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When considering a lamp-free projector, it’s important to have all the facts. Comparing lamp projectors with LED projectors or laser projectors reveals each has its own strengths in terms of certain key factors like cost, image quality, and size. And each will have certain situations in which it will work better. Which one wins in the end? You’ll have to see for yourself.Keep reading to compare projector types or click here to learn more about ViewSonic’s projectors.
There are different types of projector — LED, Laser, and Lamp-based. Are you curious as to the difference between these three variants, beyond that of lamp vs. lamp-free projectors?
If so, then we have good news. This piece serves as a complete comparison between LED projectors, laser projectors, and lamp projectors, and will help you make an informed decision as to whether to invest in a lamp or lamp-free projector.
In order to project, projectors need a light source. Some use LEDs, some use lasers, and others use lamps. Lamp projectors are the oldest, yet cheapest, variant, with bulbs containing mercury and a relatively short lifespan. LED and Laser projectors, on the other hand, are much more modern, with consideration paid towards their more eco-friendly natures and greater lifespans.
Those brief comparisons are just that – brief. When it comes down to it, there are 7 key factors that differentiate between the three light sources that comprise lamp and lamp-free projectors – LED, lasers, and lamps. Although lamp life, cost, and brightness are the obvious data points to consider, truly discerning customers will go deeper in their quest for informed purchases. That’s where the additional factors — color quality, power-up time, the presence of the rainbow effect, and machine noise — come into play.
Folks may want to buy the newest versions of products, but at the end of the day, they’d also like their currently-owned products to continue functioning. That’s why the stated life span of a projector’s light source is so important – you don’t want to invest your money in something that’ll die in short order. Luckily, in the world of projectors, even the shortest of the stated life spans for the different light sources will net you more than a year of continuous use.
Getting into the specifics, lamp, laser, and LED projectors claim to have 10K, 20K, and 30K hour life spans, respectively. This equates to, approximately, 14, 28, and 42 months of constant use respectively. For the sake of clarity, be sure to remember that these life spans indicate the length of use, not the length of ownership. If you own an LED projector for 42 months, for instance, it won’t suddenly die. Instead, if you only use your LED Projector for 6 hours a day, then the light source may stay functional for around 7000 days, or 19.2 years.
Money makes the world go round and it shouldn’t be spent all in one place. That’s why the cost of items, particularly in relation to one’s income, is so important. Put plainly, oftentimes, people want to get the best value for their hard-earned cash, as opposed to blowing it all at once. This concept absolutely applies to projection products, whether they are LED projectors, laser projectors, or lamp projectors. Therein, consumers should be interested in the TCO, or the total cost of ownership, of a product. This goes beyond the initial sales number and considers potential repairs and replacements that may be needed in the product’s lifespan.
When it comes to pure cash, lamp projectors are considered to be very affordable, while LED and laser projectors are deemed generally affordable and relatively expensive, respectively. However, TCO is the great equalizer in this case, as lamp projectors have the highest potential for replacements and repairs. As such, a laser projector’s high cost begins to look better, when placed against a lamp projector’s poor TCO. Something to think about, indeed.
In nearly every product, glitches happen. Sometimes they can be entertaining, other times annoying, or else debilitating. Projectors are not exempt from glitches, unfortunately, and they come in the form of the rainbow effect. To understand this effect, consider how each projection type generates color. Lamp projectors and laser projectors use colored filters, or color wheels, to alter the projected light as needed. Therein, there might occasionally be moments where the color wheel is too slow, and the projected image is stained with unwanted colors. This is the rainbow effect.
Although lamp and laser projectors are stuck with the possibility of the rainbow effect, LED projectors are not. This is due to the optional presence of two color wheels, in which the rainbow effect can be filtered out before it is outwardly projected. On the other hand, since LED projectors have no need for a color wheel, as they produce colors natively, they are not at risk of experiencing the rainbow effect.
What point is having a visual product if you can’t see it? You may not think about it often, but the brightness of a display is of critical importance and is a massive factor upon which final purchase decisions may rest. Think about it, if you were looking at a monitor or screen whose screens you could barely make out, would you buy it? The answer is probably a resounding, “no”.
When it comes to projectors, brightness is expressed by way of American National Standards Institute (ANSI) lumens. Therein, the higher the number, the greater the brightness. Lamp projectors tout more than 2000 ANSI lumens, while laser projectors offer more than 3500 with the option of further scaling by way of attachable modules. LED projectors, on the other hand, suffer in this regard, with a lumen count that only goes up to a maximum of 2000. However, in the case of LED projectors, this number isn’t to be taken purely at face value. In fact, LED makes up for this numerical efficiency with its higher quality image perception. This is thanks to improved color saturation and luminous efficiency, which allows LED projectors to appear to have higher image qualities than they may actually possess.
Learn more about lumens here: What Are Lumens? And How to Use Them to Choose a Projector
4K! 8K! OLED! These high-tech buzzwords are rampant in the consumer-level visual products industry. The thing is that 4K is a level of resolution and OLED is a means of light emittance – though the average consumer may think that these are one-in-the-same, all indicating high performance. This confusion carries over to color quality, which is indeed separate from resolution and light emittance and is actually determined by color gamut and saturation.
Color gamut refers to the spectrum of colors that can be identified by the human eye – a standard of which is displayed by any given visual product. Moreover, a visual display’s color saturation indicates the intensity of those colors present in the gamut. When it comes to projectors, each variant — LED, laser, and lamp — all use the same color standard, Rec. 709. However, LED projectors go one step further with the ability to offer color saturation up to 125% of the norm.
We get it, you want your device to work and you want it to work now. Instant gratification is a natural thing to want and it’s the reason behind the advent of flash memory and other ‘instant-on’ advances that have become popular in recent years. Think back to your days in school, when the projector would take a minute or two to properly boot up. That was time wasted, and thanks to those aforementioned advances, it won’t happen again.
The different projector types differ in their ability to turn on as fast as possible. On one hand, LED and laser, or the lamp-free projectors, are able to offer instant on/off capabilities. On the other hand, lamp projectors cannot. Instead, they offer exactly what you remember from school – warm-up and cool-down periods, that can take up to two minutes, before and after use.
The most popular technological goods, in this day and age, are those that fit the mantra “the smaller the better.” Our phones are tiny, our TVs are flat, and our cars are certainly smaller than they were in decades past. Those examples are neither here nor there, however, since it’s the inside that matters. Think about it: you can have a small, well-designed product, but if its internal components aren’t up to snuff, then your money is wasted nonetheless. You know those loud machine sounds some of your products make whilst in use? Those are what you want to avoid.
This is why size and machine sound are both important factors to consider when purchasing a projector. Lamp-free projectors especially excel in this realm. LED projectors, for instance, are the top of the line in this regard, with compact designs and low-level machine sounds. Laser projectors on the other hand, because of their thermal elements laser projection systems, are both slightly larger and noisier. Lamp projectors fall in the middle in terms of size.
Learn more about how big a picture you can get out of your device here: Choosing the Right Projector Resolution for Your Needs
When it comes to making a decision between a lamp and lamp-free projectors, ultimately, the final choice rests in your hands. However, we’ve done our best to provide you with the facts necessary to make the most educated choice possible. If brightness is your main focus, then laser projectors might be best for your business. If that’s the case, then we recommend the LS800HD, LS800WU, or LS830 projectors.
Lastly, if you’re interested in purchasing a projector that, although not the cheapest or brightest, excels in all other ways, including lifespan, color performance, size, mechanical noise, and rainbow effect incidence, then an LED, the lamp-free projector is most certainly for you and your home. For that, we recommend either the X10-4K projector or the M1 portable projector. To learn more about ViewSonic’s projectors for home, click here.
Choosing the right graphic design monitor can make a big difference in how your work turns out. From color accuracy to screen size and resolution, the specs you choose will directly impact how your designs are created—and how they’re seen.
To cut through the noise, we’ve put together a guide to help you find your next graphic design monitor. Or, skip straight to the good stuff and explore ColorPro creative monitors.
If you’re just getting started, don’t overlook your display. A monitor isn’t just a screen—it’s your window into the work. In a field where presentation is everything, the right graphic design monitor goes beyond just showing your designs—it elevates them to new heights.
Would you design graphics with your shades on? Probably not. Seeing the wrong colors on-screen is exactly why having the wrong monitor can be bad for your work. So it’s no surprise that a high-resolution graphic design monitor is one of the best ways you can ensure that your work will stand out visually.
Before jumping into what to look for, let’s talk drawbacks. Like any tech, graphic design monitors come with a few things to keep in mind, mostly around overpaying for features you don’t actually need.
