Easy, free tools to make remote meetings better
March 17th, 2020
A big misconception about remote meetings is that you cannot accomplish as much as you would in-person. It’s true that being face-to-face can indeed be a powerful way to get things done, but we often just scratch the surface of what’s possible when our teams meet remotely.
When we dig a little deeper with the right tools, we discover ways to make our remote discussions and planning more dynamic and productive. The right tools give these conversations structure, increase clarity, and support team engagement.
Impact by Design (IbD) is a remote team with many projects to manage so we lean heavily on several tools to make sure we stay efficient and productive. They provide the backbone for our check-in calls, keep conversations on track, and serve as a running set of well-organized notes that are always up-to-date. They are also free and very simple.
Here we share a few of our favorite tools for remote team meetings. We use these almost every day for ourselves and with clients.
1.Project tracking sheet made on Google Sheets
Your team might use a project tracking tool made for that very purpose (e.g. Asana, Smartsheet, Workzone, etc) and if you do that’s great. If you don’t, just make a simple one yourself. This will improve team communication and clarity about what is happening and when.
IbD tracks all of our projects in Google Sheets and categorizes them based on what is current and upcoming. We track lead and support individuals and then map out general timeframes and workloads. It looks very basic, but a lot of complex information is being easily managed.
We have monthly calls where we view and run through the sheet together. Project leads have a few minutes to update everyone on project status and details, and everyone else can ask questions. Key information is updated on the sheet in real-time. As a result, we always have a current snapshot of every projects’ status, and each team member understands the big picture as well as key details of the work that’s happening.
To get the most out of this:
Have everyone view the project tracking sheet during the call and use it as a roadmap for what you discuss and in what order.
Keep the information on the sheet very simple so that it’s easy to understand and update in real-time.
Focus on key information and questions about each project. This is not a time to dive into all of the details on any one area – set up a separate call for that.
Here is an example of IbD’s project tracking sheet, where we, in a very simple way, track the big picture of what is happening, general timeframes, and who is responsible. This gives us structure and efficiency for our regular check-in calls.
2. Online document to capture meeting notes and outputs in real time.
Sometimes it is the simple ideas that make a big impact, such as setting up and using a Google Doc in the same way you would set up and use flip charts and post-its in a real meeting room.
Before the meeting begins, create a document with the agenda at the top and headers for the different sections of your discussion. Include tables or other elements that will help you organize ideas and outputs. Share the document in advance of the meeting so everyone is sure to have the link. Also make sure that “editing” access is turned on for all.
Everyone will join the document when the meeting begins. Here they can view notes in real-time, add ideas collaboratively, and see their decisions and outputs captured right away. If you were in-person you might do this with paper or dry erase boards, but when you’re remote you can have the same results from online spaces. This helps put everyone in an output-oriented mindset, follow along with the discussion, and stay engaged.
To get the most out of this:
Have team members take turns writing the notes for the different parts of the meeting
Create opportunities for people to “write” their feedback rather than just say it
If the team will be tackling key questions or ideas, have them written in the document so they can also read the prompts for their discussions
Here is an example of the documents IbD sets up for monthly remote meetings with the Maine Federation of Humane Societies. Through productive remote meetings, we have been able to make progress on a robust organizational plan despite limited opportunities to gather in-person.
3. Roles and responsibilities tracking sheet - RACI
We have talked about RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) in a previous blog post and it is still a favorite tool for making sure project activities, roles, and responsibilities are clear and set-up to run efficiently. RACI works especially well for remote teams and you can read exactly how to create one here.
Set up your RACI in a shared Google Sheet and whenever your project team checks in, run through it and update it in real-time. In this way, you are sure to stay on top of what is happening and everyone will feel clear about what they are supposed to do and when. As roles and responsibilities shift or hit snags, you will discuss and deal with problems before they really slow things down or cause major bottlenecks.
Not only will RACI help your project calls stay on track, but your team will also refer to the table and use it as a resource for clarity and consistency throughout the life of the project.
To get the most out of this:
Set-up remote meetings that are specifically focused on developing or discussing a project RACI (you can usually do this in 30-60 minutes).
Don’t just create a RACI and leave it. Continuously update roles and responsibilities, and timeframes or expected completion dates, as they shift or change.
Make sure that key team members are in attendance for the calls, especially those who have “responsibility” for any activities.
Here is an example of a RACI that IbD used with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to track collaborative efforts and activities when rolling out an organization-wide project.
Need more ideas? Reach out!
IbD is a team made up of individuals who all came from office working environments and are now thriving as remote employees. We understand the benefits of meeting in person as well as remotely, and we help teams and organizations do both as effectively as possible. If you need more ideas or support as your team works remotely, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Interested in more ideas about how to make remote work a success? Check out these other topics:
