WO2004099893A1

WO2004099893A1 - Meeting aid

Info

Publication number: WO2004099893A1
Application number: PCT/AU2004/000604
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert John Marshall; Jane Maxine Lowther
Original assignee: Marshall Lowther Consulting Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2003-05-08
Filing date: 2004-05-07
Publication date: 2004-11-18

Abstract

An apparatus for use by a first participant of a meeting to communicate with another participant of the meeting. The apparatus has a plurality of faces, each face bearing an indicium representing a predetermined message. The first participant can communicate a selected one of the messages to the other participant by orienting the face corresponding to the selected message in the direction of the other participant. The apparatus can be used to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of any meeting, such as meetings of work groups, project teams, committees and boards of companies or other organizations, and may encourage the assumption of greater personal responsibility and group accountability for decisions taken in meetings.

Description

MEETING AID

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to apparatus for enhancing the communication between participants in a meeting or group discussion.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application, Serial No. 60/468,641. The disclosure of this document is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

A Chairperson, or Facilitator, of a meeting has a number of different tasks which they are required to undertake as they co-ordinate a meeting. These tasks include assessing the emotional state of the individual participants (with respect to the progress of the meeting) , determining the overall mood of the group and reacting to a consensus accordingly.

The task of reading, reacting and adjusting the meeting according to the current mood of the group, as well as that of the individual participants, can be particularly difficult. Many meeting facilitators either respond to such changes late, or not at all. Consequently, the efficiency and effectiveness of the meeting is reduced.

Just as the individual moods are important to the facilitator, an understanding of the facilitator's direction of the meeting is important to the individual participants. For the efficiency of the meeting, it is beneficial if the individual participants can be made aware of the current stage of the meeting.

There is a need for meeting participants to be able to communicate their current feeling on the progress of the meeting to a facilitator. Similarly, there is a need for a facilitator to communicate the direction they are taking the meeting to the individual participants .

It is possible to achieve this communication by verbally articulating current meeting trends. However, this is not a preferable method as it disrupts the flow of the meeting.

It is an object of the present invention to provide for the silent communication of basic current meeting trends between the meeting facilitator and the other meeting participants .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for use by a first participant of a meeting to communicate with another participant of the meeting, the apparatus having a plurality of faces, each face bearing an indicium representing a predetermined message, whereby the first participant can communicate a selected one of the messages to the other participant by orienting the face corresponding to the selected message in the direction of the other participant.

A meeting can be any exchange of information between a group of individuals such as work groups, project teams, committees and boards of companies or other organizations. It will be understood that communicating with another participant of the meeting may comprise communicating with more than one other participant of the meeting.

The meeting participants include a chairperson, facilitator or speaker, as well as general meeting participants .

Preferably, the indicia comprises at least one of colours, symbols and words.

Combinations of these indicia can ensure the faces of the apparatus are readily distinguishable.

Preferably, the apparatus is a geometric solid. More preferably, the apparatus is a regular solid.

Thus, the apparatus may be a tetrahedron, cube or octahedron.

Preferably, the first participant is a general meeting attendee, and the other participant is a meeting facilitator or chairperson, and the predetermined messages applied to the faces of the cube relate to likely reactions of the general meeting attendee.

Alternatively, the first participant is a meeting facilitator, and the at least one other participant is a general meeting attendee, and the predetermined messages applied to the faces of the cubes relate to discrete stages of the meeting.

The meeting facilitator can alternatively be a meeting chairperson and a speaker, whether merely the current speaker or a guest speaker.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a kit for aiding communication between meeting participants, the kit having a plurality of meeting participant apparatuses, each participant apparatus having a plurality of faces, each face bearing an indicium representing a predetermined message, whereby any one participant can communicate a selected one of the messages to another of the participants by orienting the face corresponding to the selected message in the direction of the other participant.

Preferably, the kit further includes a meeting facilitator's apparatus, the meeting facilitator's apparatus having a plurality of faces, each face bearing an indicium representing a predetermined message, whereby the facilitator can communicate a selected one of the messages to the other meeting participants by orienting the face corresponding to the selected message towards the other meeting participants .

Preferably, the kit further includes an information card for the facilitator, the information card explaining how the apparatus are to be used.

