Suddenly Virtual

CHAPTER 1What Happened to Meetings?: The Meeting Scientist Perspective

Perhaps an important question to ask is “When did the world change?” Certainly, the world changed quickly, and many workers were either without work or found themselves in a dramatically different work environment. While the change was nearly instantaneous for some, others experienced a more gradual progression as the world tried to navigate the uncharted territory of a global pandemic. The facts on the ground shifted – not just day by day, but also hour by hour. A universal sense of uncertainty bled into every aspect of our lives.

The business world sought to adapt to the changes, but in those early days, ever‐changing information meant that plans were scrapped almost as soon as they were written.

In this chapter, we will explore:

• The sequence of events that led to much of the world of work going remote.
• The rise of the virtual meeting.
• How businesses scrambled to adapt to the new virtual reality.

How Did We Get Here?

When did you first really pay attention to what was happening with COVID‐19? From your current vantage point, you may find it hard to believe that most of us did not give it a whole lot of thought when it first reared its ugly head in China. Few of us could have imagined then how it would soon turn our world upside down. However, you probably do remember a watershed moment which signaled a shift in mindset. Maybe it was the cancellation of the NBA season or the closure of your college ...