In a market full of flashy ads and technical jargon, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or tempted by style over substance. But once you know what really matters, choosing the right graphic design monitor becomes a lot simpler.
A super-slim monitor might look impressive, but that doesn’t mean it’s built for serious design work. Color accuracy, resolution, and panel type should always take priority over aesthetics. Remember, you’re buying a creative tool, not a desk ornament.
Extra ports, built-in speakers, or even TV tuners might sound appealing, but they don’t always signal quality. These add-ons can be nice, but don’t let them distract you from the essentials that actually affect your design output.
Unless you’re designing motion graphics for eSports, response time isn’t a major concern. That spec is geared more toward gamers, not creatives. For graphic designers, image accuracy and consistent performance matter far more than lightning-fast refresh rates.
Not all monitors are created equal, especially when you’re working in design. If you want your work to look just as good on screen as it does in print (or online), then it pays to know what specs really matter. Otherwise, you could end up with a shiny display that simply doesn’t do your visuals justice.
Let’s break down the key features that truly make a difference when shopping for a professional-grade graphic design monitor.
Graphic designers need colors that match what they see on-screen with what appears in print—no surprises, no guesswork. That’s why accurate, consistent color is the cornerstone of a great graphic design monitor. Look for displays that cover 99% or more of the Adobe RGB color gamut and support 10-bit or higher lookup tables (LUTs) for precise calibration. Some high-end models even come factory-calibrated out of the box, giving you confidence from the start.
To maintain that color precision over time, many professional monitors include built-in software and hardware calibration tools. And if they don’t, third-party solutions can do the trick just as well.
Lastly, don’t overlook eye comfort. Built-in blue light filters are a quiet but powerful feature, reducing strain during long design sessions under harsh fluorescent or LED lighting. With the right monitor, you’ll see clearly, work smarter, and protect your vision in the long run.
When it comes to graphic design, screen size might not always seem like a priority, but if you’re working with high-res images full of fine detail, it quickly becomes a big deal. A larger screen can give you the breathing room you need to see your work clearly and manage multiple design elements without constantly zooming or switching windows.
That said, your workspace matters too. If desk space is limited but you still want more room to work, an ultra-wide 29-inch or larger WQHD monitor can give you that extra screen real estate without needing a dual-monitor setup. It’s a clean, efficient way to multitask without the clutter.
Just remember: bigger isn’t always better. Prioritize display performance over size, especially if you’re tempted by a screen that’s more about entertainment than design. Stick with a monitor that supports your creative work first.
Not all monitors are built the same, and the panel type is one of the biggest factors in how your screen performs. Let’s take a look at what sets the different panel types apart:
For graphic designers, resolution isn’t just a spec—it’s critical. The more pixels on your screen, the more detail you can see, which makes a big difference when working on complex or high-precision projects. While high-resolution graphic design monitors typically cost more than standard Full HD models, the improved clarity and accuracy are well worth it.
If you’re looking for top-tier sharpness, 5K monitors (5,120 × 2,880) deliver stunning clarity with extra screen real estate, making them ideal for multitasking or working on ultra-detailed designs. Ultra-High-Definition (UHD) monitors at 3,840 × 2,160 pixels are also a popular pick for crystal-clear visuals, while Wide Quad HD (WQHD) monitors at 2,560 × 1,440 pixels strike a great balance between performance and price.
Curious how 4K and 5K compare for creative work? Explore our article comparing 4K and 5K monitors to find the right fit for your setup.
If you’re spending hours at your graphic design monitor, comfort isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. Look for a model with a fully adjustable ergonomic stand so you can tweak the height, tilt, and swivel to your ideal setup. A stand that pivots 90 degrees is especially useful when working on vertical layouts, long documents, or scrolling through web designs.
Convenience matters, too. Ports should be easy to access—ideally on the side of the monitor—so you’re not fumbling around the back just to plug in a USB or charge your phone. A built-in card reader is also a great bonus, particularly if your desktop lives under your desk.
When you’re investing in a monitor for creative work, connectivity can make or break your setup. At a minimum, look for HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4—these ensure support for high resolutions, fast refresh rates, and accurate color. They’re the basics that keep your visuals crisp and your workflow smooth.
Want fewer cables and a cleaner desk? Go for a monitor with USB-C that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode and Power Delivery. That single port handles video, data, and charging all at once. Even better, Thunderbolt™ 4 monitors offer blazing speeds, broader compatibility, and are perfect for pairing with modern MacBooks or high-end Windows laptops.
If you’re planning a dual or triple monitor setup, look out for DisplayPort Multi-Stream Transport (MST). It lets you daisy chain compatible monitors together without the cable chaos (Learn how daisy chaining works here). And for everyday ease, bonus points if the monitor includes extras like USB-A ports, audio-out, or an SD card slot—small features that make a big difference.
Let’s be real, price plays a major role when choosing a high-end monitor. And with creative work, investing in the right display isn’t just about specs—it’s about finding the best tool to bring your ideas to life.
Here’s a quick snapshot of what you can expect to pay for 4K monitors in today’s market:
If you’re willing to do a little digging, especially during big sales, you can score some great deals. But when it comes to color accuracy and detail, don’t cut corners. For graphic design or content creation, the best color performance makes all the difference. It’s an investment that pays off in every pixel.
Not sure where to start? A quick chat with a product specialist can help you navigate your options. Focus on what matters most to your workflow, and aim for that sweet spot between budget and performance.
Choosing the right graphic design monitor isn’t just about specs—it’s about finding a screen that complements your workflow, supports your creativity, and brings your ideas to life with precision. From resolution and panel types to connectivity and ergonomics, each detail plays a role in shaping your experience.
Whether you’re upgrading your setup or investing in your first professional display, the key is to look beyond the price tag and focus on long-term value. With the right monitor, you’re not just seeing your work—you’re seeing it exactly as it’s meant to be seen.
Ready to find your perfect fit? Explore the full range of ColorPro creative monitors and see how they’re built to meet the demands of graphic designers who never compromise.
Collaboration displays are common in business settings already, but they are quickly moving into the education space as well. Despite being in very different settings, their functions remain mostly the same. They allow people to work together on one visual space, even despite great distances. Though they do have some uses specific to teaching that may surprise you.Read more below on collaboration displays and how they could benefit you. Or more about our award-winning ViewBoards here.
Did you know that decades back, computers were the size of whole offices and long-distance calls could only be made on specific days and times?
There are many differences when comparing workplaces and educational institutions today to the way they were back then. Whiteboards have been replaced by collaboration displays, letters sent by mail have been replaced by emails, and the list goes on…
The future really is here. This holds true in all walks of life, especially in regards to displays and collaboration. With today’s level of technological advancement, those 2 concepts have fused to create collaboration displays.
Throughout all of these changes though, collaboration among coworkers and classmates is as important today as it was back then. Chances are high that you’re in an environment right now that calls for some amount of teamwork once in a while. This is where collaboration displays come in.
For those interested in learning more about collaboration displays, be sure to read on. This is true for those interested in collaboration displays’ business and education-specific applications, as well as for those requiring tips regarding the displays’ overall implementation.
Put simply, collaborative displays take the concept of a whiteboard (which most of us have become accustomed to using from our school days) and turn it digital. The reason digital whiteboards are so effective is due to their ability to combine an array of digital and analog collaboration tools and merge them into a single platform.
The result is a piece of equipment similar to a personal tablet but much, much larger. Such integration has revolutionized the concept of collaboration entirely by going above and beyond the capabilities of a traditional whiteboard. Below are some common examples of how collaboration displays are being used to facilitate project collaboration in both business and in education.
In just about any business setting, a successful operation requires collaboration, plain and simple. The benefits of video conferencing, brainstorming sessions, or formal presentations in business are already pretty apparent. Delving deeper, collaboration displays are used to assist in this by way of their external device connectivity, visibility, sizing options, and software compatibility.
An important aspect of collaboration displays is their PC interfaces simply because many of the benefits of these displays come as a result of connecting to them. For example, these PC interfaces allow you to easily sync your external computers, phones, or tablets, in order to properly mirror or upload necessary data in a business setting.
Manufacturers of collaboration displays also recognize that their products would be pretty useless without the native software and tools a business requires on a daily basis. These can include cloud storage, video conferencing, annotation, screen sharing, word processing, or any other professional-level application that you would have to use for business.
Collaboration display models typically offer sizes for all types of rooms, from personal offices to meeting rooms and beyond, without sacrificing their high-resolution visual quality. This is helpful when deciding on a collaborative display that can be integrated into any new workplace design trends your company is focusing on, whether it be for a huddle room or for a board room.
