The first step in hosting accessible meetings is often making sure every attendee can communicate effectively. Now, advances in artificial intelligence and virtual reality are making translation services easier.

For example, an AI tool from Google, nicknamed Translatotron, stands to break down barriers between attendees who speak different languages, while also providing planners with less costly translation services.

“Attendees requiring translation services will wear a headset, just like with a human interpreter, but add a microphone and the same software can interpret their questions for the speaker at the end of the session,” says Hannah Kinnersley on MeetingsNet. “Another advantage for the attendee will be that the system is like having a personal interpreter, so it could be used at networking events and small breakout sessions.”

Although the technolgy is still in the testing phase, Kinnersley points out that, like human interpreters, it still faces the challenge of learning specialized industry terms and nuances. “But once a program has been optimized in, for example, aerospace engineering, it is available for as many events as required, the expertise is never lost or retired, and it can learn new terms and examples at each conference,” she says.

Similarly, VR innovations, such as Microsoft’s HoloLens goggles, could also improve the event experience for deaf attendees.

“Adaptations of this type of system could solve one of the main issues deaf people encounter when presentations are signed: In order to see the signing, audience members must take their eyes off the speaker and any presentation materials,” she says.

Content Marketing, ROI, and Time

https://twitter.com/marketo/status/1133546026273529858

What do ROI calculations look like for content marketing? It’s a complicated question, says Robert Rose from the Content Marketing Institute, and one that doesn’t come with a clear formula. Instead, the answer focuses on time.

“Marketing campaigns are a cost that provide value at a moment in time,” he says. “The content marketing opportunity … is an asset-focused investment that, if done well, provides increasing value over time.”

Although this line of thinking might change the way you approach ROI, Rose says looking at content marketing as a long-term business asset will better guide the conversation, as well as give a more accurate view of your strategy’s effectiveness.

Other Links of Note

Volunteers want to engage with an organization where they can make a difference. But uninspiring recruitment ads might be sending the opposite message, says the VolunteerMatch blog.

Attendees who learn together implement what they learn together, says Sarah Michel on the Velvet Chainsaw blog. That means meetings should be designed with collaboration in mind.

Is your association data-driven or data-informed? CMSWire explains the difference.

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