Meetings
businessinfomag.uk
magazine
26
Board meetings
Whiteboard paint
Dry-erase whiteboard paint can
transform your office walls into
a whiteboard surface. A room
completely painted with whiteboard
paint invites people to get creative
and gives them a sense of freedom,
perfect for brainstorming.
Paul Pinder, director of visual display
specialist Boards Direct, says ‘whole wall’
solutions can be a good option for small
businesses, particularly those in the
creative industries wanting to create a
dedicated brainstorming area.
However, he warns that they aren’t
ideal for everyone: “The problem with
these products is that they are a semi-
permanent feature and don’t offer
the versatility of a whiteboard or the
portability of a flipchart that can easily
be installed in every room or stored away
when not in use,” he said.
“While ‘whole wall’ solutions are
great for creativity and have no space
limitations, they are only as good as
the smoothness of the surface. Given
that most walls are not free from
imperfections, they do not provide the
same writing experience as a whiteboard,
which is designed to provide an easy and
comfortable surface for writing that also
cleans well. Businesses requiring whole
wall solutions are now looking towards
creative walls made up of whiteboard
panels, which provide the same benefits
as a whiteboard without the space
limitations.”
Traditional whiteboard
The traditional whiteboard remains
a popular choice in businesses,
despite the availability of interactive
technology.
Mark Gentry, sales director at
Adboards, a manufacturer and supplier
of whiteboards, noticeboards and
presentation products, said: “The market
for traditional whiteboards continues
to remain buoyant, even with ever
increasing technology in teaching
and commercial environments, due
to the need for spontaneous visual
communication – pen to a traditional
board often achieves a quicker visual
communication.”
Boards Direct, which sells both
traditional whiteboards and interactive
technology, achieved sales growth of
21% last year thanks in part to rising
sales of traditional whiteboards. “We’re
seeing sales of traditional whiteboards
continue to increase and this is because
the UK has seen huge growth in the
small office environment,” explained
Pinder.
“Figures from the Federation of Small
Businesses show that 1.9 million SMEs
have been created since 2000, 90% of
which employ only the business owner.
Rising numbers of self-employed people,
small businesses and people working
from home are driving growth, as many
want an easy, affordable solution for
keeping track of workload, meetings and
bills etc..”
Pinder is confident that interactive
screens will never completely replace
standard whiteboards, if only for
With so much attention on digital collaboration, it’s easy to forget there’s still a place for
whiteboards, flipcharts and marker pens. Here’s our quick guide to old-school collaboration
solutions that don’t need a plug or network connection.
financial reasons. “At around £2,500, plus
maintenance costs, it is not practical
to have an interactive screen installed
in every room. Nor is it necessary.
For companies that want to use their
board for an occasional brainstorming
exercise, it is not cost-effective to install
an interactive board. Nor do they offer
the versatility of a traditional board.
Developments in technology mean
that many whiteboards are also now
magnetic, offering the ability to pin
notes and other paperwork to them,
which makes them much more user
friendly and yet still affordable for SMEs.”
Flip chart
The flip chart easel is an inexpensive
and effective visual aid that remains
a useful accessory when delivering
a presentation or brainstorming. Its
simplicity and portability are two of
its main advantages.
The Post-it brand from 3M includes
meeting flip charts with large, white
sheets that stick to most wall surfaces
and can be removed cleanly without
damage or residue.
Amy Collins, brand manager for
Post-it from 3M, said: “Collaboration is
undoubtedly a critical component in
fostering innovation and is something
that more companies are incorporating
as a key component of their culture.
Unlike digital display products, which
often limit creativity, traditional display
items encourage creativity and foster
Paul Pinder,
director,
Boards Direct
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