Another way collaboration displays are used is to facilitate remote collaboration, which refers to the project collaborations between teams located in different parts of the world. Nowadays, it’s common for international corporations to have factions of different teams located in different parts of the world. Remote collaboration acts as a solution to limitations imposed by distance.
Collaboration displays can be used as a means of facilitating collaborations from a centralized location, such as a company’s headquarters. Remote members can then join collaborative efforts with the help of collaborative tools and software. This type of remote collaboration serves a similar purpose to video conferencing, but with the added functionality provided by both the collaboration display and software used.
Collaboration displays are not just meant for business purposes; they are used in the education industry as well. Forward-thinking educational institutions have begun to experiment with digital classroom practices and classroom design trends geared towards countering the shortcomings of traditional education methods.
Many of these practices, such as flipped classrooms, blended learning, and video in the classroom, revolve around incorporating technology into their educational ecosystem. Collaborative displays act as a means of effectively facilitating many of these modern practices by nature and act as a solution to the limitations associated with traditional whiteboards. Much like the benefits collaboration displays provide for business-centric use, this technology can also do wonders in facilitating lessons, instructive games, general technological integration, and standard group-based work.
In regard to everyday lessons, there’s no shortage of benefits that collaboration displays bring. If engaging in a class-wide reading, text display and interactive collaboration can be conducted more effectively than with traditional overhead and interactive projectors.
Moreover, if a student makes a mistake, collaboration displays make it easy to annotate on the spot, thus providing to immediately demonstrate a teachable lesson. As an example, it is said that foreign language vocabulary words are absorbed by students’ brains once they’ve interacted with the content 7 times, or thereabouts.
In a language learning environment, several of those 7 interactions, outside of learning done at home, can be facilitated by collaboration displays. Furthermore, the technology therein could be used to download and initiate relevant games, songs, and dialogues.
Collaboration displays are helpful to educators during their pre-planning phase as well. Their integration with cloud storage and other online resources makes them great for lesson planning. Some of the benefits collaborative displays offer during the pre-planning phase include mapping out upcoming lessons, annotating on past lessons for future use, sharing ideas with colleagues, or even getting materials ready for an incoming class.
We’ve established that collaborative displays are being used by businesses to enhance collaboration and that schools are boosting engagement with interactive whiteboard technology.
So what can you expect from a collaborative display?
We’ll take a look at the collaboration display that won the ‘Best in Show’ award at InfoComm and ISTE in 2017, the ViewSonic ViewBoard IFP7550, to get an idea. Some collaborative displays, like this one, aim to provide an out-of-the-box collaborative experience.
Collaborative displays like this have geared their hardware toward group collaboration and functionality. Features such as 4K clarity, 20-point multiple touch points, 16GB of onboard storage, and interactive annotation software are how they achieve this collaborative functionality. As collaborative displays become more common, it’s clear that this type of solution is going to be beneficial for a wide range of different types of group settings.
All collaboration displays on the market are not built equal, however. Some products go the route of having clients pay for the privilege of using their required applications or may have limited compatibility with an organization’s existing software infrastructure.
Other products may offer a built-in PC, thus allowing users to customize their own experiences. In the case of the collaboration display discussed above, ViewSonic has also developed an online whiteboarding platform for users to take advantage of.
The MyViewBoard platform aims to merge its collaborative display with virtual online interactivity. This platform expands on the collaborative capabilities of their displays by providing personalized whiteboarding that follows you wherever you go along with collaborative features including:
At the end of the day, collaboration displays are powerful tools for collaboration that are here to stay. If you’re in the education or business industry and haven’t begun to leverage the benefits of using a collaboration display, upgrading to one is a quality of life upgrade worth considering. If you’re interested in learning more about collaborative displays you can check out ViewSonic’s ViewBoard Large Format Displays to see if there is an option that sounds right for you.
The best monitors for eye strain those that are easy on the eyes, so an easy way to counter the harmful effects of staring at your computer all day is to switch to using a curved monitor. Curved monitors provide less distortion, a wider field of view, and better viewing angles to prevent you from tiring out your eyes.
Bottom Line: If your eyes hurt from staring at computers all day, consider getting a curved monitor that lets you take in the whole picture at once without straining your eyes. We recommend the ViewSonic® VP3881 or VP3481.
If you’re one of the millions of people who spend long hours in front of the computer, chances are you’ve probably experienced eye strain. Digital eye strain (also known as computer vision syndrome) occurs when your eyes become “tired” from staring at digital devices for an extended period of time.
According to the Vision Research Council, more than 59% of digital device owners in America have experienced symptoms of digital eye strain.
In this article, we’ll cover what digital eye strain is and how it’s harming both employees and businesses, the best type of monitor for eye strain, and our top three choices for monitors that prevent eye strain.
According to the American Optometric Association, digital eye strain encompasses a wide range of symptoms. In addition to visual fatigue, digital eye strain also includes symptoms such as:
While these symptoms are usually temporary, if left untreated, they could potentially worsen over time.
Digital eye strain also costs businesses thousands of dollars in lost productivity every year. According to the Optometry Times, eye-focusing problems cost businesses more than $2000 annually per employee.
Digital eye strain can occur for many reasons.
While people normally blink an average of 12 times a minute, when staring at a computer screen, blinking drops down to five times a minute. This lowered rate of blinking can cause discomfort and lead to dry eyes.
Eye strain can also occur when people use devices with a harsh glare, devices with poor contrast, or are viewing digital screens at an awkward angle.
Now that you’re aware of the dangers of digital eye strain, what’s the solution? One often-cited anecdote for reducing eye strain is to limit screen time. While this is a sound tip, it’s also impractical for the millions of people that use computers daily for work.
So is there a monitor that can help with eye strain? Turns out there is.
According to research performed by Harvard Medical School, participants who used curved monitors reported experiencing less eye strain than subjects who used flat monitors. Blurred vision was also 4x less common in users of curved monitors than users of flat monitors.
Curved monitors are monitors that come with a curved screen to provide users with a more immersive experience and a wider field of view. These monitors help relieve eye strain by enabling viewers to take in the entire monitor display at once without straining.
Curved monitors minimize the image distortion that traditionally occurs on the edges of flat panel screens. Due to the unique nature of their curvature, they also improve depth perception and cover a larger portion of a user’s field of view, resulting in images that appear larger and are easier to see.
To learn more about the difference between flat monitors and curved monitors, click here.
When searching for a curved monitor that helps alleviate eye strain, here are some important factors to keep in mind.
When searching for a curved monitor, you’ll notice that certain monitors have deeper curves than others. These curvature ratings are measured in terms of “r” or radius. Monitor curvature typically ranges from 1800R all the way up to 4000R.
These numbers represent the distance from a circle’s perimeter to its center, as well as the maximum distance you can comfortably view your monitor.
This means that the lower the rating, the more pronounced the curve. For example, a monitor with a 1800R curvature rating will have a sharper curve than a monitor with a 3000R rating.
As long as you’re using a curved monitor, and your eyes are easily able to take in the entire display without straining, curvature rating is more of a personal preference rather than a health-related one.
Explore the curvature of various monitors until you find one that works for you.
Ergonomic monitors are monitors built to maximize people’s efficiency in the workplace. Using ergonomic monitors is critical to maintaining your health as non-ergonomic monitors can lead to eye strain, stiff necks, sore backs, and a host of other ailments.
Rather than craning your neck and straining your eyes to look up at the monitor, ergonomic monitors can be easily adjusted to your ideal viewing angle. When searching for an ergonomically curved monitor to help you fight off eye strain, try looking for a monitor with swivel, tilt, and height adjustment features.
Want to learn more about monitor ergonomics? Check this out: Monitor Ergonomics – A Checklist
Blue light is a type of short-wavelength, high-energy light emitted by computer monitors and other digital screens. Studies have shown that in addition to exacerbating eye strain, blue light can also have a negative effect on sleep.
Blue light is most disruptive at night, where it can suppress the secretion of melatonin – the hormone responsible for making us tired and sleepy. When looking for a monitor to combat eye strain, try searching for monitors that come with a blue light filter to preserve your circadian rhythm and ease the burden on your eyes.
You can learn more about blue light and monitors here.
When searching for a curved monitor, try looking for monitors that use IPS or MVA panels. IPS (or In-Plane Switching) panels refer to the shifting patterns of liquid crystals inside a monitor display.
In contrast with other types of panels, the liquid crystals in IPS monitors shift horizontally in order to create better viewing angles, impressive image quality, and precise color accuracy.
With IPS monitors, you can enjoy super-wide viewing angles and outstanding color. MVA (multidomain vertical alignment) panels operate by using liquid crystal cells that naturally align between two panes of glass to create a naturally black display screen.
