Attendees use wireless keypads to answer multiple-choice
questions. They are cued visually to press the button on the keypad
that corresponds to the answer they want to select. In a matter
of seconds a 3-D bar chart breaks down how participants responded
by percentage and raw number. The data is collected into a Windows
Access database for after-program reporting.
The keypads send a radio signal
received by a small radio antenna connected to a laptop computer;
interactive software reads the signals and crunches the numbers.
Each antenna is able to receive up to 250 votes. The FCC currently
allows for eight channels or eight antennae, so the maximum number
of wireless units that can be received at any one time is 2,000
(however, there are software and strategies that allow for keypad "sharing,"
).
For the vast majority of set-ups,
all that is required technically is an LCD or other three-color projector
with a standard VGA cable and a power source. A switcher box and/or
image freeze control for the projector are often useful for managing
smooth transitions from presentations to questions. Our software
allows for video, sound and seamless connection to background
templates.
Functions
Impromptu—
In addition to pre-programmed questions called for by presenters,
our APT software allows conveners (or even the audience) to
ask questions on the fly. We recommend a certain mix of pre-programmed
and spontaneous questions and believe our ability to work
with presenters before and during programs helps us take maximum
advantage of this powerful capacity.
Correct answer —
The software can indicate a correct answer to a question,
a technique used frequently in education and training environments
(and required for game shows).
Demographics —
Each keypad has a number label that can track data for different
purposes. Clients can create a roster based on the keypad
number and display data (or "scores" in the training
environment) by keypad number.
Additionally, clients can ask demographic questions as a way of
sorting the data — whether live or in report form —
in ways that provide additional information. Typical demographic
questions include years of experience, function/title, geographical
region or office and department.
Pre- and Post-Comparisons
— Often clients ask questions at the beginning and end
of the day and compare the answers on a single screen. This
comparison can tell conveners considerably more about how
well they met their meeting objectives than standard scale
questions on surveys. [It can work just as well before and
after a single presentation.]
© 2008 Moss Cairns, Inc.