Why Interactive Audience Response Is Effective

Many companies, schools, and speakers now use interactive audio response systems to communicate with students, employees, or paid customers. These systems can make any presentation more effective and quickly grab the viewer’s attention. There are many reasons that an interactive audience response system can be effective. Consider the following reasons that this system is becoming very popular today.

•Alertness – No speaker, teacher or supervisor likes to give a speech while looking out at an audience that is half asleep. By using a presentation that works in conjunction with an interactive audience response system it is easy to keep the crowd alert and focused. Recent polls have shown that both speakers and listeners agree that listening to or giving an interactive speech is much more engaging.

•Instant Results- Interactive audience response systems allow the speaker to instantly poll the audience or group. The results of the poll can instantly be shown on the projection screen or computer. This will allow the speaker to adapt the lesson or speech to the results that are received. I a school setting this will help in understanding which information is completely understood and what needs to be gone over again. For an employer an interactive audience response system can help to insure every employee understands company policies and rules.

•Anonymous or Individual Results- When conducting an interactive audience response poll it is possible to make all the results anonymous or track them by each individual. This can be very helpful. For example, when conducting a poll or vote the results are usually best left anonymous. However, for school or classroom polling they results may need to be detailed by individual.

•Easier Result Interpretation – Rather than taking votes or polls by a show of hands or using cards, an audience response system is much more efficient. Interpreting results by trying to count hands or scraps of paper a presenter can quickly gather accurate data I a matter of minutes. These results are often more accurate and easier to gather than traditional methods. These systems will also allow you to store the data received for analysis after the class or speech is through.

•Anonymity Allows for honesty – When conducting a poll by raising hands or writing votes down many people are inclined to go with the popular vote or consensus of the group. However, when using an interactive audience response system each participant can feel free to express their own opinions without fear of condemnation by the group or presenter. This will often provide more accurate and honest results for a poll.

While there are many reasons to use an interactive audience response system there are just as many ways that they can be used. Whether a company wants to better understand how to market or sell a product or a teacher wants to make sure all information is covered before a test this system can be very effective. Due to the large number of advances in modern technology this system is often more economical and easier than traditional methods as well.