MVA panel monitors provide better viewing angles, outstanding color reproduction, and higher contrast ratios.
If you’re looking for monitors that help alleviate eye strain, look no further than ViewSonic curved monitors.
Though ViewSonic’s curved monitors are optimized for a wide array of uses from gaming to business, these monitors can help relieve digital eye strain no matter what task you’re performing.
Below is a list of our top three picks.
The VP3881 monitor is perfect for workers who spend long hours in front of the screen. It comes with a stunning 3840 x 1600 resolution and provides an unprecedented level of immersion.
Its 2300R curvature and anti-glare coating enable you to comfortably view the entire screen from up to two meters away without straining your eyes, while its ergonomic design empowers you to adjust it to your preferred viewing level. Give your eyes a break and use the VP3881 to quickly finish your day-to-day tasks.
Created to provide all-day comfort for office workers looking at their computer screens, the 34” VP3481 monitor comes with an impressive 3440 x 1440p resolution and a 21:9 aspect ratio.
With its incredibly precise color accuracy, the VP3481 is perfect for professionals such as video editors, graphic designers, photographers, and others for whom color accuracy is critical.
The VP3481 lets users take in the big picture in one visual sweep, while its ergonomic mount enables users to adjust the monitor to their preferred height.
A gaming monitor that’s also perfect for workers experiencing eye strain, the 32” VX3258-PC-MHD monitor balances both comfort and immersion.
This high-performance monitor also comes with optimized viewing presets, so you can choose between categories such as games, movies, web surfing, or text to achieve the ideal viewing experience.
The VX3258-PC-MHD also comes with flicker-free technology as well as a blue light filter for easy viewing.
In this post, we went over the causes and symptoms of eye strain and covered why curved monitors are essentially one of the best defenses you can have against digital eye strain. We broke down the key elements to look for in a curved monitor and highlighted some of our top choices. To learn more about ViewSonic’s monitors, click here.
For visual creators, color accuracy is essential. Whether you’re retouching photos, designing for print, color grading film, or creating digital content, one thing remains true: the colors you see on screen need to match the final output. Without that accuracy, your creative vision can get lost in translation.
That’s where the ViewSonic ColorPro series stands out. These professional monitors are engineered from the ground up to meet the high standards of creative professionals. From stunning clarity to factory-calibrated color, ColorPro helps bring your ideas to life exactly as you imagined them, without the frustrating guesswork.
Curious how ViewSonic ColorPro monitors bring your ideas to life with stunning clarity? Keep reading.
Designed with creators in mind, ColorPro monitors deliver factory-calibrated color accuracy straight out of the box. No fiddling with settings, no wasted time—just plug in and start creating with confidence.
Whether you’re creating assets for a global campaign or fine-tuning product photos for an online store, ColorPro ensures your display shows the true picture. And because time is money, removing the need for constant adjustments streamlines your entire workflow.
Factory calibration saves time, but ColorPro goes further with the advanced specs content creators demand. Whether you’re editing photos, designing layouts, or working on video, the tools you need are built right in.
ColorPro monitors are optimized for creative professionals and include key features like:
Want to know more about choosing the right monitor for photo editing? Check out our guide.
ColorPro monitors aren’t just high-performing—they’re designed for real-world use. Creative work often involves long hours, late nights, and tight deadlines. That’s why ergonomic design is built into every ColorPro model.
With full swivel, pivot, tilt, and height adjustments, you can tailor your setup for maximum comfort. Need a vertical layout for portrait editing or coding? Select models include auto-pivot, so your display rotates automatically when you shift orientation.
This flexibility helps reduce fatigue and boosts productivity, especially when paired with an optimized workspace.
Check out our complete guide on office ergonomics here
Consumer-grade monitors just don’t cut it when it comes to professional color work. ColorPro monitors offer the tools you need to maintain accuracy over time, like pre-set color spaces, gamma options, and support for hardware calibration.
Using a colorimeter (or “puck”), you can calibrate the internal LUT (look-up table) directly on the monitor. This enhances brightness, contrast, and overall consistency. And because the data is stored on the monitor itself, not just your system, you get accurate color performance regardless of your machine.
For professionals managing high-volume output or working across multiple devices, hardware calibration is a must.
And because consistency is everything in collaborative work, ColorPro monitors support industry standards like sRGB and Adobe RGB, along with optional calibration kits to maintain long-term performance. When your whole team sees the same colors, you’re not just working faster—you’re working smarter.
Backed by our 35-year reputation for quality and reliability, ViewSonic’s award-winning monitors are also protected by one of the industry’s best pixel performance policies and carry a limited warranty for three (3) years from the date of first consumer purchase on parts, labor, and LCD backlight. Our VIP program also includes award-winning customer support and Express Exchange® service.
Ready to take your creative work to the next level? Explore ViewSonic’s color-accurate ColorPro monitor series here.
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A tool used to remap colors in a display for more precise control over color output. A 3D LUT allows for flexible color channel adjustments to achieve exact color grading.
A wider color space than sRGB, commonly used in professional photography and print workflows. It allows for more vibrant and accurate color reproduction, especially in greens and cyans. Get a deep dive into Adobe RGB here.
A feature that automatically rotates the on-screen display when the monitor is physically turned. Enhances ease of use when switching between orientations.
The ability of a display to reproduce colors that match the source or intended output. Essential for creative professionals to ensure consistency across devices and mediums. Read all about why color accuracy is important here.
A device (also called a “puck”) used to measure and calibrate color on monitors. It ensures long-term accuracy by adjusting the monitor’s color output based on measurements.
A numerical value that measures the difference between two colors. A lower Delta E indicates better color accuracy. Values below 2 are typically considered visually indistinguishable from the reference color. Explore our deep dive here.
Design features that promote comfort and efficiency, especially during long use. On monitors, this includes adjustable height, swivel, tilt, and pivot functions. Read all about monitor ergonomics here.
The process of pre-adjusting a monitor’s color settings during manufacturing. This ensures the monitor delivers accurate colors straight out of the box without needing manual tuning.
Calibration that directly updates a monitor’s internal settings (like the LUT), rather than relying on software-based adjustments. It’s more precise and stable for professional use. Learn all about hardware calibration here.
The ability to rotate the monitor 90 degrees between landscape and portrait modes. Useful for tasks like coding, editing vertical images, or reading long documents.
A standard color space used for most digital content, including websites and consumer displays. It offers a consistent range of colors for general-purpose use. Discover all about sRGB here.
The overall cost of a product over its entire lifecycle, including initial purchase, maintenance, and efficiency. Factory calibration and long-term accuracy improve a monitor’s TCO. Read more here.
Refers to consistent color and brightness across the entire screen. Monitors with good uniformity avoid areas that look darker, lighter, or tinted differently.
Effective feedback for learning comes from teachers responding to students with the specific goal of improving the student’s performance. Feedback is more than just praise or criticism. It’s an ongoing process of assessment, communication, adjustment. Many parts of giving feedback – especially at the assessment and communications stages – benefit from the use of modern EdTech. And of course, we include some recommended resources. So to learn more about effective feedback for learning, continue reading the rest of our helpful guide below or check out ViewSonic’s education solution for improving student outcomes.
Giving effective feedback for learning is one of the best ways to improve student performance. Constructive feedback allows teachers to build and maintain a conversation over time. Education technology empowers teachers to help students on an individual basis. With the right technology, instructors deliver timely, effective feedback with the power to achieve greater learning.
Effective feedback doubles how quickly students learn. However, not all feedback is helpful. And not everything we think of as feedback qualifies as effective feedback. Feedback is defined as “information allowing a learner to reduce the gap between what is evident currently and what could or should be the case.” That is, information about how a student is doing in his or her efforts to reach a goal.
Effective feedback doubles how quickly students learn. While it may seem like a simple concept, delivering effective feedback can be difficult for even the most dedicated educators.
In real-world classrooms, however, feedback often doesn’t live up to this ideal. Students and teachers often have different perceptions of feedback. One study showed that teachers thought they were giving a lot of helpful feedback.
Trained classroom observers, however, reported low levels of teacher-to-student feedback. The students themselves said they received very little feedback from their teachers, no more than “a few seconds a day.”
Education pros admit to finding the concept of effective feedback challenging. The term “feedback” is used to mean commentary on performance, action or assignment. However, effective feedback with the ability to improve learning has very specific features. In order to provide feedback for learning that’s truly effective, knowing and avoiding what isn’t feedback becomes the most important step.
Before going into detail on effective feedback for learning, let’s look at some things it isn’t.
The above responses all lack the ability to help students do better. Real feedback for learning is information crafted with the sole aim of improving performance.
