Ask An Expert: Why Webinars
Pierre Khawand, Founder and Principal, People-OnTheGo

Q. How can a webinar compete with an in-person training?

Let me say this straight-up: there is no substitute for the in-person training experience! The fact is that webinars are not meant to replace in-person training. But in a time- and attention-starved workplace, a well-planned, well-presented, and well-executed webinar can provide condensed packets of knowledge that can be easily digested and readily applied.

Also, webinars leverage subject-matter expertise wherever it happens to be and then deliver that expertise to people wherever they happen to be—a supervisor in Seattle, an administrator in Tacoma, a research scientist on a vessel in the middle of the Pacific, or anyone else with a computer with an Internet connection.


People-OnTheGo specializes in webinars that optimize productivity and related skills. Rather than competing with in-person training, these webinars will provide another time-efficient and cost-effective training option for people throughout your organization.

Q. I've attended webinars before, with mixed results. How does People-OnTheGo measure up?

As the name might suggest, People-OnTheGo webinars are designed to provide crucial information, valuable techniques, and unique tips for the many busy jugglers and multi-taskers in today's workplace. So what makes the People-OnTheGo webinars different—and more successful—is the following:

  1. Compelling content is designed by expert instructors who are thought-leaders in their field. The content has been refined over time—as thousands of these webinars have been conducted—and most importantly, it continues to evolve to adapt to today's changing work environment.
  2. Most webinars are scenario-based. They cover real-life situations that make business sense. Each scenario is carefully selected to introduce key concepts and numerous tips and techniques. Scenarios typically include in-depth demonstrations, exercises, and an engaging delivery. There is no such as thing as "death by PowerPoint" in the People-OnTheGo webinars!
  3. The webinars are driven by a common theme (productivity in the workplace) and a bigger purpose (overcoming digital overload, accomplishing more, and feeling less stressed). These themes are addressed specifically in certain webinars and are intertwined in all our webinars to help participants "connect the dots" and make breakthroughs in their work and personal lives.

Q. How technologically savvy do you need to be to participate in a webinar, and what happens if you have technical problems?

If you can perform a Google search, watch a video on YouTube, or post your status on Facebook, you should feel comfortable participating in a webinar. In other words, if you have a web browser and an Internet connection, you should be able to participate in a webinar.

I took my first webinar in the 1990s and the technology—for presenting and taking webinars—has evolved rapidly since that time. The webinars POD's offering through People-OnTheGo will use GoToWebinar, a robust and reliable platform developed by GoToMeeting, an industry leader. Should you or your staff members experience a technical glitch—as we all do on occasion—you'll have access to live technical support through GoToMeeting.

Please see the Taking POD Webinars webpage for more information on webinar logistics and technical requirements.

Winter 2012 | Return to issue home