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Video Conferencing
Zoom and Skype for Business are audio and video conferencing tools available to the City of Madison. These tools can be used for internal meetings, collaboration, and public participation meetings.
Video Conferencing Best Practices
Following video conferencing best practices helps us maintain a productive teleworking environment for all City staff.
- Always disconnect from VPN before joining a video conferencing meeting. Skype and Zoom take up critical VPN bandwidth, impacting your colleagues teleworking experience. Both video conferencing tools are available via Wi-Fi or Internet connection, and do not required City network (VPN) connection.
- Meeting links should never be shared beyond the meeting invitees.
- Enable the waiting room feature to ensure all attendees go into the waiting room first.
- Enable a meeting password when able.
- Consider locking your meeting a few minutes after it starts to keep out uninvited users.
- Do not transfer files through the meeting chat.
- Depending on the size of your group, you can consider having participants auto-muted on entry to the meeting.
- Disable videos if the group is large and you are having performance issues.
Zoom
Zoom meetings are ideal for hosting more interactive sessions where you want to have audience participation, desktop sharing and break your session into smaller groups (i.e. breakout rooms).
Paid Accounts
If you need a paid Zoom license, please work with your supervisor to share the current licenses available to your agency.
Free Accounts
How to Signup
You can sign up for a free Zoom account at https://cityofmadison.zoom.us/signup.
Differences Between Paid & Free Accounts
- Free accounts have a 40 minute limit for group meetings.
- Free accounts cannot do polls.
- Free accounts cannot have people call in on a toll-free number.
- Free accounts cannot record.
- Free accounts are limited to 100 participants per meeting.
Skype for Business
Skype is an audio and video conferencing option for internal (City staff only) meetings, for up to 250 participants. Always use the Skype client to join a meeting. Do not use a cell phone or personal phone. View the Telework Toolkit for more instructions on installing and using Skype.
Training Documents
Recording Virtual Meetings & Events
Recording any virtual meetings or events requires prior approval from the City Attorney’s Office and Information Technology. Please note that all Board, Commission, and Committee meetings are some Virtual Neighborhood Meetings pre-approved.
Recording Virtual Meetings & Events