Analog Tools 4 Digital Training – the basics

The world of online training is truly fascinating. While there's nothing quite like in-person training where people connect on equal footing and develop together in a shared learning environment, and we're certainly looking forward to participating in such workshops again, as long as we need to reduce our social interaction, we should seize the opportunity to share our knowledge online. You can also easily integrate your existing analog tools. After all, who wants to attend a boring PowerPoint seminar? You can do better than that!

Neuland Toolmaster® Sandra Dirks has been offering online workshops for quite some time and is a true expert in the field. For our new category "Analog Tools 4 Digital Trainings," we grilled her about what you should keep in mind. And you're in luck, she explains it all in detail in her online workshops. The next online training on this topic takes place on June 15th . So, if you're still a bit green behind the ears, or if you'd like a peek behind the scenes at Sandra's workshop, you should definitely check it out !

The planning

This is absolutely crucial for the whole thing. A lot can go wrong if you haven't carefully considered beforehand what you want to show, how you want to show it, and how you envision the process. Even though you're at home, you should still pay attention to your outfit to avoid unnecessary embarrassment. Also, the room where you're filming should at least be tidy. Not everyone has a professional home studio, but nobody wants to see piles of laundry or dirty dishes in the background.

The tools

Have you ever sat through a typical PowerPoint presentation? You don't remember? That's quite possible, because very few people actually know how to use this tool properly. Most others end up putting the audience into a kind of coma with far too much text, hardly any visuals, and virtually no interaction. You can easily avoid this with a mix of analog and digital tools.

Flipchart

First, you should consider how you want to use the flipchart. Our TopChart is well-suited for pre-prepared charts. You can simply place it on a small side table, or a rolling cart will do just as well. This allows you to, for example, welcome your participants with a welcome chart or guide them through the agenda. Estatics works really well with this, by the way.

We also offer our TableTop in the same size. It's a bit more stable and won't slip while you're writing on it. Plus, you can use it as a pinboard, for example, to write and pin participants' ideas on index cards during brainstorming sessions. So, if you want to work on a tabletop flipchart during your workshop, these two options are perfect.

But what if you only want to show the flipchart and not be visible yourself? Your screen (and your camera) is, as we all know, in landscape format. And we want to zoom in as close as possible so your participants can read everything. The sketch@work is the ideal solution for this. You can use it in both portrait and landscape orientation.

pinboard

You can either use them for pin-it cards , or simply hang a flipchart sheet horizontally on them. You can also hang a larger sheet, but then the camera will need to be moved further back, and not everyone has enough space for that.

A pinboard is also a great way to make a room look tidier. And if the wall happens to be covered in green felt, you can even use it as a kind of green screen in the background. 😉

Whiteboard

Whiteboards can be a bit of a challenge, as their smooth surface tends to reflect light. Pay attention to windows, time of day, and video lighting, and it's best to test the workshop setup a few days in advance. To ensure that writing is clearly visible, check beforehand that all markers are full.

By the way: No matter which tool you choose, always try to write legibly. This is even more important in online training sessions, since your participants only see you on a small screen. Therefore, you should use strong colors, but primarily black for the text.

The technology

Sure, we're only responsible for the analog side, but you should also take care of the technical aspects. The most important thing to start with is a second camera. You don't want to be wildly swiveling your webcam around every time you change position. For one thing, that's only possible if it's mounted on a tripod, and for another, it looks incredibly unprofessional. That's why you need a second camera, which you should position beforehand to focus on your analog equipment and then switch to with a single click.

Very important: Always do a camera check beforehand! Your second camera should ideally be pointed at a right angle to your chosen tool. The camera check will also show you whether the lighting needs adjusting or if anything is obstructing the view.

Then, of course, there's the sound. If you're not moving around the room and there's no echo, the webcam is usually sufficient. However, if you do turn to the flipchart or want to show something on a graphic in the background, a wireless headset could prove very useful.

So, those were the basics to keep in mind. If you're interested in the topic and need more tips, you'll find a wealth of information on Sandra's blog . She even has a whole series there, introducing other Analog Tools 4 Digital Trainings. So be sure to check it out, and don't forget: her next online workshop is on June 15th, where you can experience her live and in person... and it's really worth it! 🙂