When we think about whiteboards, our minds naturally go to the ones that used to be at the front of the classrooms we frequented in school. But whiteboards have come a long way since then. Physical whiteboards may still exist, but it is the digital ones that are the most interesting for businesses.
Interactive whiteboards are a relatively new technology, being perfected every year. Now there are some quality options for web based interactive whiteboards, which are even more useful for businesses. It means no installation is required to use that type of whiteboard, boosting accessibility. But why would a business use whiteboards? Here are a few reasons:
1. Boost Engagement on Collaborations
Interactive whiteboards are the perfect way for everyone on a team to contribute to a particular discussion or presentation. Instead of having a single person deliver a boring, 20 minute presentation of PowerPoint slides, everyone can contribute.
People can “slide over” their ideas onto a whiteboard, tweak them, merge them with other concepts or play them off each other. Everything happens in real time, allowing for intense and productive collaboration. It is especially useful for teams where everyone may be in a different location.
Even if everyone is in a different place, they will feel as if they are in the loop. Everyone has their hands on the latest information. They can see the ideas as they are being posted by others in real time. It is a digital equivalent of being in the room when the best ideas are formed.
2. Better Annotation
Interactive whiteboards take word processing and document editing to a new level. In the past, editing a document meant making a few tweaks and then sending a new version to the person. Now it is possible to edit items in real time thanks to digital whiteboards.
And the editing is a lot more interactive and fluid. It is possible to add 3D modeling, hyperlinks, video links and other items into the document. Say a few people are reviewing a document together. They could be posting up their ideas at the same time, working to construct the perfect final version.
Even the editing is a one-on-one process, with a boss editing their employee’s work, whiteboards make it faster. The editing can be done in real time, with the person who wrote the document able to see as suggestions are put into the document. They could quickly draft their own changes in response – or provide a justification for what they included.
3. Incredible Data Sharing and Accessibility Options
The beauty of digital whiteboards is how they are geared towards data sharing and accessibility. The best web-based digital whiteboards can be used on any type of device. They work just as well on smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops. Devices with touchscreen functionality mean that note taking and other annotations can be added seamlessly.
When a company is using a particular whiteboard app, everyone would have access if they have the right credentials. It means you could have a remote employee who logs into their family computer and can access the digital whiteboard. No installations or special process required. Quick, easy and seamless accessibility!
4. Cleaner Editing Process
People used to mock the idea of using a tablet or a touchscreen laptop with digital whiteboard software. They said the concept would never compare to a pen and paper.
But in some ways, the process is even better. It is so much cleaner. Instead of having to constantly reprint new versions of a document, creating a clean one through the whiteboard app is effortless.
Even when changes and annotations are made, they are so clean. Users can circle words, write down thoughts or move around sentences with a few drags, drops and presses of their fingers!