Virtual meetings at DIN
(2009-05-18) One of DIN's main goals is to make it easier for small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) to participate in standardization. As a major step in this direction, DIN now holds virtual meetings of standard committees over the Internet in "web conferences" which allow participants to contribute without leaving their workplace. As this arrangement makes committee work more efficient, the reaction has been quite positive.
Combining the techniques of teleconferencing and giving presentations over the web lets experts work together in real-time setting, reducing travel time and costs and accelerating the information and decision-making process. Committee members can simultaneously view presentations and work on documents at different locations, making arrangements at short notice without having to invest entire days in travel. Any or all of the meeting attendees can participate long-distance: Individual participants who cannot attend a meeting for some reason can connect to Berlin, or the entire meeting can be virtually organized.
This new form of standards work is particularly advantageous for small businesses and all those who wish to save money during the present economic crisis. More than 100 meetings have already been held as web conferences.