Preferably, the information card includes brief guidelines for conducting effective meetings.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for use by a first participant of a meeting to communicate with another participant of the meeting, the apparatus having: computing means having a memory; a display controllable by said computing means; and an input in electronic communication with said computing means for controlling said computing means; wherein said electronic memory is provided with data indicative of a plurality of predetermined messages, and said computing means is controllable by said input means to display a selected one of said predetermined messages on said display so that, when said display is directed toward the other participant, the first participant can communicate said selected predetermined message to the other participant.

The input preferably comprises a keypad with a plurality of keys. More preferably each of the predetermined messages is assigned a specific one of the keys so that a message can be selected and displayed quickly.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a blank having a plurality of sections, each section have an indicium printed thereon representing a predetermined message, the blank being foldable into an apparatus for use by a first participant of a meeting to communicate with another participant of the meeting, the apparatus having a plurality of faces, each of which correspond to one of the plurality of sections, whereby the first participant can communicate a selected one of the messages to the other participant by orienting the face of the apparatus corresponding to the selected message in the direction of the other participant.

The blank could be, for example, of paper, cardboard or similar foldable material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be more easily understood, embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view of a blank of a meeting participant's cube according to a first embodiment;

Figure 2 is a view of a blank of a facilitator's cube according to a first embodiment;

Figure 3 is a view of the meeting participant's cube shown in figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view of the facilitator's cube shown in figure 2;

Figure 5 is a view of a blank of a meeting participant's cube according to a second embodiment;

Figure 6 is a view of a blank of a facilitator's cube according to a second embodiment; Figure 7 is a view of a kit according to a third embodiment; and

Figure 8 is a schematic view of a facilitator's screen and meeting participant's screens according to a fourth embodiment .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

At the beginning of a meeting, each meeting participant is given a cube. Each face of these cubes has an indicia that represents a specific concept relating to an event which may occur during the meeting. The cubes are used by the meeting attendees to aid communication between each other.

Figures 1 and 2 are views, respectively, of a meeting participant's cube 10 according to a first embodiment and of a blank of the cube 10. Each of the six faces (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) of the meeting participant's cube 10 has a word and symbol pair, both of which relate to a meeting concept.

During the course of the meeting, each meeting participant orients their meeting participant's cube 10 to show a Chairperson/Facilitator that face most indicative of that individual's reaction to current events within the meeting. The orientation of the meeting participant's cubes 10 would be such that each individual's reaction is communicated, by the presented face, to other people in the meeting, particularly the Chairperson/Facilitator.

The Facilitator can quickly and easily assess the current reaction of the meeting participants by the orientation of the meeting participant's cubes 10, and the information conveyed by the presented faces .

In this way, during a meeting, the Facilitator might, for example, be presented with a majority of cubes 10 which indicate that the group is in agreement and happy to move on. The Facilitator could then recognise that there is no need to dwell on the current topic, and move on.

Similarly, if one participant orientates their meeting participant's cube 10 to indicate that they have an idea to contribute (by presenting face 18) , the Facilitator can pause at an appropriate time to allow that participant to put their idea forward.

Table 1 lists the word/symbol pairs which can be applied to the faces (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) of the meeting participant's cube 10 (illustrated in figures 1 and 2), and the corresponding meaning of each face (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) .

Figures 3 and 4 are views, respectively, of a facilitator's cube 30 and of a blank of the cube 30; this cube 30 would typically be used by the meeting's Chairperson/Facilitator. As with the meeting participant's cube 10, each face (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42) of the facilitator's cube 30 has a word/symbol pair which represents a discrete stage of the meeting (that is, a specific concept relating to the progress of the meeting) .

During the course of a meeting, the Facilitator orients the facilitator's cube 30 such that the face that indicates the current trend of the meeting is towards the meeting participants .

The meeting participants can quickly and easily establish the current stage of the meeting hy the information conveyed by the presented face of the facilitator's cube 30.

TABLE 1: Meeting Participant's Cube 1 with word and symbol indicia.

In this way, during a meeting, the Facilitator might, for example, present face 32 of the facilitator's cube 30 to indicate that the meeting is currently presenting the context of an issue (that is, dealing with background of an issue) .

Presenting this, and similar information, to the participants has the benefit of keeping the meeting on track and on schedule.

