The letter "i" might not seem especially relevant to a supplier of Audience Response Systems, but there are four words that begin with this letter that are right at the heart of what we do here at Group Dynamics.

Which words are these?

Interactive

Audience response means involving your audience, it means opening two-way communications with every participant. In a meeting scenario, interactive means allowing your audience to influence the content of the meeting. By employing interactive voting, the content of the speakers' slides is generated not by them, but by the audience. Group response through the use of a voting system activates and empowers the participants, making meetings more engaging, enjoyable, and most importantly, far more effective.

Inclusive

Interactive voting systems have to employ inclusive technology. This means that everyone in your audience has the same potential and possibilities to communicate with you. If for whatever reason some of your audience are excluded through whatever reason, you have lost potentially an unreapeatable opportunity to ask their opinion.

There are two elements to this in our opinion. Firstly, the hardware. The keypads or handsets must be usable by everyone. For example, using a membrane keypad or a handset with tiny buttons for the elderly or physically challenged might prove the difference between a successful meeting and a disastrous one. Yet it is an area that is often overlooked.

That's why we have developed three different handsets of differing sizes so that your audiences have no problems at all in pressing the right buttons!

Secondly, the voting mechanism controlled by the software is vitally important. Our team of expert technicians will always advise on the best way for you to ask the questions you want to, in the most inclusive manner possible.

Another area worth bearing in mind is that of text voting. Whilst most people under 20 can send a text message without issue, audiences made up of a spread of ages might find the use of text messaging a barrier to communication. That's why it's always advisable to think about whether to use texting individually or implement a group consultation with a nominated 'texter' in each group.

Innovative

One of the great strengths of the event industry is its capacity to reinvent itself continually. Meetings and conferences often need to have a 'wow' factor and repeating the same content or style over and over again is not an option. Our clients are constantly asking us for new ways to involve their audiences and we relish rising to the challenges that this involves.

Listening to our clients is key, but we also have a great team of experienced technicians who are always challenged to dream up new ways of interacting with audiences.

Inspiring

The best compliment we can get is when we see audiences inspired by what they see at an event. The palpitable 'buzz' they have on leaving the auditorium or meeting room is something they take away and we know that the effects can be long-lasting. To inspire an audience takes a combination of the three previous 'i's and a lot of hard work! However, it is certainly worth it and it is our goal to help in any way we can to attain this goal at every event we are involved with.

More?

They are other words worthy of mention too, such as 'ideas' and 'involve', but I'm sure you get the picture!