Hand Raising: A question for you?

If you are on a video call (typically Microsoft Teams Fan Club , maybe Zoom . Others may exist :/ )

Imagine the situation

There is a discussion going on, and you want to let the discussion run - but also express your desire to say something before the agenda continues. It may not be directly relevant to the current discussion.

Teams added the numbering system a while back which was a great addition. They also auto-lower the hand with an option to keep it raised.

Whenever I am hosting , or partaking in a virtual call - I see this as an extension of the physical and do my best to recreate that in-person experience.

With that in mind, let's consider what is missing from the current capabilities in our virtual call setting.

How do people raise their hands in reality?

If you are in a physical classroom setting, there are a range of ways you can raise your hand. You may have anyone from eager beavers to the timid.

People raise their hands in different ways, depending on the specific situation.

This allows both the host and participants to read the room and engage in appropriate dialogue around those who are interacting in the current topic.

In the virtual calls, as soon as people starting raising their hands - it can often disrupt the flow. It may be assumed that your hand raised means you want to jump in on the exact point.

There may be some common etiquette but this can vary from call to call.

Exam Question

If you could half-raise, or part-raise your hand, do you think this would help your virtual meetings?

I do.