By understanding the building blocks of effective feedback, teachers are able to improve education. Feedback exerts a strong influence on learning and achievement. However, the type of feedback provided and the way instructors deliver it results in varying degrees of effectiveness. Studies show when feedback is mostly negative, it can discourage effort and achievement.
Therefore, it’s important to note that not all feedback is created equal. To generate a high degree of learning, effective feedback should be:
Each of these qualities of effective feedback is critical to success. Timing, however, is the glue that holds them all together. Even when feedback refers to a goal, is tangible, actionable and delivered in a way that’s meaningful to the recipient, it will be less impactful if the timing isn’t right. The most successful feedback for learning is delivered both consistently and close to the time the effort is made.
For an in-depth discussion of each of these qualities of effective feedback for learning see this article for greater insight into the qualities of great feedback.
Typical lecture-driven classes often produce less-than-optimal learning. Thanks to Harvard Physics professor Eric Mazur, instructors have an alternative approach. Mazur noticed that the 200 students in his Introductory Physics students were doing a great job with textbook-style problems. They were floundering, however, when it came to applying this knowledge to other situations. After some soul-searching and exploration, Mazur developed the peer instruction approach.
The peer instruction model is the foundation for the way we now think about active learning. Today, Mazur rarely lectures to his students. Instead, he gives them problems to think about on their own, which they then discuss in small groups. This, writes Mazur:
[P]rovides frequent and continuous feedback (to both the students and the instructor) about the level of understanding of the subject being discussed.
This, he states, produces gains in both conceptual understanding of the subject and problem-solving skills. “Less teaching,” plus more feedback equals better results.
In education, feedback gains power when it’s delivered throughout the learning process. Assessments are typically administered at the end of the process to see how well a student has learned compared to a benchmark. Giving feedback in learning may also be referred to as “formative assessment.”
Formative assessment means ongoing monitoring, and commentary, of the student on a continual basis. Instructors use formative assessment to adjust and improve their approach. Summative assessment, by contrast, is a one-time evaluation at the end of a teaching unit. It may also refer to mandated standardized testing.
The formative assessment usually qualifies as feedback during learning. Summative assessment almost always does not. Educators can use info from summative assessments in a formative way, to guide their future efforts. The promise of education technology is to create a formative assessment classroom, providing effective feedback to the student.
Providing appropriate, frequent, actionable feedback is no small challenge for educators. Studies suggest it’s not happening enough. In fact, a review of literature on feedback for learning in higher education revealed that current feedback practices aren’t working.
Fortunately, the review also highlighted a growing number of studies that demonstrate technology’s ability to boost student engagement with feedback. This suggests that changing the process by which feedback is made available to students can increase their attention, engagement, and follow-through.
Many instructors seek creative ways to use technology to enrich their communication with students. This trend is escalating as evidence for the positive impact of tech on feedback for learning grows. It will continue to increase as younger, tech-savvy educators enter the classroom. Seasoned educators will push this trend forward as they receive professional development, gain tech experience and become more comfortable with today’s teaching tools.
Some of the most-used and most-effective ways to leverage technology to deliver feedback learning include:
Several studies have shown increased learning impact when teachers give feedback electronically. This may be due to the greater flexibility provided. With electronic feedback, students can focus on and digest comments at a time of their choosing, in the absence of their peers.
Typed responses are also often more legible than written comments. They are also often less ambiguous than feedback delivered verbally, face to face. With electronic feedback, students can refer repeatedly to cumulative comments as they move through the curriculum. Student affinity for electronic interaction may also engender greater engagement with this type of feedback.
No time to meet one-on-one to discuss student progress? Digitally recording audio feedback lets instructors provide detailed feedback that’s especially engaging for auditory learners. Short on time for typing detailed responses? Verbal feedback can be faster and more thorough.
Digital audio files can expand simple written feedback. With audio, “incorrect sentence structuring” can easily become a detailed explanation of what was wrong and how to correct it. Plus, struggling students can listen to recorded comments as many times as needed to boost their understanding.
Teaching tip: For quick, easy recording, try apps like Evernote and Vocaroo to record and send audio feedback. Your interactive whiteboard may also be able to help – some IWBs include integrated audio-capture along with screen saving abilities.
Video screen capture combines visual data and audio narration. Commonly known as screen-casting, with this tool, instructors can deliver a powerful dose of engaging feedback that students can save and refer to as needed. Screencasts capture the content on your computer screen while you narrate. They’re great tools for providing feedback, creating tutorials or showcasing student mastery. Creating YouTube videos for feedback and using Skype to conduct interviews further leverage the visual and verbal for greater learning.
Feedback provided during computer-based formative assessment activities can be highly engaging. This is because students are receiving instant feedback throughout the learning activity. This approach has become increasingly popular at all grade levels and within virtual learning environments. Many cloud-based formative feedback tools have been developed up to support these efforts. (See Formative Feedback & Technology below.)
Formative, Socrative, and the other teacher-recommended tools noted below deliver powerful real-time feedback. They are useful both as whole-class tools used on your interactive whiteboard and used on 1:1 devices.
Research has shown that classroom response systems – also known as “clickers” – create a more dynamic, interactive classroom experience. This results in increased attendance, participation, and learning. Clickers are hand-held transmission devices similar to TV remote controls. They enable each student to submit real-time responses during instruction. These responses give teachers instant insight into how well students are grasping the lesson. This then enables teachers to adjust the lesson and to provide relevant feedback.
Educators have found that receiving feedback from peers improves student performance. Technology provides an ideal tool for expanding this approach. Blogs are a great way to encourage writing practice and facilitate peer feedback opportunities.
Teaching tip: Try letting students choose their own blog topics to boost enthusiasm. See here for more insight into how to begin the process that improved writing skills and enthusiasm in this instructor’s class.
Classroom technology, including apps and cloud services, are designed to deliver feedback and shorten the feedback loop. The sooner feedback is delivered, the more meaningful it is to students. Formative, a favorite among ViewSonic educator partners, is one such tool. A free cloud-based service, it’s available for download at goformative.com.
Formative lets teachers create assignments, deliver them to students, receive results, and provide individualized feedback for learning in real-time. Formative gives you great flexibility. You can create different types of questions, add text blocks, images, YouTube videos – then students fill in answers and can even draw an answer, which is great for math and science. Teachers can upload pre-existing documents or use the platform to create paperless assignments from scratch.
Easy to set up and use, Formative runs on any internet-connected device. Matt Miller, author of Ditch That Textbook, is a big fan of Formative. He recommends it for its ability to give students meaningful feedback while they’re still in the moment when they’re more likely to engage with the feedback and put it to good use:
The beauty of all this is that you can see students work in real time and when they’re logged into their student accounts you can type them a comment they’ll see instantly, in the moment while they’re still cognitively wrestling with the subject.
Other popular formative assessment tools include Socrative, Kahoot, and Backchannel Chat Tools. Classrooms without 1:1, BYOD or clickers can accomplish polling for feedback with Plickers and QuickKey.
Teaching a challenging computer science concept, educator Vicki Davis dramatically experienced the teacher-student feedback perception gap. It forever changed her thinking about formative assessment. After reviewing how to count in binary numbers, two students exclaimed, “We’ve got this! Let’s move on.”
Davis queried the classmates, who nodded and agreed that they understood the concept. Although her instincts told her the class was ready to move on, Davis decided to test her gut using the formative assessment tool Socrative, which is similar to Formative discussed above. Davis wrote a problem on her IWB and student answers appeared alongside their names. Only two students provided the correct answers.
Davis was then able to execute on the idea of formative assessment – keeping it ongoing and in the moment. She taught for a bit longer, retested, and continued the process until everyone had mastered the problems. While this may sound time consuming and laborious, it was far from it. In keeping with her practice of sticking with the subject until all students score 90% or higher on the test, Davis was able to complete the binary number instructional unit two days faster than usual.
Plus, not a single student needed to come in for after-school tutoring. Said Davis, “I’m sold,” adding in her blog that “Test scores should never be a surprise. You don’t need to be a mind reader. You just need a formative assessment toolbox, and you need to use it every day.”
Interactive whiteboards (IWBs) empower instructors to address two of the most critical components of feedback for learning: keeping it timely and consistent. When used with interactive learning apps, students working at the board receive immediate responses that tell them how they’re doing.
Quick action and repetition allow students to keep trying until they get it right. This delivers the consistent, ongoing input critical to turning feedback into learning – exactly what’s needed. As stated by one formative assessment expert:
Adjusting our performance depends on not only receiving feedback but also having opportunities to use it…. Thus, the more feedback I can receive in real time, the better my ultimate performance will be.
