The role of the chair or chairperson is considered vital to a successful video conference meeting. They may also be the facilitator at their own site.

Planning

• Understand how the system works so that the participants can get the best out of it
• Liaise with the other facilitators to ensure that the meeting is well planned
• Arrive early

Starting the meeting

• Start the meeting with introductions by inviting each site to introduce themselves in turn. Introductions are critical to help bridge the gap in this less intimate and personal environment. These sessions work better when people know one another
• Identify your co-facilitators

During the meeting

• Keep the discussion tight and ensure that all sites are invited to speak. Remain conscious of the need to draw out participants and encourage interaction especially at remote sites. Try to keep the focus evenly distributed between the sites and avoid concentrating on one site more than the others
• Don't allow side conversations as these are distracting
• Keep an eye out for signs of tiredness and for long VCs introduce breaks where necessary

Finishing

• Ensure the meeting ends on time
• Thank your co-facilitators at the end of the meeting
• Close the meeting with a round of farewells