Table 2 lists the word/symbol pairs which can be applied to the faces (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42) of the facilitator's cube 30 (illustrated in figures 3 and 4) , and the corresponding meaning of each face (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42) .

It is desirable that opposing faces of each cube have the same orientation so that both the face closest to the cube's user and the face presented to the other meeting participants will be upright. Accordingly, the views of the blanks of the meeting participant's cube 10 and the facilitator's cube 30 (shown in figures 3 and 4 respectively) both show two faces which are rotated 180° with respect to the other four faces .

It will be appreciated that the meanings of the indicia applied to the faces of the meeting participant's cube 10 and the facilitator's cube 30 can be selected according to the concepts the meeting participants and facilitator are most likely to wish to communicate to the other meeting attendees . Similarly, the indicia applied to the faces of the meeting participant's cube 10 and the facilitator's cube 30 can have any arrangement of colours, patterns, markings, words, phrases, or a combination of any of these indicia. Furthermore, one or more faces may be blank, or one indicia may be applied to more than one face. In an alternative embodiment, a meeting participant's cube and a facilitator's cube have only colours applied to their faces (not shown in the figures) . Table 3 lists the colours and meanings of the faces of the meeting participant's cube. Table 4 lists the colours and meanings of the faces of the facilitator's cube.

TABLE 2: Facilitator's cube 5, with word and symbol indicia .

Any selection of colours could be used, so the colours of the cubes are essentially arbitrary. However, the corresponding meanings will be more easily distinguished when the colours are contrasting. In addition, where possible the colours should accord with the intended message. Thus, green is used for a face of the meeting participant's cube, owing to its widely understood positive significance, to indicate agreement, and so on.

Figures 5 and 6 are views, respectively, of a blank of a meeting participant's cube 50 and of a facilitator's cube 70 according to a second embodiment. Each face (52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62) of the meeting participant's cube 50 has a insert which depicts the indicia displayed on the opposing face (60, 56, 54, 62, 52, 58) . This assists the meeting participant when changing the orientation of the cube 50 as the user need only rotate the cube 50 such that the insert (53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 62), corresponding to the face (60, 56, 54, 62, 52, 58) which they intend to display, is facing toward themselves.

TABLE 3: Meeting Participant's Cube 101 having colours only.

TABLE 4: Facilitator's cube 105 having colours only.

Similarly, Each face (72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82) of the facilitator's cube 70 has a insert which depicts the indicia displayed on the opposing face (80, 76, 74, 82, 72, 78) .

In a third embodiment, shown in figure 7, the meeting aid in the form of a kit 90 having a plurality of cubes 10, 30. The kit 90 is used by meeting attendees to aid communication between each other.

One of the plurality of cubes 10, 30 can be a facilitator's cube 30 while the remainder are meeting participant's cubes 10. The meeting participant's cubes 10 are all identical. In a preferred form, the kit 90 has eleven meeting participant's cubes 10 and one facilitator's cube 30.

At the beginning of a meeting, each meeting participant (except the meeting facilitator) is given one of the identical meeting participants' cubes 10. The Chairperson/Facilitator has the facilitator's cube 30.

The kit 90 can also contain at least one information card 92 which summarises the function of the meeting aid. The information card 92 can also contain other pertinent information such as brief guidelines for conducting effective meetings. Information cards 92 can be laminated to be used as a place mat, or alternatively can be held in a table mast (not shown) . The information card 92 can also serve as a reminder for the Meeting Facilitator.

In other embodiments, any body with surfaces which can distinctly display indicia to other meeting attendees may be used. Such bodies include regular and irregular solids, wire-frame or hollow bodied articles. Furthermore, the surfaces may be planar such as the face of a regular geometric solids, or curved such as a portion of the surface of a sphere.

It is envisaged that a face of a cube may have a surface allowing the user of the cube to write information on a face to be erased later. This may be realised using a white board marker and appropriate material on the surface.

In other embodiments, the Chairperson/Facilitator could be merely the current speaker in the meeting. In this case, the facilitator's cube 30 may be passed between the meeting attendees such that the current speaker has the facilitator's cube 30. Figure 8 is a schematic view of a fourth embodiment. Each meeting participant has a meeting participant's console 100 with a keypad 102 and a display means, such as a screen 104. Each meeting participant can use the keypad 102 to selectively display a predetermined message on the screen 104.

