Web Conferencing features

1. Presence indication

The ability to see, which contacts are online/offline, and maybe some other status information. 

You can decide ad hoc meetings according to this status information.

2. No installation

To which extent do you need to install client software to use the system?

3. Planning, scheduling, meeting invitations

To which extent can you schedule your meetings, send out invitations to participants with calendar events etc.

4. Windows, Mac, Linux support

Do the systems fully support the three major platforms?

5. User roles and user management

Can you as a meeting host restrict the access to tools, content, areas, as well as give full access to all tools, content and areas. Maybe the access management is define according to specific roles: Host, Presenter etc.

6. Permanent meetings rooms and permanent content

Is it possible to set up permanent meeting rooms that can be "reused", and does the content you have uploaded/created stay as you left it? I.e. Chat content, presentation, annotations, whiteboard drawings. 

7. On-meeting and off-meeting collaboration

Will a team of individuals be able to collaborate and share content during meetings as well as share the same content asynchronously in the same meeting room or environment?

8. Audio / Video quality and management

To what extent does the system support rock solid audio and video conferencing, as well as easy audio and video management (configuring audio/video devices etc.)

9. 10+ audio/Video connections

Does the system support more than 10 concurrent audio and video connections, full duplex?

10. 50+ audio connection 

Does the system support more than 50 concurrent audio connections, full duplex?

11. Raise hand / Status

Can participants raise hand or in any other way show status indications? I.e. Agree, disagree, etc. 

12. Chat , moderated chat

Does the system support chat functions, such as chat send to forum, to individuals, submitted and moderated chat functions. I.e. chat which is not send to forum instantly, but that is being filtered/moderated.

13. Shared presentations

Is it possible to show and playback a powerpoint presentation, or similar?

14. Shared videos, movies, animations, audio productions

Is it possible to share a video, animation or audio productions, where every see and hear the same, and where playback can be controlled?

15. Annotation of all content shared

Is it possible to draw / annotate on all the content shared, be it pictures, presentations, whiteboards, videos, animations etc?

16. 1+ screen sharing

Does the system support high quality screen sharing, and the ability to share more screens at the same time?

17. Remote control of screen sharing

Is it possible to remote control the screen sharing, and can more individuals remote control at the same time?

18. Shared whiteboard

Does the system support whiteboard functions, and can all meeting attendees write on the white board at the same time?

19. Shared text editing

Is it possible to share an editable text, and do all individuals have access to the editing tools and features?

20. Shared test, QA and training tools

Does the system support polls, QAs, test functions and training tools? Can you run the tests etc during meetings as well as off-meeting/on-demand? 

21. Brake-out rooms

Can you split up the meeting attendees into smaller groups, and assign specific content for them to work on?

22. View curser activity

Is it possible to show the curser activity/presence of each individual in the meeting? 

23. "One click" recording and publishing

Can you easily start the recording of all the content and activities in the meeting, as well as very easily publish that content to a greater audience, without any processing. 

24. Customizable user interface

Can the user interface be modified and customized to the needs of the meeting situation and the meeting individuals?

25. API for 3rd party extensions and add-ons

Does an API exist, which allows 3rd party developers to create extensions to functions, tools, content of the existing system?

26. Mobile and tablet support

To which extent is web conferencing and meeting features supported on mobile devices and tablets? I.e. Android, iOS, Blackberry, Windows Mobile. 

27. H.323 support and integration

To which extent can H.323/SIP video conferencing endpoints be used together with the system? Does a "two-way" integration/gateway exist between the H.323 systems and the web conferencing system?

28. LMS support / integration

Is it possible to integrate the web conferencing system with various Learning Management Systems? I.e. Moodle, Blackboard, etc.

29. Support of many types of meetings and use case scenarios

To which extent does the system support many types of meeting, collaboration and use case scenarios?

Web Conferencing Use Cases

1. Webinar

Live event, 1-3 presenters (subsequent) are showing audio, video and presentation or demo.
5-40 participants can discuss by requesting the microphone.

MUST HAVE features:

• A/V communication
• Share pod (PPT, screen, documents)
• Notes
• Chat
• Recording
• Moderator role
• Raise hand

IMPORTANT features:

• Poll
• Whiteboard
• Emoticons (applause, laugh, agree/disagree)

NICE TO HAVE features:

• Breakout rooms

2. Teaching video / video tutorial

Didactically prepared content. 1 presenter showing audio, video and presentation or demo. Recorded for on-demand view at any time. Not interactive.

MUST HAVE features:

• Recording
• A/V
• Share pod (PPT, screen, documents)

IMPORTANT features:

• Export feature for offline viewing, e.g. on mobile devices
• Cutting/editing features
• Spectator access restrictions (public, same university only, etc.)

3. Distributed classroom

Geographically distributed teaching. Students participate actively (poll, quiz, assessment).

MUST HAVE features:

• A/V communication
• Share pod (PPT, Screen, documents)
• Notes
• Role model (teacher / student)

IMPORTANT features:

• Recording
• Raise hand
• Emoticons (applause, laugh, agree/disagree)

NICE TO HAVE features:

• Breakout rooms

4. Video conference

Replacement for H.323 video conference

MUST HAVE features:

• A/V communication: Low delay, perfect audio quality

IMPORTANT features:

• Share Pod (PPT, Screen)

NICE TO HAVE features:

• Poll
• Chat

5. Inter-institutional collaboration

Synchronous and asynchronous work between remote sites in same project. Collaboration in "Virtual Organization".

MUST HAVE features:

• Document exchange
• Independent, asynchronous work
• Synchronous meetings to discuss work results

IMPORTANT features:

• Document versioning

6. Remote support

Replacement for Remote Desktop with control feature

MUST HAVE features:

• Interactive Desktop sharing

IMPORTANT features:

• Simplicity to get started
• Firewall friendliness

NICE TO HAVE features:

• A/V communication for customer interaction