Audience response is a type of interaction associated with the use of audience response systems, which combine wireless harware with presentation software to create interactivity between a presenter and her audience.
The Audience Response Process
The presenter uses a computer and a projector to project her presentation for the audience to see. Presentation slides built with the audience response software display questions with several possible correct answers. The audience participates by selecting the answer they believe to be correct and pushing the corresponding key on their individual wireless keypad. Their answer is then sent to a base station - or receiver - that is also attached to the presenter's computer. The audience response software collects the results and the aggregate data is graphically displayed within the presentation for all to see.
Depending on the presenter's requirements, the data can either be collected anonymously (e.g. in the case of voting) or it can be traced to individual participants in circumstances where tracking is required (e.g. classroom quizzes). Incoming data is also stored in a database that resides on the host computer, and data reports can be created after the presentation for further analysis.
The Benefits of Audience Response
There are many reasons for the increasing use of audience response systems. The tendency to answer based on crowd psychology is reduced because, unlike hand raising, it is difficult to see which selection others are making. The ARS also allows for faster tabulation of answers for large groups than manual methods. Additionally, many college professors use ARS systems to take attendance or even grade answers in large lecture halls, which would be highly time-consuming without the system.
Audience response offers many benefits to those who use it in group settings. These are just a few of the potential benefits:
- Improve attentiveness
- Increase knowledge retention
- Poll anonymously
- Track individual responses
- Display polling results immediately
- Speed-up decision making
- Foster individual ownership of group decisions
- Create an interactive and fun learning environment
- Gather data for reporting and analysis
- Confirm audience understanding of key points immediately
Applications
Audience response is utilized across a broad range of industries and organizations. A few examples include:
- Education
- Corporate Training
- Control Self-Assessment
- Delegate Voting
- Market Research
- Decision Support
- Game Shows
- Conferences and Events
- Executive Decision Making
- Continuing Medical Education
Audience Response Systems
An Audience Response System (ARS), or Personal Response System (PRS), allows large groups of people to vote on a topic or answer a question. Each person has a remote control with which selections can be made. Each remote communicates with a computer via receivers located around the room. After a set time - or when all paticipants have answered - the system shuts off and tabulates the results. Typically, the results are instantly made available to the participants via a bar graph displayed on projector.
In situations where tracking is required, the serial number of each remote control is entered beforehand in the control computer's database or the students identity number. In this way the answer of each individual can later be identified.
In addition to the presenter's computer and projector, the typical audience response system is comprised of the following components:
- base station (receiver)
- wireless keypads (one for each participant)
- audience response system software
History
Since the 1960's, a number of companies have offered Audience/Personal Response Systems, several of whom are now defunct or changed their business model.
Circa 1966, Audience Studies Institute of Hollywood, California developed a proprietary analog ARS system for evaluating the response of a theatre audience to unreleased motion pictures, television shows and commericals. This early ARS was used by ASI's clients - major motion picture and television studios and advertising agencies - to evaluate the effectiveness of whatever it was they wanted to accomplish, for example, selling more products, increasing movie ticket sales, and achieving a higher fee per commerical slot. Often, a client would show different versions to different audiences, e.g. different movie endings, to gauge their relative effectiveness.
ASI would give out free tickets on the street to bring people into the theatre, called the "Preview House," for particular showings where each attendee would fill out a questionnaire and then be placed in a seat with a "dial" handset outfitted with a single knob that each attendee would turn to a position to indicate his or her level of interest: turning the knob all the way left for "dull" to turning all the way to the right for "great."
In 1976, ASI upgraded their system to become fully digital, have Yes/No buttons and, in some cases, numeric keys for entering in numbers, choices and monetary amounts.
The oldest company in ARS that still offers both service and sales of ARS equipment is Quick Tally Interactive Systems, Inc. of Beverly Hills, California, who, from 1982, has offered several different types of wired and wireless handsets. Currently, they are the suppliers for such venerable ARS uses as America's Funniest Home Videos, Last Comic Standing and Reader's Digest National Word Power Challenge.
Hardware
The majority of audience response systems use wireless hardware. Two primary technologies exist to transmit data from the keypads to the base stations: radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR). A few companies also offer browser-based software that routes the data via an IP address.
Radio Frequency (RF): Ideal for large group environments, RF systems do not require line of site to operate and can accommodate hundreds of voters on a single base station. Multiple base stations can be linked together in order to handle audiences that number in the thousands. Because the data travels via radio frequency, the participant merely needs to be within range of the base station (300 - 500 feet). Some advanced models can accommodate additional features, such as , multi-digit answers, user log-in capabilities and even multi-site polling.
Infrared (IR): IR audience response systems are better suited for smaller groups. IR technology requires line-of-site between the keypad and base station. IR systems are typically more portable and affordable than RF systems, but don't offer the advanced features.
Browser-Based: Browser-based audience response systems are still in the early stages of development. They are software-only system, intended to work with the participants' existing wireless devices, such as notebook computers or PDAs. The software resides on the facilitator's computer, who creates a polling session with an assigned IP address. Participants log-in to that IP address through their own Internet-enabled device. The participant data is transmitted through the IP address to the presenter's computer, where the data is stored. The data can then be displayed through the projector and also on each participant's wireless device. Because the transfer of data goes through an IP address, proximity to a base station or line-of-site is not an issue. The BeamStat and Metadox systems, for instance, use wireless networking to allow audience members to vote with any network enabled device, and can be used with laptops, PDAs, cell-phones, and handheld gaming systems such as the playstation portable.
Software
Audience response software enables the presenter to collect participant data, display graphical polling results and export the data to be used in reporting and analysis. Usually the presenter can create and deliver her entire presentation with the ARS software, either as a stand-alone presentation platform or as a plug-in to PowerPoint®.