Big Brother Helpful Other

The above tweet appears to be from a daily stream of unusual yet desirable latest tech updates. Most concepts are made-up. Nearly all have a subversive streak.

Recent examples touted include; a 'quiz on the ad you watched and if you’re wrong you watch another ad' before your video begins or resumes, sick day approval depends on review of previous day's social media activity, and choose uber driver by their supported sports team with lower price if they lost their last game.

Alongside the 'big brother' invasion above.

Which feels a touch scary. After all, it isn't a stretch to think that Google Meets could inform of when a participant with video off is using another Google product at the same time. Let's hope not.

It's beholden on me to remind that the best way to keep attention and focus for all on such call, is not to micromanage, but to properly engage all attending.

Being told that someone is looking at a slidedeck, surfing a website or doomscrolling on their phone is illusory. There are much better methods of gauging and maintaining absorption.

Still, there are ways a video platform could improve the host's chairing. And by association, also lift what all assembled get out of the meeting.

A running tally of questions per participant, minutes since last contribution and your proportion of airtime compared to all others combined for instance.

In the absence of such a trio, whenever you run a call with someone alongside you, whether as tech helper or notetaker, these are the kinds of info they could log to ensure things stay on track.

As a footnote, this type of thought experiment can also provide the basis of both any new product development push you may be involved with, as well as opening discussion with prospects on what their wildest dreams might hope to see delivered. Whether a pretend wishlist or semi-comic features flow, there'll usually be a lovely nugget on which to build.