Conference Question Linking and Real-Time Presenter Notification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current web conferencing solutions do not allow participants to link questions to specific parts of a presentation, and there is no mechanism for real-time notification to the presenter about questions, leading to delayed addressing of participant queries and potential confusion.
Innovation Solution
A system that enables participants to submit questions via text, audio, or video, linking them to specific slides or portions of the presentation, with real-time notification to the presenter, and allows for dynamic updating of recorded conferences with answers and annotations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If participants are muted during the presentation to avoid distractions and background noise, then the presenter can speak uninterrupted, but participants cannot ask questions at the point of confusion or interest
Solution Approach 1:
A text chat intermediary is introduced between the participant and presenter, allowing participants to submit questions in writing while remaining muted. The moderator or presenter can then select and read these questions aloud at appropriate moments, resolving the contradiction by enabling question submission without audio disruption.
Solution Approach 2:
Participants submit their questions in advance during the presentation using text chat before the Q&A session begins. This preliminary action allows questions to be collected and organized, so they can be addressed systematically during the designated Q&A time rather than requiring immediate verbal interruption.
2Productivity
If participants wait until the end of the presentation to ask questions, then the presenter can complete the full presentation without interruption, but participants may forget their questions or experience additional confusion
Solution Approach 1:
Participants are encouraged to submit questions in text chat during the presentation as points of confusion arise. This preliminary capture of questions ensures they are recorded accurately while fresh in the participant's mind, preventing loss of information while allowing the presentation to continue uninterrupted.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides immediate visual feedback to participants when their questions are successfully submitted via text chat. The presenter or moderator receives real-time notifications of incoming questions, enabling them to track and address questions systematically without losing track of what needs to be covered.
3Reliability
If text chat is used for question submission, then participants can submit questions without audio disruption, but there is no mechanism to link questions to specific charts or portions of the broadcast
Solution Approach 1:
The moderator acts as an intermediary who receives text chat questions from participants and links them to the relevant presentation content. The moderator can reference specific slides, charts, or time stamps when reading questions aloud or discussing them, establishing the contextual linkage that the text chat system alone cannot provide.
Solution Approach 2:
The question submission system is segmented into multiple components: text chat for question input, timestamp tracking for temporal context, and moderator interpretation for spatial/contextual linkage to specific presentation elements. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its strength while collectively solving the linkage problem.
4Device complexity
If there is no notification mechanism to the presenter about questions, then the system remains simple, but questions cannot be efficiently addressed during the initial discussion of that specific part
Solution Approach 1:
A simple notification feedback mechanism is implemented where the presenter receives alerts (visual or auditory) when questions are submitted via text chat. This feedback allows the presenter to know when to pause and address questions without requiring a complex real-time notification system, balancing simplicity with improved question addressing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of continuous real-time notification, the system uses periodic checking where the presenter or moderator periodically reviews accumulated text chat questions and addresses them at appropriate intervals during the presentation. This periodic action maintains system simplicity while still enabling efficient question handling.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for enhancing presenter and participant interaction in a presentation. A system configured to practice the method can receive, from a viewer of an electronic presentation, a submission of a question and a selection of a communication mode for the question. The system can identify a portion of the presentation to which the question is directed, and update the portion of the electronic presentation to incorporate the question based on the communication mode. The electronic presentation can be a slide show, such as a PowerPoint™ presentation. The system can optionally notify a presenter in the electronic presentation that the portion has been updated.