Checking the Backdrop for my Online Presentation

This morning saw me finalising the content for a run-through of my VJ Day case study presentation for the annual AMOT conference next Wednesday. The Army Museums Ogilby Trust respresents, supports and promotes army museums throughout the UK. Set up in 1954, it currently represents 140 Military Museums from its office in Salisbury.

This year things are very different. Normally the conference is held in London, with many attendees from around the country attending talks and presentations and using the opportunity to network and connect with like-minded folk. This year, due to the pandemic, the conference is online but as of this morning there were already over 100 people booked on. We are all struggling to attend conferences and workshops, we are all having to adapt our working practices, we are all having to do things a little differently this year. The AMOT conference has adapted and is offering this online engagement opportunity.

So this morning saw me armed with my powerpoint attempting to log-in to a joint call with two other Military Museums from Nottingham and Shrewsbury, to run through our joint conversational case studies presentation. Discussions ensued about introductions, questions from the (imaginary) floor, time limits and powerpoint prep. The three of us worked out the share screen function and the various formats of screens and presentation. Bill Gates eat your heart out! Our collective backdrops featured a cat, bookcases full of files, and here in Alma our Border Regiment colours. We are now sorted and organised, by 1130hrs we were finished. Next time we will all meet will be on conference day.

I will also be an attendee at the conference so I can pick up tips, updates and ideas from other presentations and speakers. I will be at work, so will have the luxury of being able to disappear to cover lunch and clean the toilets, make a brew or answer the phone rather than disrupt our staffing rota for me to attend in person. There are benefits of online as well as negatives, but the fact that the conference has adapted and is still taking place is a reminder that there is some sort of normality out there!






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