Similarly, the chairperson/facilitator can have a facilitator's console 110 which also has a keypad 112 and a display means, such as a screen 114. The meeting chair/facilitator can use the keypad 112 to selectively display a predetermined message on the screen 104.

The predetermined messages relate to, or represent, a specific concept relating to an event which may occur during the meeting.

In a further embodiment, the screens 104, 114 of each console 100, 110 could be incorporated into part of a video conferencing screen such that during a video conference the participants can silently communicate to other meeting participants also linked into the video conference.

It will be understood to persons skilled in the art of the invention that many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. An apparatus for use by a first participant of a meeting to communicate with another participant of the meeting, the apparatus having a plurality o£ faces, each face bearing an indicium representing a predetermined message, whereby the first participant can communicate a selected one of the messages to the other participant by orienting the face corresponding to the selected message in the direction of the other participant.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indicia comprises at least one of colours, symbols and words .

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a geometric solid.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the apparatus is a regular solid.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the apparatus is a cube.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the indicium on opposing faces of the cube have the same orientation.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further having an insert on each face, the insert depicting the indicium displayed on one of the other faces of the apparatus .

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further having an insert on each face, the insert depicting the indicium displayed on the opposing face of the cube.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first participant is a general meeting attendee, and the other participant is a meeting facilitator or chairperson, and the predetermined messages applied to the faces of the apparatus relate to likely reactions of the general meeting attendee.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first participant is a meeting facilitator, and the at least one other participant is a general meeting attendee, and the predetermined messages applied to the faces of the apparatus relate to discrete stages of the meeting.

11. A kit for aiding communication between meeting participants, the kit having a plurality of meeting participant apparatuses, each participant apparatus having a plurality of faces, each face bearing an indicium representing a predetermined message, whereby any one participant can communicate a selected one of the messages to another of the participants by orienting the face corresponding to the selected message in the direction of the other participant.

12. A kit as claimed in claim 11, wherein the kit further includes a meeting facilitator's apparatus, the meeting facilitator's apparatus having a plurality of faces, each face bearing an indicium representing a predetermined message, whereby the facilitator can communicate a selected one of the messages to the other meeting participants by orienting the face corresponding to the selected message towards the other meeting participants .

13. A kit as claimed in claim 11, wherein the kit further includes an information card for the facilitator, the information card explaining how the apparatus are to be used.

14. A kit as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the information card includes brief guidelines for conducting effective meetings.

15. An apparatus for use by a first participant of a meeting to communicate with another participant of the meeting, the apparatus having: computing means having a memory; a display controllable by said computing means; and an input in electronic communication with said computing means for controlling said computing means; wherein said electronic memory is provided with data indicative of a plurality of predetermined messages, and said computing means is controllable by said input means to display a selected one of said predetermined messages on said display so that, when said display is directed toward the other participant, the first participant can communicate said selected predetermined message to the other participant.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the display is a screen, and each of the plurality of predetermined messages are an image comprising at least one of colours, symbols and words.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the display is set of coloured lights, each light corresponds to one of the plurality of predetermined messages.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first participant is a general meeting attendee, and the other participant is a meeting facilitator or chairperson, and the predetermined messages relate to likely reactions of the general meeting attendee.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first participant is a meeting facilitator, and the at least one other participant is a general meeting attendee, and the predetermined messages relate to discrete stages of the meeting.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the screen is at least one video conferencing screen, and the selected one of the predetermined messages are displayed on at least part of each of the at least one video conferencing screen.

21. An apparatus for use by a first participant of a meeting to communicate with another participant of the meeting, the apparatus controllable by said first participant to present to said other participant any one of a plurality of predetermined messages provided in or on said apparatus, whereby the first participant can communicate a selected one of the messages to the other participant.

22. A blank having a plurality of sections, each section have an indicium printed thereon representing a predetermined message, the blank being foldable into an apparatus for use by a first participant of a meeting to communicate with another participant of the meeting, the apparatus having a plurality of faces, each of which correspond to one of the plurality of sections, whereby the first participant can communicate a selected one of the messages to the other participant by orienting the face of the apparatus corresponding to the selected message in the direction of the other participant.