Not all meeting moderators use video and web conferencing to share documents and electronic whiteboards during meetings over distance. Instead, they usually distribute documents before the meeting, read the material during the session and take paper notes. After the meeting, they must transcribe the notes into meeting minutes or other types of documents, distribute to the audience, gather feedback on possible misunderstandings and obtain the approval of the meeting records. On many occasions, the meeting attendees who are away on business trips do not receive the material on time, losing their focus on the discussions. In the worst case, the meeting records are not distributed until a week after the meeting, when the participants do not recall the discussion and decisions. This may be one of the main sources of misunderstandings on global projects.

The chapter 23 of the Global Project Management book introduces the concept of online meetings, where collaboration and interaction are at their best, and the meeting organisers can reduce misunderstandings and formalise acceptance on the decisions and action points during the sessions. 

Types of good practices for online meetings:

-          When to use instant messaging

-          When to use desktop sharing tools

-          When to use web conferencing solutions

-          How to book an online meeting

-          How to moderate an online meeting

-          What should be avoided during an online meeting