RDS KNOWLEDGE BASE
Setup and Settings for the Hands Up pod
The Hands Up pod is a series of colorful buttons that encourages participants to interact in a meeting room through a fun an user-friendly interface. The pod integrates with the Adobe Connect meeting room status and increases attendance, engagement, and interactivity.
Click the video below to discover how to start using the Hands Up pod or read the documentation below.
Set up
1. Select and download your custom pod from the website. Click here to learn how to download and install your custom pod.
2. Open a new share pod in the meeting room and adjust the size of the pod to fit the meeting room.
3. In the pod menu, choose Share Document and navigate to where you have stored your pod.
4. The Hands Up pod will load in the meeting room and is ready to use. Click the gear icon in the pod to access the settings and click Add Hands Up to All Layouts. The pod is added to all layouts automatically when the option is selected.
Getting started
The Refined Data Solutions Hands Up pod was created with the intention to provide a more inviting way to encourage participants to interact during their learning experience. The clean and bright buttons invite users to interact in the meeting room without the fear of doing something wrong or having to speak.
As users interact with the Hands Up pod by clicking the icons, the corresponding emoticon appears in the attendee pod associated with the person who selected the icon. The status is also reflected in the Adobe Connect meeting menu bar, which works in conjunction with the native Adobe Connect feature. Participants can clear their status or remove their selection by clicking on the Hands Up button a second time.
An associated audio track plays in conjunction when a user clicks a button. Each individual user also has the option to locally mute the audio by clicking the speaker icon.
The host can clear all participants' statuses from the menu bar or from the hands up pod by selecting Clear All.
As participants interact with the pod, by default the host can view the number of people clicking each button by the corresponding numbers that appear in the pod. The host can view a list of users who have clicked certain buttons by clicking the numbers associated with each icon.
Hosts can reset each button individually on the list screen by selecting Reset All, which resets all users who are listed. This is a separate function from the clear all which will clear each icon.
RT Tip - Use this list feature to view in which order participants respond to a request or view who has selected a button without revealing the names of participants in the attendee pod.
Additional features, including audio tracks and chat notifications, expand this pod beyond Adobe Connect's native functions.
Settings
The settings options for the Hands Up pod are accessed by clicking the gear icon.
It is recommended to add the pod to all layouts so the component is readily available to your participants throughout the meeting. The option to add the pods to all layouts is available in the settings. Adding the pod to all layouts is done automatically when the option is selected
There are a series of ten buttons available, and a host can choose which buttons to reveal and assign to play or not play that button's audio track.
To suppress the audio, click any of the individual speaker icons. Individual users can also mute the sounds locally without impacting others in the meeting room by clicking the speaker icon in the pod.
The Stepped Away feature monitors the mouse location of all participants in the room. If the mouse movement is outside of the meeting room or the meeting window is minimized, the stepped away feature reflects that user is not focused on the meeting room.
Click the digits to see a list of participants who have ‘stepped away’.
Hosts can set the Hands Up pod to notify other hosts and presenters of a new chat message via an audio and/or visual notification. This alert aids in encouraging the presenter to become more engaged with their audience. It also allows the presenter / host to focus on their presentation and not worry about missing something in the chat pod.
The audio notification includes a bell tone, while the visual notification lights the pod in a flash to direct attention to the pod.
Enhance interactive meetings
The buttons in the Hands Up pod have been specifically designed with a non-threatening and attractive user interface.
As people click on the buttons, they become less intimidated to use the other tools in the meeting room. Participants come away from their session having learned more while also being encouraged to interact at a higher engagement level.