Communication Through Isolation

Navigating communication through isolation can be a difficult notion. We are fortunate to have some great platforms that enable video conferencing at low cost and high quality.  The question is – what is the best platform to use? Zoom seems to have a head start, when Skype and GoToMeeting were the front runners for some time. Zoom fits nicely between personal and small business and is used widely across medium-sized businesses offering a balance between security and performance. Skype was the go-to for families and travellers throughout the world prior to social media applications like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger developing voice and video functionality as part of their offering. But in recent times, Skype has become obsolete as many young people re-define their communications through social engagement habits.

Microsoft purchased Skype for business some five years ago and identified that Office 365 Suite demanded a consistent collaboration application to use across small to medium businesses and bridge a gap for personal users. Microsoft Teams is a great option for collaboration and videoconferencing yet, in times of isolation through Coronavirus, more and more people adopt Zoom as their normal. Successful video conferencing, hosting meetings or social events, is a fine art. However, balancing the over stimulation of airways through to the time lag can result in a less than satisfactory experience for all involved.  The interesting point through these times is the eagerness for people to connect.  Video chat has become routine, used by all ages to contact family and friends.

Zoom fits nicely between personal and small business and is used widely across medium-sized businesses offering a balance between security and performance

Personally, I use Microsoft Teams for my business one-to-one conference video calls and find it an easy-to-use application with good security inside a familiar environment. Sadly, most people aren’t aware that they already have a Teams facility through their Microsoft Office 365 subscription.  The application is included within every Microsoft account.  In contrast, I have recently been using Zoom for friends and family catch up as I find it to be an easy application and the user experience to be simplified, great for those non-technical people.

We are fortunate to be living in times when communication can be at our fingertips. Living with a disability and having access to family across a face-to-face platform can relieve anxiety and enable people with accessibility issues to stay connected within their communities.