This is how all highly successful computer games work. If you play Angry Birds, Halo, Guitar Hero, or Tetris, you know that the key to substantial improvement is that the feedback is both timely and ongoing. When you fail, you can immediately start over—sometimes even right where you left off—to get another opportunity to receive and learn from the feedback.”
Adding polling devices your IWB lets you gather individual, real-time responses. These responses can then be addressed with individualized or group feedback addressing the various categories of misunderstanding revealed by the polled responses.
The most helpful interactive boards can record on-screen content. This provides another easy way to deliver ongoing feedback for learning. This feature lets instructors save files that include feedback written on the board during a lesson. ViewSonic® ViewBoard’s™ exclusive audio-record function captures on-screen info plus verbal comments made by the instructor and students. With either function, instructors can later send the file to students for review and reference.
ViewSonic exclusive Direct-to-Google-Drive Save makes it even easier to share ViewBoard feedback files in Google-based classrooms. IWBs with the ability to import online learning tools and apps let teachers further customize feedback to meet their classroom needs.
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Providing students with the right type of feedback, at the right times and with an optimal degree of frequency is one of the most important things educators can do to ensure that their instructive efforts take root. Crafting feedback that is goal-referenced, tangible, actionable and accessible, then delivering it in a timely, consistent manner will maximize its impact on learning outcomes.
Technology offers many options for enhancing the delivery of truly effective feedback for learning. Interactive whiteboards, formative feedback apps, classroom response systems, electronic publishing, and audio capture are among the tools educators can leverage to more fully engage students. Education technology, like the ViewSonic ViewBoard, empowers teachers to help students succeed by enhancing their ability to deliver effective feedback.
Running an effective meeting needs the right blend of planning, preparation, execution, and follow-up. This is a simplified guide on how to make that happen by implementing a number of actionable tips. We also include some follow-up questions to help you reflect on each meeting to ensure increased efficiency and effectiveness with each meeting you have. Continue reading to learn how to conduct an effective meeting from beginning to end, or visit our workplace solutions page for more valuable insights into creating productive workspaces. What’s the difference between a normal meeting and an effective meeting? A lot.Many people see meetings as a waste of time. Unless, of course, they are conducted in a way that makes them effective meetings.
Somewhere around a third of all meetings are rated as “unproductive”, according to recent workplace productivity research. However, with all of the collaborative and decision-making capabilities meetings provide, could it just be that certain managers are not aware of how to run an effective meeting?
With meetings being a commonality across almost every profession, this news should be slightly alarming, as it puts your valuable time at stake. That’s why effective meetings are so important.
From Skype meetings to quarterly meetings to one-on-one meetings and so on, meetings come with the territory when working in the professional world. In fact, many professionals attend more than 60 meetings per month. As such, effective meetings are vital to a successful enterprise.
Generally speaking, time wasted in meetings has more to do with a meeting’s potential for inefficacy if run incorrectly. Luckily, many of the problems related to ineffective meetings are completely avoidable. Therein, let’s avoid inefficacy by delving into how to run an effective meeting.
Before we begin, let’s clarify the difference between an efficient meeting and an effective meeting, as there is the potential for confusion between the two.
An efficient meeting is one that starts on time, stays on track, and ends on time. Efficient meetings typically involve the minimum amount of attendees necessary and use up as little time as possible. While these meeting qualities sound great on the surface, conducting meetings efficiently is only half the battle.
An effective meeting, on the other hand, takes on all the same qualities as an efficient meeting and uses them to achieve tangible results. Ideally, an effective meeting will provide an opportunity for project collaboration and alignment between teams and an opportunity to collaborate on a given topic. When a meeting is effective, all attendees are hand-selected and are present for a reason (more on that below). Most importantly, effective meetings offer teams the opportunity to have an open discussion about the topic at hand. This type of meeting is essential for ensuring that the collective vision is clear and everyone is on the same page as far as the goals that need to be achieved.
So what exactly is an effective meeting made of? We’ll outline some key characteristics of an effective meeting below.
Those that complain that they are wasting time in meetings may have a point. When a meeting is run ineffectively, every moment that they spend in a meeting is the time that they could otherwise spend in a productive manner. Considering the glut of meetings some employees are subject to, the amount of available productive time could be waning. Therefore, if time is money, then the meeting had better be worth it.
The solution? Make sure every meeting has a purpose.
Clearly stated, meetings without purpose are not just a waste of the employees’ time, but also that of the company’s. Effective meetings, on the other hand, are arranged with specific action items in mind and take only the necessary amount of time to do it.
Moreover, assess the situation and decide whether a meeting is actually necessary for the topic being discussed. In many cases, you will find that a discussion over email will suffice.
A discussion about the weekend, a tangential story, an overemphasis on the details – it is easy for conversations within meetings to get off track. Moreover, we are all aware of how frustrating it can be when a meeting runs over its scheduled time.
Even in the most effective of meetings, it takes a strong leader to ensure that the conversation stays focused and productive. When running an effective meeting, your best bet will be to have pre-planned strategies in place, should the discussion begin to deviate.
For instance, if the conversation veers too deep into the details of a given agenda item, suggest to the attendees that such matters can be brought up again at the end of the meeting, if time permits, or else at a later designated time – or even over email. By doing so, the discussion is kept productive, with an eye on fulfilling the meeting’s purpose.
As we mentioned earlier, the difference between an efficient meeting and an effective meeting is a fine one. The key difference lies in the end result. Put plainly, the most effective meetings have the results to back them up. Sure, any meeting, effective or not, can yield some sort of output. The distinction, therefore, comes in the form of tangibility or actionability.
The most effective meetings build up to their results. With a specific goal in mind, a pre-selected team came together to discuss a topic or series of topics, and came away successful. This may come in a variety of forms, but at the end of the day, effective meetings make the time spent on them worth it.
Now that we know what makes for an effective meeting, let’s take a look at how to prepare for one.
In the planning stages of an effective meeting, your constant refrain should be “Is this necessary?” In short, everything done in an effective meeting should be in pursuit of the broader goal. Rather than considering whether the meeting’s goal indicates a waste of time, instead, question the goal’s effectiveness.
Therein, take a moment to ponder the cost-benefit balance of the meeting’s intended purpose. Is the desired outcome worth the sacrifice of productive time, on the part of the employees? If the answer is no, then continue to fine-tune your goals until the answer is yes. Otherwise, consider whether another method of communication such as email or video conferencing would be a better decision.
Any good plan, whether it be a travel itinerary or meeting agenda, has to be more than a list of ideas and goals. This is where a well-planned agenda comes into play. Any effective meeting has one, and it lists, point-by-point, sometimes down to the minute, how the meeting will flow. Without it, items can be forgotten, time can run out, and nothing may be achieved. This is where tools like the agenda sharing function on the myViewBoard online whiteboard platform can play a helpful role.
However, creating an effective meeting agenda is only the half of it – you’ll want to also ensure that all relevant attendees are on the same page. By sharing the agenda ahead of the meeting, with sufficient time, employees will have the opportunity to get mentally prepared and also to chime in with any feedback.
When figuring out how to run an effective meeting, the determination of topics, discussion-based or otherwise, is of critical importance. This is fundamentally tied to the formation of goals and an effective agenda. Even with the greatest goals in the world, an ill-thought-out topic will lead the meeting nowhere.
Therefore, when determining topics, make an effort to be as detailed and thorough as possible. The added context and detail will directly lead to better discussions and a more precise outcome, thus making your life easier down the line.
Assuming that you took our advice in the previous section and did some pre-planning for your meeting, we’ll delve into how to run an effective meeting when the time comes.
If you’re running a meeting at 4:30 pm on a Friday afternoon, there’s a high likelihood that attendance will be less than optimal. Those that want to plan an effective meeting, however, will do everything in their power to ensure that their attendance numbers are as high as possible. Based on this example, setting a meeting at say 10 am on a Tuesday would be the better option. In that vein, more people at a meeting equals more minds geared toward the issues at hand and a better chance at producing the most effective results.
Beyond the number of attendees, however, lies the importance of having the right attendees. While there’s nothing wrong with having six low-level employees work through an agenda, the potential for actionable results is much greater when members of upper management are also present. Therefore, when selecting a time and date for a meeting, ensure that it not only guarantees an optimal number of people but also accommodates the schedules of those who hold sway.
Smartphones, laptops, and tablets make our lives more convenient than ever before, but they can also be an unnecessary distraction when not used correctly. Sure, being in an hour-long meeting might not be very appealing, but it does a disservice to all involved if you’re spending that time browsing the Internet rather than engaging in a collaborative discussion.
