- The presenter — who employs whiteboards as a visual tool to demonstrate information, illustrate concepts, and ensure clarity during presentations.
- The meeting facilitator — who uses whiteboards as a canvas for visual collaboration, ideation, freedom and flexibility to map out ideas, create connections, and foster a dynamic process of thought and creativity.
The presenter — Structure and clarity
Presenters rely heavily on the clear, structured, and legible display of information on whiteboards to maintain a seamless flow during their presentations. A well-organized whiteboard can serve as a roadmap, guiding the audience through complex topics with ease. Each point, each diagram, each notation on the board contributes to the overall understanding of the subject matter. Teachers are a prime example of the presenter profile, leveraging the capabilities of IWBs to present lesson content in a visually engaging manner, facilitating a more effective and efficient learning experience for their students.
The meeting facilitator — Freedom and flexibility
On the other hand, meeting facilitators cherish the freedom that whiteboards offer for unstructured thought processes. They relish the possibility of writing anywhere on the board, transforming linear note-taking into a flexible method that stimulates creative thinking. Ideas flow freely, often resulting in a proliferation of text, diagrams, and doodles scattered across the board. This unconstrained use of space is vital to the meeting facilitator, as it allows for non-linear connections, fosters innovation, and encourages out-of-the-box thinking.
Two user profiles, one device
The interaction with IWBs forms the core of the user experience. For both presenters and meeting facilitators, the interface's simplicity, responsiveness, and reliability can greatly enhance or hinder their respective processes. For a presenter, the ability to smoothly navigate through different layers of content, manipulating shapes and texts with ease, brings their narrative to life. For a meeting facilitator, a fluid and intuitive interaction allows them to capture fleeting ideas quickly and effectively. Consequently, the technology that underpins this interaction experience must be intuitive, adaptable, and user-friendly.
MyScript's added value for IWBs
Virtual keyboard limitations
Virtual keyboards introduce a number of challenges that can hinder the process of both presenters and meeting facilitators. Constantly switching between the keyboard and the whiteboard disrupts the flow of thinking, breaks concentration, and hampers productivity. Inputting complex information or diagrams becomes cumbersome due to the required precision and tactility. And perhaps most disruptively, these keyboards take up a significant portion of the screen, concealing the content underneath and reducing the visible workspace. This can be particularly detrimental during brainstorming sessions, where the ability to see the whole picture and make connections between different ideas is key.
The benefits of handwriting input for IWBs
Introducing handwriting content input to IWBs presents an effective solution to the challenges posed by virtual keyboards. With handwriting, presenters and meeting facilitators can maintain their flow of thought without the disruption of switching to typing mode. It is intuitive and mirrors the natural process of writing on a physical whiteboard, resulting in a seamless and efficient user experience. Furthermore, handwriting on an IWB doesn't impede the visible workspace, allowing for a complete view of all content, which is especially beneficial during collaborative meetings.
Turning handwriting into text
However, to fully benefit from handwriting content input, one crucial factor still applies – legibility. If the handwriting is not clear and legible, it can disrupt the flow of presentation, creating confusion and misunderstanding, and can potentially disengage the audience. And while handwriting significantly enhances the usability of IWBs, it also introduces the challenge of post-session work. After a presentation or collaborative meeting, the handwritten notes and conclusions often need to be converted into a structured digital document. This process can be time-consuming, as it involves retyping everything and organizing the content into a comprehensible format.
This is where MyScript technology truly shines, offering a spectacular solution for both structured and unstructured information.
Its handwriting recognition feature can transform even the messiest handwriting into clear, neat, and legible text, thereby avoiding possible confusion or misunderstanding during presentations. Users are able to write or sketch their ideas directly onto the IWB, mirroring the intuitive process of writing on traditional whiteboards or paper. This seamless interaction eliminates the need to constantly switch between different modes or tools, allowing users to stay focused and immersed in their respective tasks.
Unleashing full potential of IWBs in real-world scenarios
The interactive classroom IWB use case
Let's consider a use case where a teacher is presenting a structured lesson using MyScript technology on an IWB. Midway through the presentation, a student raises a question which requires the teacher to explain a complementary notion. Instead of interrupting the flow of the presentation and cluttering the board with side notes, the teacher can swiftly create a separate space on the IWB to elaborate on this new topic. They could easily move previously written content to make room for additional explanations, maintaining the structured layout of the board.
With MyScript, they can write out this additional information just as easily as they would on a traditional whiteboard, but with the added benefit of digital flexibility. Information can be written, erased, moved, or resized intuitively, ensuring that the lesson remains coherent and organized despite the unplanned detour. Furthermore, they can communicate with an AI companion directly on the IWB, using their handwriting to ask for definitions, examples, or relevant multimedia, all within the same workspace. This seamless integration keeps users fully engaged in their workflow, eliminating the need to switch tools or platforms. By maintaining focus and continuity, MyScript technology increases the learning and teaching experience, keeping the process fluid, interactive, and highly effective.
Enhancing meeting outcomes with IWBs
The use of MyScript technology not only maintains the flow and structure of the lesson but also transforms unexpected interruptions into enriching opportunities.
For meeting facilitators, it means capturing and linking ideas on the fly, preserving the spontaneity and dynamism of their thought processes, free from the constraints of traditional typing. The freedom to write anywhere, without the constraint of a keyboard, is a vital part of the creative process. MyScript respects this need for freedom, allowing unstructured information to be captured, moved, and manipulated with ease. The ability to write, erase, and move pieces of information while brainstorming fosters innovation and allows for dynamic connections to be made between thoughts and ideas.
Elevating presentation and creativity on IWBs with MyScript technology
The real magic happens when bridging the gap between structured and unstructured information. With MyScript, any handwritten notes or diagrams can be quickly and easily converted into structured digital content, eliminating the tedious post-session work of manual retyping and reformatting. This not only saves time but also ensures the preservation and accuracy of the original ideas and findings. Thanks to MyScript technology, interactive whiteboards become an even more powerful tool, elevating both the presenter's clarity and the meeting facilitator's creativity to new heights.
For those who aim to meet—and exceed—the evolving needs of their users in educational or corporate environments, MyScript offers a definitive edge. If you are looking to harness the full potential of IWBs, elevate your presentations, and spark unparalleled creativity in real-time collaborations, we invite you to reach out. Contact us at MyScript to explore how our handwriting recognition technology can transform your interactive whiteboards into a hub of seamless, limitless possibilities.