During my first week as an intern at Fresh Tracks, I followed Dan Collins to London to observe the launch of the brand new training film, Innocent Success. Being no ordinary company, it is perhaps unsurprising that Fresh Tracks chose to launch this exciting new venture in an extraordinary way.
If only BA Baracus had heard of webinars
After experiencing my first ‘webinar’ (which, after a small amount of research I discovered was not in fact a German composer, but actually an interactive live seminar on the web), I’ve been contemplating the enormous effect of the communications ‘revolution’ that has followed the development of the internet. Sitting in a small office in Farringdon with Dan Collins, founder of innovative team building company Fresh Tracks, and Martin Addison, Managing Director of Video Arts which provides engaging and memorable learning and training materials, I watched as the webcam was fired up in preparation for a webinar to launch Fresh Tracks’ brand new training film, Innocent Success.
Through a combination of live interview, preview clips and questions posted from online viewers, this interesting new mode of communication made for a fascinating 45 minutes. With relatively little stress and no technical hitches (due largely to the amazing IT skills of Sally, the head of marketing at Video Arts), Dan and Martin were able to broadcast to an audience of around 40 people around the world, giving insight into the ideas behind the film and responding to questions posed by those who had logged on. From where I was sitting (just out of webcam shot), it seemed that this webinar was only marginally different to seminars, presentations or discussions that take place face to face. The audience were able to respond, there were interesting visual aids available and the discussion that resulted from the viewers’ questions was lively and engaging.
Particularly in light of the recent chaos caused to businesses all over the world by the ash cloud from Eyjafjallajökull (the unpronounceable Icelandic volcano), it is perhaps time to consider the possibilities of internet training as an increasingly efficient alternative to the huge levels of air travel employed every year. Why travel miles when you can broadcast from your office and create an almost identical scenario? From my experience with Fresh Tracks yesterday, I wouldn’t be surprised if the webinar’s popularity soars higher than a Boeing 747 in an ash-clear sky.
To watch the three minute preview of innocent success, click here. For a 30 minute recording of the webinar, click here (software download needed).
By Lucy Maule, Fresh Tracks Intern
