with your participants as you go through questions and they submit their answers. It feels integrated into your presentation or workshop, rather than simply tacked-on at the end.

You can also show your survey results live, as soon as everyone has submitted their response. This provides its own discussion point, unique to each audience. If you start asking for feedback early in your presentation (rather than leaving it to the end), you can even use these responses to inform the next step of your presentation, covering any knowledge gaps or simply building on the answers you’ve received. This makes what you’re saying more engaging and relevant to your audience – something that would be incredibly time-consuming to do with paper forms (and virtually impossible with larger audiences).

Finally, there’s the data collection element. You don’t have to worry about missing a response or deciphering confusing written answers, and nor will you need to go through each response manually – far from it. The CLiKAPAD system automatically collates responses into a database (which can be combined and segmented by demographics data if you have it), in a format that is accessible to anyone in your organisation that needs it.

Interested in trying an ARS?

This has been a very quick overview of how an ARS is faster, more engaging and more efficient than outdated paper surveys at getting meaningful customer feedback. At CLiKAPAD, we’ve worked with such a wide variety of clients that we only need to hear a little bit about your requirements to understand how, specifically, an ARS could benefit your workshop, industry event or product demonstration.

If you’re interested in bringing your customer feedback processes into the future, contact us today. With purchase and hire options as well as the expert guidance of our in-house teams, implementing a modern ARS system is easier than you might think.

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Talking at a conference is a simple as preparing a speech, showing up and delivering it, right?

Well, yes, it can be, but everyone in your audience will have seen this a thousand times before. Unless you’re one of the best speech-givers in the universe, it’s unlikely that a conventional speech with no props or tools is going to be all that memorable.

Fortunately, in the modern world, it’s possible to make a much bigger impression by getting a little bit creative with technology. Here are our top four choices for making your presentation the best it can be.

Audience Response System (ARS)

Of course, we have to champion Audience Response Systems. Interactivity is key to people staying engaged, so why not incorporate opportunities to poll your audience or get them to vote on discussion topics. There are lots of imaginative ways in which a simple voting keypad can be used to create dialogue between you and your audience, ultimately making your presentation more relevant and interesting.

VR Headsets

Incorporating a cutting-edge technology like Virtual Reality headsets is a great way to get people talking. Transporting the wearer into a 3D simulated environment – whether that’s in a re-designed version of the room they’re in, an exotic location elsewhere in the world or inside a video game – brings a situation to life in a way that nothing else can. Use a single volunteer and project what they’re seeing for others to witness, or invest in headsets for the whole audience to experience the virtual world together.

Video Calling

Video calling in by no means a new technology, but it’s often underrated. Calling in an expert from halfway across the globe is certainly going to make your conference more memorable, while joining a sister-conference in another location can be great for comparing data or creating friendly debate or competition.

Video Walls

Video walls involve a series of connecting screens that combine to make one, huge display. They can have great visual impact by displaying one coherent image or different images per screen. For example, using individual panels to connect with call-in participants, or designing a relevant backdrop to accompany your speech.

While there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with doing a talk without digital tools, keep in mind that you might be selling yourself short. Used in the right way, technology can make your presentation smoother, more effective and more memorable.

For more information about CLiKAPAD systems and how they could be incorporated into your presentation, contact us today. We’ve worked in many unusual circumstances and would be happy to share our experience to create a custom solution for you.

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Introducing digital tools and interactive aspects can really kick your event up a notch. Technology not only keeps your conference ahead of the crowd, but can serve to keep your audience engaged before, during and after your event.

The secret to successfully integrating technology isn’t actually in the tools themselves, it’s in how you organise your event around them. Here are four ways to help your conference run seamlessly, no matter what technology you choose.

Start planning early

There is no such thing as too much time to familiarise yourself with the technology you plan to use at your event. Fully understanding its capabilities, integrating it into your presentations and making sure the venue is compatible all take time. For a seamless audience experience, your speech, seating arrangement and use of technology should all complement each other – failing to prepare will make the “bolted on” part painfully obvious.

