Articles like these (I've read a few), while well-intentioned, seem to contribute to self righteous ideas about video calls... As someone who has invested in a video conferencing setup, I don't really think it's fair to expect any friend or colleague to do _any_ effort to make themselves sound good.
People often draw the wrong conclusions from posts like this. I've worked with people who've taken offense if anyone's video conferencing gear wasn't up to their bar, and it felt like a meta-topic that was never worth the time.
I’m a bit of the opposite. I find it slightly offensive that people are not investing in their video conference abilities during times like these.
The most notable has been a healthcare provider I’ve been working with. For a multitude of reasons not related to COVID we’ve been relying on telehealth. The sessions are predominately about the conversation and it’s downright frustrating that the provider can’t even be bothered to use the earbuds with mic that come with an iPhone. Our audio is constantly stepping over each other. I’m also looking up the provider’s shadowed nose the entire time too.
The answer is somewhere in the middle. I don’t expect the provider to spend nearly a grand as this persons blog post advocates. However, some super basic training about audio, camera positioning, and lighting would make a world of difference.
People often draw the wrong conclusions from posts like this. I've worked with people who've taken offense if anyone's video conferencing gear wasn't up to their bar, and it felt like a meta-topic that was never worth the time.