Product Review: Web Ex

TrainingCity is constantly searching for "Best of Breed" technologies to enable our Virtual Classroom configuration. In the past few months we've been trialing products from a number of vendors. One of the product offerings we've been using is WebEx.

This review is broken down into the following sections:

1. User Interface
2. PowerPoint Presentation
3. Voice & Video
4. Application Sharing & Whiteboard
5. Summary

User Interface

The WebEx service worked very well throughout the trial phase. We used the standard WebEx product offering, which seemed to be designed more for short presentations than full blown, several hour long, training classes. Apparently WebEx does offer a true "Virtual Classroom" product, something we may try in the near future. A "true" Virtual Classroom typically includes a method of allowing students direct VPN access to lab computers as well as "I'm away" or "be right back" flags that students can use during the class to inform the instructor of their status.

The WebEx user interface was relatively easy to use. It allowed for straightforward scheduling of classes and a simple email interface to inform students of the start time/ access URL, password for log in etc.

The primary end user interface for WebEx is a java applet. This presented some difficulty for students who did not have a java virtual machine installed on their desktop. Many people forget that Microsoft no longer supports JVM, and you must download the app from Sun Microsystems’s Java.com.

Once the student desktops are configured, WebEx offers a smooth, well organized, interface for both the student and the instructor. WebEx requires the instructor to upload the presentation to a Web ex server prior to the start of the Virtual Class in order to allow the students to view high resolution images of the Power Point presentation.

PowerPoint Presentation

Once the presentation is uploaded, the instructor can decide whether to limit student access to the page being displayed by the instructor, or let them "browse" through the various slides during the presentation. This is a great little feature, as students often want to skip over content during a training session. At TrainingCity we decided to enable this feature, however, all our students receive a Hard Copy of the student manual and the slide presentation via Fed Ex prior to the start of our Virtual Classes.

Voice & Video

Web Ex offers an integrated PSTN voice conferencing service, but cost is a factor. It is by no means cheap when compared to comparable services for voice conferencing such as www.freeconference.com

For the Voice portion of our WebEx Virtual Classes we decided to either use Freeconference or www.Skype.com. Skype is an amazing and free VoIP service that allows for internet conference calls of up to five people.

WebEx does include a Video “push” option so that students can see the instructor. We found this service to be the weakest link in the WebEx offering. Video was spotty and operated at what seemed to be less than one frame per second.

In the end we just turned off the Web Ex video as it is a feature that is really not that critical to a successful Virtual training class. This, by the way, comes as surprise. Most people assume Video is a prerequisite to building a relationship between the instructor and the students. At TrainingCity we found that although it’s “nice to have”, students and the instructor quickly adapt in the absence of video as long as the voice quality is high and they can easily speak to one another.

Application Sharing & Whiteboard

WebEx offers fairly standard “application sharing” & white board options. This allows the instructor to quickly bring up Excel spreadsheets, Word docs, even the DOS prompt if necessary. The white board is useful for quick drawings and sketches.

Summary

Overall WebEx is a viable “Foundation” product around which a Virtual Classroom can be built. My primary concern regarding WebEx is Cost and ease of integration with third party Voice conferencing services. In the end WebEx is great, but its pricing model seems out of line given the rapidly multiplying options that are showing up in the marketplace.

Next Up: Product review of Microsoft’s Livemeeting.