Audio and video conferencing are revolutionary business tools. They allow to increase individual and team productivity by removing distance barrier thus getting the right people involved and eliminating travel stress (and cost). These benefits - and many other pros - motivate many executives to become proficient at their use. Moreover, the current economic crisis has brought into focus a new urgency to find ways to cut travel costs and work together effectively.

Audio and video conferencing are playing a central role in doing business and are quickly adopted by businesses of all sizes, technology makes videoconferences more and more easier to set up, with better quality and lowering prices, but that is not enough.

A study conducted by MCI Conferencing found the typical professional attends more than 60 meetings a month, and more than a third of them are rated as unproductive. Given this situation we need to improve the way we conduct our audio and video conferences, we need guidelines on how to define a clear goal and then to manage a conference as a small project that has to be carefully planned, organized and tightly controlled, in all its dimensions, if we really want to achieve our goal.