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How to Utilize The Built-In Whiteboard in Cisco Webex Meetings

Cisco Webex Meetings provides a built-in whiteboard feature that allows meeting participants to collaborate by annotating, drawing, and sharing ideas in real-time. The whiteboard acts as a virtual space to visualize concepts just as you would on a physical whiteboard in a conference room.

Utilizing the built-in whiteboard effectively can lead to more productive meetings and enhanced collaboration. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to use the Webex whiteboard:

Accessing the Whiteboard

The whiteboard can be accessed in two ways:

  • From the meeting controls menu: Click on the “Share Content” button and select “Whiteboard” from the drop-down menu. This will launch a blank whiteboard.
  • From the in-meeting Whiteboard tab: A dedicated “Whiteboard” tab is available in the meeting interface. Click on this tab to start a new whiteboard or access existing shared whiteboards.

Sharing a Whiteboard

By default, the whiteboard is only displayed to the person who launched it from the meeting controls. To share it with all participants:

  • Click the “Share” icon at the top right corner of the whiteboard
  • Check the box next to “Share with everyone”
  • Click the “Share” button

This will broadcast the whiteboard so all attendees can view and interact with it.

Basic Annotation Tools

The whiteboard provides the following basic annotation tools:

  • Pen: For freehand drawing
  • Highlighter: For highlighting sections
  • Shapes: Lines, arrows, rectangles, ovals
  • Text box: For adding text comments
  • Eraser: For removing annotations
  • Undo/Redo/Clear: For reversing actions

Select any tool from the left toolbar to start annotating. Double click on objects to edit properties like color and thickness.

Advanced Features

Along with basic annotation, the Webex whiteboard also provides some advanced features:

  • Multiple pages: Add new pages to extend your canvas using the “+” button
  • Import files: Insert images, PDFs, presentations into the whiteboard as new pages
  • Screen capture: Capture any open application window as an image on the whiteboard
  • Copy/Paste: Maintain persistence by copying content and pasting to another whiteboard
  • Save: Download the whiteboard locally to retain its contents
  • Presenter mode: Lock the editing ability to prevent unintended changes

These features expand the flexibility of the whiteboard for visual storytelling and collaboration.

Best Practices for Productive Whiteboard Sessions

Here are some tips to encourage active participation and make whiteboard sessions more productive:

  • Prepare templates/outlines in advance – Having a premade sketch can help guide the discussion
  • Launch early – Initialize the whiteboard at the start so it’s ready when you need it
  • Explain intent – Tell participants the purpose before expecting contributions
  • Involve everyone – Invite attendees to annotate by passing control
  • Review regularly – Loop back to summarize and align on next steps
  • Save copies – Download intermittent versions to track progress
  • Share final export – Circulate the final whiteboard snapshot for reference

Collaboration Etiquette

To prevent chaotic overlapping annotations, follow these whiteboard collaboration etiquettes:

  • Take turns – Wait for the present annotator to finish before drawing
  • Use different colors – Change highlighter colors to distinguish inputs
  • Give space – Annotate on empty areas instead of overwriting
  • Verbalize actions – Say aloud when you begin/end annotating
  • Edit sparingly – Avoid modifying others drawings unless necessary
  • Maintain history – Add new pages instead of erasing previous work

Customizing and Admin Controls

Meeting hosts and admins can customize and control certain whiteboard settings:

  • Access rights: Disable whiteboard for attendees or make it view-only
  • Storage: Choose default storage location for saved whiteboards
  • Content moderation: Block annotations with sensitive information
  • Bandwidth conservation: Optimize performance for low bandwidth
  • Branding: Add logo, brand colors to whiteboard pages
  • Default templates: Provide base templates aligned to meeting purpose

Apply policies suitable for your organizational use case and security requirements.

Troubleshooting Issues

Some common whiteboard issues and solutions:

  • Can’t find whiteboard: Update Webex to latest version, check permissions
  • Annoations not visible: Ensure whiteboard is shared, presenter mode is off
  • Unable to annotate: Confirm edit access, try reassigning rights
  • Tools not working: Relaunch whiteboard, rejoin meeting
  • Unable to save: Check storage permissions, save to local downloads

For persistent problems, contact your Webex administrator or Cisco technical support.

Key Takeaways

The integrated whiteboard transforms Webex into an interactive canvas for visual thinking and collaboration. Utilize its diverse toolkit and optimization features to engage meeting participants more deeply.

Consistent whiteboard adoption enables distributed teams to innovate faster and make decisions more effectively. A fluid whiteboarding experience keeps everyone on the same page by democratizing information access across locations.

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