Keep it simple

There are so many incredible innovations in the conference world that it can be tempting to try a little bit of everything. Don’t get over-excited though; stick to technologies that aren’t going to overwhelm your audience. Interactive tools like Audience Response Systems are accessible to most people, with their keypad design feeling familiar and intuitive.

Work it into your venue

Our modern, streamlined technology can be integrated into just about any venue, so if you’ve already booked a beautiful country house or historic building don’t let that stop you from bringing a PA system and interactive tools. As long as there is a power source at your chosen venue the CLiKAPAD system will work seamlessly, you won’t even need a Wi-Fi network, allowing you to host your event just about anywhere. The important thing is to work with your technology provider to make sure that any visible screens, speakers and cables don’t detract from your setting and that microphones, projectors and handsets are tested ahead of time.

Prepare a back-up

It goes against everything we’ve said in the blog so far, but make sure you’ve got a Plan B to carry out your presentation without technology. With plenty of time to prepare and a venue that supports different digital tools you shouldn’t have any problems, but there’s always the chance of technology deciding to let you down on the day! Even if a tech failure seems unlikely, it never hurts to have a good back up plan to save all of your hard work being wasted by a glitch.

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At least once, we have all walked out of a meeting and wondered if anything was actually achieved.

Usually, it’s one where more people than usual attended, and something important needed to be agreed. Suddenly everybody is given a slice of the limelight, and between clashing opinions and personalities, the discussion spiralled away from the main point and no conclusion was reached.

If only there were some way of gathering a group of responses in a calm, quiet and well-ordered manner… some sort of system for audience responses… like… an Audience Response System?

We have found that these frustrating and tedious scenarios have been substantially improved by the introduction of a CLiKAPAD Audience Response System (ARS), as it offers a quick, organised way for everyone in the room to provide feedback on a project, idea or presentation without interrupting each other or derailing the flow of discourse.

It’s quick, quiet and anonymous

When staff from every corner of the company get thrown together in a room, it can be difficult for some people to “break rank” or speak their mind for fear of professional repercussions. Answering on a keypad is much more discreet than raising a hand and speaking in front of a room full of people, and will make sure that quieter employees or those that do not usually have a voice are heard equally. On top of that, pressing a button is much faster and quieter than listening to people talk over each other!

Complete versatility

No matter what you’re presenting, be it a new website, a business decision or an office re-shuffle, there are a multitude of ways to incorporate interactivity with an ARS. For example:

– Using numbers or letters to identify the parts they liked the most
– Ranking the areas which need the most improvement
– Choosing a topic for further discussion
– Prioritising the options most important to them
– Voting to choose between multiple versions
– Answering a quiz on their understanding following a presentation

No training required

Unlike a lot of survey software, an ARS requires very little (if any) training or experience before use. The handsets have a familiar-looking, intuitive interface, and once you have explained how you intend to integrate them into the meeting, they are exceptionally easy for all members of the company to use.

So, next time you notice there’s a chaotic meeting coming up on your calendar, why not give us a call to see how we can take the stress away for you.

The post Decision-Making that’s as Easy as 1, 2, 3 appeared first on CLiKAPAD.

Closed Questions

Also known as yes/no question, a closed-ended question forces your audience to choose between two contrasting responses – usually a “yes” or “no”. They may also be used to determine beliefs or preferences, using options such as true/false, or brand X/brand Y.

However, despite their apparent simplicity, closed-questions are tricky to use. They allow for no middle-ground or third option, which can lead to unreliable data. For example, making a voter choose between brand X and brand Y does not take into account a potential preference for brand Z.

Multiple Choice

Multiple choice questions overcome some of the problems with yes/no questions. While you are still limiting the responses a participant can choose, broadening their options will give you a more honest insight into their opinion. You can also offer an equivalent to “neither”, “maybe” or “other”, which can open up a discussion about alternatives.

Likert Scale

Also known as a rating scale or ordinal scale, a Likert scale is used when you ask your event audience to assign a number to provide a rating. For example:

“On a scale of 0 – 10, how much are you enjoying this presentation, where 0 is ‘not at all’ and 10 is ‘very much’”

These kinds of scale are best for measuring agreement or disagreement, rather than factual information, and are useful for observing seeing a spectrum of answers across an audience. CLiKAPAD handsets are well-designed for this precise activity, with an intuitive 0-10 keypad.

