How does a digital whiteboard work
If you’ve ever used a dry-erase whiteboard, you’ll quickly grasp the idea of a digital whiteboard, a collaborative online tool that offers a virtual space to brainstorm ideas, organize information, and facilitate discussions. But how does a digital whiteboard work, exactly?
INTERACTING WITH A DIGITAL WHITEBOARD
Digital whiteboards usually come in the form of online applications, and they often provide features for annotating, highlighting, or adding sticky notes to a whiteboard canvas, just like you would with a physical dry-erase board. These tools also offer a range of customization options, such as different colored pens and various pen tips to use, allowing users to personalize their virtual whiteboarding sessions. Users can also upload images or documents, which can then be annotated or drawn on top of.
Some digital whiteboards may offer additional functionalities, such as hand-drawing recognition, which converts drawings into smooth lines, and text recognition, which converts handwritten text into digitally readable text. These features make it easier to digitize and preserve the content created on the whiteboard. They can also be used to convert the whiteboard content into usable productivity tools
COLLABORATING ONLINE
One of the key advantages of a digital whiteboard is the ability to collaborate with others in real-time, regardless of where you are. When using a digital whiteboard, you can invite others to view and collaborate on the whiteboard simultaneously. Participants can easily view the updates, making remote collaboration more seamless. This is particularly valuable in the post-pandemic world, where remote work and online meetings are the new norm.
Some digital whiteboards may also include interactive features that encourage participation. These may include voting or polling features, the ability to add comments, or the ability to use reactions or emojis. These functionalities boost engagement and make the experience more dynamic and interactive. Some tools also offer features for facilitating online workshops or webinars, with options to designate presenters or speakers.
USING VIRTUAL STICKY NOTES
One of the common features in digital whiteboards is the virtual sticky note. Sticky notes in digital whiteboards act like their physical counterparts, allowing users to add quick notes or reminders to the whiteboard. These virtual sticky notes often come with their own set of functionalities, such as being able to customize the color and size of the notes, adding text or images to them, and positioning them anywhere on the whiteboard.
The best part? Virtual sticky notes can be moved around, arranged, and organized just like physical ones, but without the hassle of losing them or having to take them down and reposition them on the whiteboard. Since they can be edited and updated in real-time, virtual sticky notes are great for brainstorming sessions, brainstorming ideas, and grouping thoughts together. They can also be used to assign tasks or responsibilities within a team, making them great productivity tools.
The benefits of a digital whiteboard
Digital whiteboards come with several advantages over dry-erase whiteboards. Firstly, they offer a space that everyone can work on simultaneously, no matter their physical location. This helps to foster collaboration and teamwork, and encourages participation. Content creation is also easier, as users can easily edit, erase, and add to the whiteboard with a few clicks or strokes, without the limitations of physical space or dry-erase markers that tend to fade over time.
Furthermore, the ability to upload documents and images, as well as to save the whiteboard content into sharable files, means that users can quickly refer to and build upon existing content or ideas. And, unlike physical whiteboards, digital whiteboards are adaptable and flexible, allowing users to provide feedback and add suggestions or ideas at any time.
For these reasons, digital whiteboards are a great tool for facilitating discussions and sharing ideas in online meetings, classrooms, and brainstorming sessions. With the convenience of being able to collaborate remotely, users can share ideas and contribute from anywhere, at any time.
