Power User Tip: Disabling Participant Dashboard Access

In some ways the conference dashboard is key to getting the most out of ZipDX. However, it’s primarily a tool for use by meeting organizers and hosts. It’s seldom used by conference participants.

Most typically, participants connect via telephone, never bothering to access the web portal or the dashboard.

Simplicity Avoids Confusion

When using our WebShare or SlideShow feature participants may be required to access the web portal to see the shared visuals.

The presence of the largely irrelevant dashboard button in the web portal (pictured above) has the potential to confuse participants. In such cases there may be value in ensuring that the dashboard button is not offered, and participants cannot access the dashboard.

Beyond Simplicity – Participant Privacy

Beyond simplifying the web portal presentation, there may be good reasons to restrict participant access to the dashboard. For example, in some cases anonymity can be important.

In some expert networking situations it may be critical that participants not be able to identify the other people on the call.

In such instances it’s best that dashboard access be disabled, since it would very likely reveal something about the other participants. At very least, it will display their caller ID, and quite possible their name.

How-To: Disable Dashboard Access

With one simple setting in the conference template you can disable dashboard access for mere participants.

Here’s how it’s done for a single conference as it’s being created:

• Log into the ZipDX web portal.
• Find the appropriate conference template and click on Create a Conference.
• Complete the form as usual, adding the conference details.
• In the audio section access the menu of options for Participant Dashboard Access and select “None.”
• Save the conference.

Use a Conference Template

If this is something that’s routinely required it’s possible to create a new conference template with participant dashboard access disabled.

That makes it convenient to schedule a conference, or even hold an ad hoc conference, with the desired setting already in place.

But Wait: There’s More!

Disabling participant dashboard access makes a couple additional changes in the behavior of the system:

1. Altered Announcements

When participants join the conference they will not hear the normal announcement telling them how many participants are already connected.

2. Navigation Between Breakout Rooms

Normally participants can press use *4x on their telephone keypad to change rooms, where x is the room number.

When dashboard access is disabled participants are not allowed to move themselves in/out of breakout rooms using their telephone dialpad.

Questions?

If you have questions about any aspect of ZipDX please contact our support team at:

• 1-888-947-3955,
• Or, +1-312-348-8175,
• Or, email support@zipdx.com.

We’re here to help you get down to business.