Having a product that connects all the devices in the meeting room will be your greatest ally. The ViewSonic ViewBoard is an example of a collaboration display that does just that and helps you manage necessary devices. Features such as mirroring and screen sharing help to keep attention undivided, resulting in more efficient and more effective meetings. Having devices connected in this manner also has the potential to reduce the time spent in meetings by avoiding the time wasted switching between users and devices. You can read on about collaborative meeting spaces to keep up to date with some of the current meeting trends and technologies.
Nothing says “effective meeting” quite like a great discussion and/or brainstorming session involving all those who are present. Even 92% of meeting attendees agree that the most important part of a meeting is the opportunity to participate, according to this Verizon study.
Therefore, as someone running an effective meeting, it’s your responsibility to encourage input from all sources, particularly quiet participants. This will help to encourage possible out-of-the-box or dissenting opinions. After all, only by examining a topic from all sides can an effective solution truly be found.
That being said, creating an environment where these minority voices can be heard is not necessarily the easiest of tasks. For the meeting coordinator, this entails fostering a culture of trust and inclusivity. In that regard, the coordinator must lead by example, and demonstrate that a meeting requires participation and a range of perspectives in order to be effective.
Once a meeting has come to a close, the time spent and the results produced do not simply fade into the void. In order for effective meetings to remain so, proper steps need to be taken.
First and foremost, preferably before the meeting has even begun, an attendee will have been nominated as the meeting’s note-taker. At the close of the meeting, said attendee should share those notes with everyone else. Technology such as myViewBoard’s cloud-based online whiteboard platform was developed with functionality in mind. Connection to cloud storage such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and more, ensures that all involved are on the same page going forward, thus making follow-ups later on an easier endeavor.
Additionally, in pursuit of having run an effective meeting, as a meeting organizer you should engage in a debrief following the meeting’s conclusion. Take the time to properly evaluate what went well and what did not. More to the point, consider how well the meeting’s goals were reached, and how you can do so in a more effective manner in later instances.
Once you’ve taken your own inventory, it’s a good idea to do the same for those who were in attendance. Just as feedback is such an important aspect of an effective meeting, the same is true for post-meeting evaluation. This is especially important if the meeting is of an ongoing series, rather than just a one-off, as it allows for adjustment and better planning in later iterations.
Although this feedback can occur either at the immediate closure of the meeting or sometime thereafter, the inherent line of questioning remains the same. By and large, after an effective meeting, the goal is to maintain efficacy and continue to yield actionable results and feedback.
Below is a set of questions you can run through to carry out your post-meeting assessment and give you some more insight into what can be improved the next time around. You can also ask these questions to your attendees to get some more insight into this topic:
Effective meetings do not happen by accident. They are the result of intentional planning, clear goals, thoughtful facilitation, and consistent follow-up. By taking the time to define a purpose, craft a focused agenda, invite the right participants, keep discussions on track, and evaluate outcomes afterward, you ensure that every meeting becomes a productive use of everyone’s time.
When you combine structure with open participation, you create an environment where ideas can be shared, decisions can be made, and teams can align with confidence. With each meeting, use the insights gained to refine your approach so that future sessions become even more efficient and impactful. Ultimately, the goal is not simply to run a meeting. The goal is to drive meaningful results.
A meeting is worth having only if it requires real-time discussion, decision-making, or collaboration that cannot be achieved through email or messaging. If the goal can be met asynchronously, the meeting can likely be skipped.
Most effective meetings stay within 15 to 30 minutes. Longer sessions should have a strong agenda, clear time blocks, and a specific outcome so participants remain focused and engaged.
Gently redirect everyone back to the agenda by summarizing the current point and steering the group toward the next objective. A clear agenda gives you a natural way to keep things on track.
Create small opportunities for input, such as round-robin check-ins or direct invitations to share thoughts. A supportive tone and clear expectations around participation help everyone contribute.
Share a concise summary of decisions, action items, and owners as soon as possible. Clear follow-up ensures accountability and keeps the momentum going long after the meeting ends.
Secure collaboration starts with the right tech. With cyber-attacks on the rise, it is now more important than ever to ensure the tech you use in your meeting spaces has sufficient security to protect your company’s data. This includes how you log in, where files are stored, and what happens to them when you leave the meeting room.
Read on to find out how secure collaboration can be made easy and eliminate the risk of cyber-attacks and data theft. Or head to our workplace solutions page for more innovative ways to improve the way we work.
The introduction of new networking and collaboration technologies has made it easier than ever for organizations of all sizes, from all geographical areas, to work together on a wide range of projects.
In a study of IT professionals by Oblon Industries, 91% of those surveyed agreed that interactive collaboration—where key stakeholders could make informed, immediate decisions from any location—will help companies solve complex business problems and gain a competitive advantage.
In a global workplace where companies are seeking the best people to provide the best value, collaboration often transcends continents and time zones. On any given project, you might be using content developed in North America, while working with developers from Eastern Europe and a marketing team based in South Africa.
But as much as collaboration tools have opened up the world, security experts warn that they’ve also created new opportunities for cyber-criminals looking to steal an organization’s most vital information.
According to Greg Arnette, Director of Data Protection Platform Strategy at Barracuda Networks, “The bad actors of the world are taking advantage of the innovations in cloud and are using artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and cheap cloud computing to sponsor attacks with these application programming interfaces (APIs).”
Malicious hackers can also infiltrate your collaboration software through accidental authorizations that leak confidential information. In other words, collaboration tools might be putting a huge target on your network. But how can you ensure everyone in your meeting is authorized to access the data being shared? The first step is to ensure you’re using the right collaboration technology.
This article examines the challenges of collaboration security and presents how ViewSonic’s ViewBoard interactive flat panel displays, and myViewBoard software provide state-of-the-industry collaboration tools protected by built-in, enterprise-level security.
In today’s hyper-connected and increasingly competitive environment, businesses have a choice: They can collaborate, or get left behind.
The time for proprietary solutions and siloed efforts is long gone. Customers no longer have the patience to wait on the progress of dedicated efforts, nor will they be limited to products or solutions that can’t expand at the same pace as their business.
Companies that want to stay relevant and competitive must be ready to work with complementary organizations, whether they are across town or around the world. What’s driving this massive push for collaboration? The increased productivity organizations can realize.
According to McKinsey, “Innovative business collaboration techniques can improve a company’s productivity by 20 to 30%.”
But collaboration also comes with a price—and it can be costly. A single successful cyber-attack can mean losses of thousands to millions of dollars, depending on the size of the company and the severity of the attack.
Data breach costs have risen significantly over the past two years, across company sizes, according to Kaspersky. For an enterprise, the average cost of an incident from March 2017 to February 2018 was $1.23 million—24% higher than losses from 2016 to 2017. For a small or medium-sized business, the average cost of an incident is $120,000—which is $32,000 more than a year ago.
This is why ViewBoard displays and myViewBoard collaboration software offer enterprise-level collaborative security, to help ensure your joint efforts are safeand successful.
Security is not just an issue of long-distance collaboration. Depending on the subject matter and level of confidentiality, valuable data can be compromised from one meeting held in one room.
Consider a long meeting where participants from different organizations are reviewing the risks and benefits of a potential merger. After hours of discussion, the group breaks for a meal and a change of scenery. Everyone leaves the meeting room, and everything that’s been discussed remains on the whiteboard.
What happens if someone who wasn’t in the meeting walks by, with all those ideas on display? Do they take a picture of the whiteboard and share it with others? What if an employee is considering taking a job with a competitor; do they capture the information to use at a new position? The results could be disastrous on a number of fronts, from negatively impacting employee morale to leaking confidential information.
To protect against this, the ViewBoard display includes a time-out feature. After a set amount of no activity, the ViewBoard user is logged off, and the board goes back to white. The work is saved, and authorized users can access it, but for everyone else, the information written on the board disappears without a trace.
To protect information shared on the ViewBoard display, only authorized users are able to see and access what’s on the interactive display — and only for that particular meeting for which they’ve been authorized.
With the ViewBoard display’s secure viewer access, the session host can sign on and approve a list of authenticated viewers who are assigned a PIN to access the presentation. Once the session is finished, those viewers are automatically logged out of the session, and not able to access another presentation without a new authentication PIN.
Every ViewBoard solution provides multiple authentication options, including a fingerprint reader, password, or QR code, along with a cloud-based single sign-on portal.
Built upon the secure, scalable architecture of the Amazon Web Services Cloud platform, myViewBoard collaboration software mirrors those qualities. Every myViewBoard file utilizes AES-256 encryption and can be locked with a password that’s only accessible to specific, authorized users. As soon as that user logs out of myViewBoard, all files are saved to the default cloud storage provider, and all access and temporary files are deleted.
