ABSTRACT
Team meetings can be unproductive at the best of times, but when there is the added complication of the team being in distributed locations and time zones, defining the guidelines by which they will be most effective is a vital support. Again, early specification and agreement of protocols can help support successful formal and informal meetings. Meetings are the only times that the team will collaborate as a whole, so it is vital they are used to their full potential. Many virtual meetings will take place through the use of tele- or video conferencing. To get the most out of a virtual meeting, in terms of structure it should be conducted no differently from a formal face-to-face meeting. Try not to let the technology you are using run or become the focus of the meeting; do not constantly allude to any limitations or to a preference to be co-located.