If you’re using a rating system, consider whether you want to provide a middle value for your audience to indicate ambivalence, or if you would prefer to use an even number and force them to pick a side of the fence.

Comparison Slides

Use the power of comparison by taking an initial, multiple-choice poll, then allowing your workshop participants to discuss their opinions and understanding of the topic. You can conduct the same poll again later – either after a short discussion, or at the end of your presentation – and see whether your audience have changed their views.

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The secret to using an Audience Response System effectively is to ask the right questions, in the right way, at the right time. Of course, that may sound easier said than done at the moment, but in our experience, there are just a few key things to remember when planning a presentation around an interactive technology.

1 – Start easy

One of the biggest obstacles to participants responding to a question is their fear of giving the wrong answer. By starting with easy questions, you can get your audience quickly warmed up to the idea of interaction and allow them to become familiar with their CLiKAPAD handsets, rather than plunging straight into the deep end.

2 – Build it up

Once your presentation gets rolling, keep your audience focused and interested by asking unusual questions, or ones without an obvious answer. For example, if your topic is linked to any controversial opinions, try asking your participants about their opinions. The anonymity of a voting system will allow people to be honest about their beliefs and provide some interesting data for you to work with. If the questions are too unchallenging, people will feel like they don’t need to answer and gradually switch off.

3 – Be clear

Nothing will scare respondents off quicker than confusion. Go through your questions carefully, and make sure that there is only one way to interpret them. Avoid waffle, double negatives and clever phrasing – ask a friend or colleague for their thoughts if you’re not sure. Simplify any complicated questions, or add extra clarification if required.

4 – Know what you need.

If you’re struggling to come up with questions to ask your audience, start by defining the information that you need to support your presentation. Are you interested in demonstrating a spectrum of opinions, or do you need to test factual knowledge? Can you ask for a specific judgement about a product or statement? Don’t forget that there are many ways to format a question, and closed questions, multiple choice options and Likert scales will all give you a different kind of data to work with.

5 – Reconsider

While CLiKAPAD technology is a great way to boost engagement, the novelty will wear thin if it’s overused. Does every one of your questions need to be included, or can you phrase some as statements? If you don’t need the audience to back up part of your presentation then don’t ask them to.

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1. Staff learning

ARSs are a very useful tool for staff training and workshops as they can deal with everything from opinion gathering to testing. Testing can be completed very quickly and efficiently, and responders do not need fear being embarrassed if they get a question wrong, as the response can be anonymous. This can also instantly give you an understanding over whether an idea has been well understood or whether you need to go over it in a different way.

2. Surveys

There are a wide range of ways that you could use an ARS to take a survey. This could apply, for example, as part of a presentation at a conference or at an in-house issue. If you are trying to get feedback from staff about a particular process or situation in the company, an ARS allows for anonymous and honest answers to be collected immediately so that it can be analysed.

The use of the ARS can lead into critical discussions and the sharing of ideas in a way that can be extremely useful. Unlike a pen-and-paper survey, responses can be read simultaneously and others can provide their ideas that relate to a specific issue.

3. Gamification

Gamification is a way of using fun elements of gameplay as a part of a talk or presentation. This is a brilliant way to engage audiences to participate with your talk – in doing so you are drawing them in to the idea that you are promoting. This can be extremely valuable and useful. There are lots of different creative ways that you can gamify a talk – either through interactive questions or audience polls.

4. Team building

One unusual way to use an ARS is as a part of a team building exercise. You can split the group up into teams and then answer questions or solve problems together. This could then be fed into the ARS as the teams brainstorm solutions and come up with different ideas. You could also set up a simple quiz that could be answered individually.

5. Risk management

Handheld clicker systems can be invaluable as a part of risk assessments. You can bring members of a team together in order to collate responses and ensure that many different perspectives are taken into account as you evaluate risk. Using the powerful software this data can then be presented as graphs or other visual representations to give a clearer picture of the potential issues involved with a project or task.

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