As authentication has become increasingly complex, it has also made multitasking a huge hassle, especially for users having to remember every password or log-in protocol required to access every different platform.
According to a report from LastPass, the average business employee must keep track of 191 passwords, with the average 250 employee company using 47,750 passwords at a given time. It’s no surprise, then, that 81% of confirmed data breaches are caused by passwords. Yet, in spite of this menacing and costly threat, most businesses are still failing to seriously combat this security issue. In fact, 61% of IT executives continue to rely exclusively on employee education to combat the danger posed by passwords.
The report also noted that the average employee starts with 20 credentials in their password vault, and doubles that number after only three months, and that 61% of people use the same or a similar password everywhere, despite knowing that it’s not a secure practice.
ViewSonic provides authenticated access according to your specific requirements. On the software side, myViewBoard uses single sign-on and multifactor authentication to extend that security to the cloud. It even enables authorized employees to use that single-sign-on for a range of different services, such as Google Drive™, Zoom, or even Skype. ViewBoard displays include an Intel® vPro™chip and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip that enables data encryption and security management.
Users can also opt for hardware-based token authentication devices, like QR codes or even fingerprint identification, if it makes them feel more secure about logging in. With ViewSonic, the key is to provide the most appropriate level of authentication, while ensuring the process is simple and comfortable for users. The result is authentication where you need it when you need it.
ViewSonic understands the security challenges of collaboration, as well as what makes a great meeting space. It’s why we designed and built ViewBoard displays and myViewBoard collaboration software to provide the advanced collaboration tools and ease of use employees require, along with the advanced security that organizations demand.
Click here to see the full range of capabilities offered by Viewsonic’s ViewBoard, or visit our workplace solutions page for more insights into how technology can be used to increase collaboration, communication, and productivity within the professional workspace.
Digital transformation in the education sector has been advancing rapidly, and it’s set to gain even more momentum. The advantages in using this advancement of EdTech greatly outweigh the disadvantages, but that does not mean there won’t be challenges ahead. With some of our easy implementation tips, however, you’ll be ready.Read on to learn more about the digital transformation in the education and how to make the most of it or check out ViewSonic’s Education solution for empowering classroom collaboration.
Can you think of an aspect of life that has not yet been influenced by digital transformation and technology?
Chances are high that the answer is no!
This is especially true in the education sector, which finds varying degrees of digital transformation happening all the time. From interactive whiteboards to front-facing projectors, the digital transformation in the education sector has yielded its own technological industry – EdTech.
Since much of the digital transformation in the education sector is rather new, many are still unaware of EdTech and how it has changed the face of education forever. With that in mind, this guide is to help teachers navigate EdTech and the everchanging landscape of the digital transformation successfully.
Short for educational technology, EdTech refers to a branch of technology that is used to enhance classroom learning. This may seem like a broad definition, but EdTech really is just that. From digital whiteboards, to online curriculum management systems, and specialized tablets, EdTech covers the range of products and philosophies to bring education practices into the 21st century.
Think back to your own education. Chances are that chalkboards, overhead projectors, and bulky books were all present. Conversely, thanks to the overall digital transformation of the education sector, the chalkboards have been replaced with digital whiteboards, the overhead projectors with interactive front-of-classroom displays, and the bulky books with digital tablet-based versions. This technological change is entirely facilitated by these EdTech devices.
As is the case with any sector-level transformation, whether it be industrial, political, or academic, there are opinions. Everyone has one, and they are usually binary between ‘good’ and ‘bad’. With that mind, in the context of digital transformation in the education sector, those in favor usually point towards the prospect for increased experimentation, resources, efficiency, and life skill development.
On-the-fly quizzes and up-to-date lesson content are 2 factors in which EdTech is more dynamic than the ways of old. By considering EdTech’s always-connected status, teachers have been given the tools for infinite experimentation and near-instantaneous feedback. Want to test out a new learning tool? No problem. Want to ensure that your students are understanding new material? Give them a quiz. Realize that your lesson material is slightly out-of-date? Update it seamlessly! The fact of the matter is that, when it comes to the digital transformation of the education sector, you can experiment whenever you please and can act on the results however you see fit.
When it comes to EdTech, teachers will never have to worry about resource limitations ever again! When an interactive whiteboard’s native software is taken into account with its Internet-connectivity, resources are practically infinite. These may range from media integration to live annotation and gamification, but honestly, the only limitations are the teacher’s creativity and technological literacy.
The development of young and not-so-young minds may be the goal of education, but unfortunately, it’s not the only focus. The truth is that teaching is filled with annoying but necessary side tasks that ultimately distract from the goal at hand. This includes grading, attendance, communicating with multiple people, and all the busywork of education.
Luckily, EdTech and the digital transformation are here to help! Considering the trend present in nearly all industry-level technology upgrades, increased automation and efficiency often arise out of the transformation. Education is no exception. Now, teachers can delegate those administrative distractions to their newly-acquired EdTech tools. As a result, those properly using EdTech devices may find that their day-to-day teaching experiences are much more efficient.
No matter how you feel about technology’s presence in our modern world, it’s here to stay. Whether you’re looking for a job or trying to communicate with a friend on the other side of the world, the use of technology has gone from a quirky hobby to a necessity in a matter of years. That’s where EdTech and the education sector’s digital transformation plays a large role. By exposing students, especially the younger ones, to this technology, they will be set for life. In practice, manifestations include source literacy and digital presentation creation. As such, by considering technology use a life school, there’s no better time to learn than when brains are still developing.
The digital transformation of the education sector has many different detractors offering very real concerns. These include the potential for in-class distraction, the possibility of unequal access between students, and the lack of digital source oversight. Below, we’ll delve into these drawbacks to help better navigate if challenge arises.
Many people argue that the use of technology – especially tablets or other types of screens, can be addictive and damaging for students. If you find that students are misusing EdTech, then it might be time to reevaluate your lesson plan!
And the solution may surprise you. Incorporate more ‘fun’ into you usage of EdTech. That may sound like the opposite of what you need, but studies show that students who are having fun are more likely to be engaged in active learning.
Inequality, in all its variations, is rife in our society. Furthermore, considering the costs associated with modern technology, not every student could possibly afford it. This is why, if EdTech and the overall digital transformation are to succeed, then classes need to provide students with all the necessary tools and materials in a universal manner. Conversely, teachers do not necessarily have to implement EdTech on the individual-student-level, but rather can limit it to front-of-classroom tools.
In an era where anyone can publish anything, and the truth has become a matter of opinion, the reliability of online sources can be described as, at best, opaque. Without the literacy that comes with proper education and experience in the matter, deciphering the truth from the biased falsehoods contained within internet sources can be very difficult.
Regardless of whether you love it or hate it, the digital transformation of education is happening. So it is important to have an implementation plan ready to go. This is true for both the administrators who will have to plan this transformation and the teachers who must enact it and be taught to use the EdTech products. Focusing on the latter group, we think that proper strategic implementation must involve consideration of the students themselves, the still-important lesson plan, the continued use of non-digital resources, and the so-call educational triangle. Intrigued? Let’s dive in!
In the modern era, education contains three major tenets – teaching, learning, and technology. Forming a sort of ‘educational triangle’, it’s important that no one tenet outweigh the others. This can go for teachers that see the introduction of technology as an ‘easy out’ from some of the more difficult challenges as a teacher. When it comes down to it, the ideal scenario comes the three come together in unison, when teaching is augmented with technology and makes the learning process to efficient and effective.
Education has never been a ‘one-size-fits-all’ institution. What works for one student or classroom at one time may not work for other students or classrooms at other times. This goes double for the integration of EdTech in the classroom. A feature that works incredibly well for detailed lecture-based learning, for instance, may not be as effective when dealing with younger students that require a more engrossing approach.
The digital transformation of the education sector, although indicative of the modern age, has not fully eliminated the ways of old. Importantly, lesson planning has remained just as important is it was in decades past. Flashy EdTech tools and visual aids mean nothing in the face of an improperly planned lesson. At the end of the day, remember that these tools are meant to enhance your lesson rather than to replace it.
Just because it is exciting to use the brand new EdTech tools, don’t forget that the old resources are still present, effective, tried, and true. Paper, scissors, and glue, for example, may not be the pinnacle of high tech, but there’s always a lesson to be taught about building something with one’s own hands. In short, there are plenty of ‘things’ one could use in conjunction with EdTech, and they shouldn’t be forgotten. Who knows, their effect may be surprising.
Because implementing EdTech is quickly becoming more important in education, knowing where to begin is important. Thankfully, ViewSonic is here to help. To get started, check out our education solutions page for more information. Or you want to learn more about the digital world, learn more about Digital DNA by downloading our Whitepaper.