RealEyes Media

Working as a Solutions Engineer, Trainer, Sales Rep, etc. is a task in and of itself. However, it also provides a skill set that not too many people possess, and I value having the ability to, “wear many hats”. Even though I have a little head, I love it!

With that all being said, I’ve been able to devise what compels businesses, EDU institutions, Government Agencies, etc. to look to a solution like Adobe Connect in the first place.

Ready? Good.

1.)    Budget – Ok folks, let’s face it. The recession in our economy has impacted everyone to some extent, but it’s imperative in the face of adversity to stand strong and continue onward and upward, right? Adobe Connect offers many features that are an appealing lot to those with budget restraints now versus what they faced before, and Connect facilitates that. Having the ability to utilize Internet connectivity as a means to bring everyone into the same place at the same time for a collaboration session can be worth its weight in gold in some instances. Bringing a whole bunch of people in for a meeting, training, conference, etc. can cost a serious chunk of change. Here’s a neat little app that exemplifies how much Connect can potentially save you.

2.)    eLearning/Training – I guess when I was back in school I never really appreciated the value of consistency in education. I can recall when my teachers seemed less excited about class than the day before. I can also recall when some teachers would cut corners on the curriculum. It’s a natural habit, it’s not a crime. But it really drives home the point that monotony can really get to people. The same thing… day in and day out… for x-amount of time… But over the last few years, I’ve really come to realize that consistency in training is paramount. I say this because as I mentioned previously, I never appreciated it like I do now. As an Adobe Certified Instructor, I can tell you firsthand that with face-to-face trainings, it can be difficult to hold a captive audience, and I think that can also be said by hundreds of thousands of other trainers in their respective fields, as well. Utilizing Adobe Connect in conjunction with content authoring tools such as Adobe Presenter and Adobe Captivate gives you piece of mind in knowing that your trainings are being conveyed consistently across an entire network, to every enrollee, every time. As a strong advocate in education and a true belief that, “knowledge is power”, I can truly appreciate consistency in education.

3.)    Reach – Getting your message out to the masses can be tedious sometimes. In the workplace, I know from past experience that being the proverbial, “fly on the wall” can be engaging for only so long to some people – me included, especially when you want to interact. Connect offers various interaction functions, not only in the Meeting Room itself but also on-demand. With Adobe Connect, it’s simplified and streamlined to reach out to several or hundreds of people, regardless of their geographical locations and get them all in the same place, and all at the same time. The reach that Connect provides on a global scale is second to none. In all honesty, Connect is best used in the ways that weren’t intended initially. I have an EDU client that allows its students and/or user base to reach out to their families that live in varying geographical locales. This, to me, is a great example of a use case, and it humbles me to know that I may have played a small role in allowing for a family to maintain contact in such a robust manner. Worldwide, Connect isn’t limited to where, and who it can reach. It just… does.

4.)    Simplicity – I know, I know. There’s that old adage, “technology complicates simplicity”. In some cases, this can be very true and I don’t dispute that.  But I’m also reminded of times when web conferencing tools were really beginning to emerge, and I remember saying to myself, “well, that seems simple enough. Pretty logical, too.” All that said, it never occurred to me until I began my role here how simplistic the concept of web conferencing is in general, but how complicated some tools can be at the same time. Realistically, it’d be ideal if the tools to execute a successful webinar, collaboration session, and etc. all ran how they’re supposed to at all times, but that’s not the case. I believe it’s known as Murphy’s Law. Adobe Connect is powerful, yet simplistic at the same time. Really, all that’s needed is an Internet connection and Flash. Simple enough, right? A lot of the clients that I work with appreciate the simplicity of Connect for a number of reasons, and while I’m not going to name them all, I can safely say that they appreciated the simplicity of Connect then, and even more so now since they’ve had a chance to dive into the product as a whole.

5.)    Integration – Now, it’s time to get a little technical. Adobe Connect offers some of the deepest integration out of any web conferencing and eLearning platforms available. Thanks to the available API’s (Application Protocol Interface) that Connect utilizes, it can also be an integral part of the systems that are already utilized. Day in and day out, both instructors and students rely heavily on their institution’s centralized computer system. More now than ever, online classes have become much more popular (I see commercials for websites that claim to “match” you with the best online program) because of the convenience it offers, it’s easier to work your schedule around. In Higher Education institutions, LMS’s (Learning Management System) are very prominent, and Connect integrates with the majority of them that are publicly and/or commercially available. Due to the popularity and growing interest in taking classes online, LMS integration is an imperative. While Adobe Connect is also considered a lightweight LMS in its own right, integration with your native LMS offers  a better learning experience overall for the students. SSO (Single Sign On)? Yep, it does that. Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)? Indeed it does. AD (Active Directory)? Affirmative.

I could go on and on about what Adobe Connect does, but the key is to check it out for yourself to see how it can work for you.

Thanks for reading, and please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Jeff Dicker

jeff AT realeyesconnect DOT com