Why an Interactive Whiteboard Is a Must-Have for Your Office

Until the last couple of decades, interactive whiteboards (also called smart boards or interactive displays) were an exotic piece of equipment seen in sci-fi movies.

Today, they are much more affordable, and virtually any business can afford an interactive whiteboard. This article will explain why you need it and how to choose one.

What Is an Interactive Whiteboard

An interactive whiteboard is a large screen that can be used for displaying various types of media such as presentations, videos, etc. What makes it special is the “interactive” part – your team members can write on the board, manipulate media presented on the screen, use collaboration tools, and share data from their own devices.

Using an interactive whiteboard helps increase your team’s engagement and productivity and encourages collaboration.

Interactive Whiteboard Use Cases

So, what are the scenarios in which a smart board can prove useful? Here are just a few:

In-Person and Remote Meetings

Smart boards offer unparalleled flexibility when it comes to meetings. For instance, any team member can connect to the whiteboard wirelessly and share their screen or create notes and annotations.

Presentations

No matter how important the topic of your presentation is – if the presentation itself is not engaging enough, you will have a tough time trying to get and keep everyone’s attention.

An interactive whiteboard allows you to bring your presentation to the next level by adding multimedia and interactive elements.

Brainstorming Sessions

Are you still using paper stickers for brainstorming? An interactive whiteboard has so many advantages over the old-fashioned way. It saves time, increases productivity, and ensures that no idea is lost with its autosave feature.

Training

There is a reason why a smart board has become an integral part of a modern classroom. Their interactive capabilities make it an excellent education instrument for your employees.

How to Choose an Interactive Whiteboard for Your Office

Here are the main factors to consider when you choose an interactive board for your office.

Screen Size

Typically, modern interactive whiteboards come in various sizes between 55 and 100 inches. When deciding on your smart board size, consider the size of your meeting room and the distance to the screen.

Typically, for smaller rooms, like a Huddle Room, where you have less than 5 people, a 65’’ smart board will suffice. While a board room with over 10 people may require a much larger one.

Resolution

1080p image may look rather pixelated on larger screens, therefore your best bet would be a 4K interactive whiteboard if you go for a screen size over 65’’.

There are also 8K resolution smart boards available on the market, but you should consider whether you really want to pay a hefty premium for this feature and if it is truly necessary.

Operating System and Software

Most modern interactive whiteboards come with either an Android-based OS or regular Windows. Which one to choose is up to you – both operating systems are perfectly capable to cover all your working needs.

However, additional software is something that can affect a smart board’s price. If all you need is basic communication and collaboration functions, make sure you don’t pay for additional education software as well.

Connectivity

The modern world is wireless – and your smart board should be as well. Of course, it must have all the necessary connectors such as USB Type-C or HDMI, but it should be able to connect to your coworkers’ devices wirelessly. It is a huge time and hassle saver.

Touch Capability

Some smart board manufacturers love to brag about their support of 20 or even 40 simultaneous touches and describe it as a killer feature that directly affects the price of equipment they offer.

But ask yourself – is there any real-life scenario that will require you to use such a feature? Stylus support and an accurate touch sensor are what really matter in this case.

An interactive whiteboard can breathe new life into your office routine and become the centerpiece of your meeting room or board room. Need help with choosing, connecting, and installing a smart board in your office? Call us!