ASG's Security Solutions Blog

Improve Security & Safety by Putting Yourself in the Director's Chair

 

When was the last time you agonized over a new security policy launch? You’ve just implemented a new solution, or changed a policy, or have developed new guidelines to improve the security of your organization or the safety of your employees and customers. Now you have to put out a memo or schedule a training class or get the word out about what you’re doing and how things are changing. Do you find your memos being ignored, or maybe people don’t quite understand the instructions? How can you get better adoption of your policies or training programs? Try video. It’s not just for surveillance anymore.

If YouTube is any indication, people are obsessed with making and watching amateur videos on the Internet. Video is an extremely easy and effective way to capture interest and convey information. And with technology that’s easily available today, it’s pretty simple to do. You can make a video with a hand-held camcorder, a webcam, even a smart phone. If you plan to use screenshots, try a screencast instead. There’s plenty of free or low-cost software if you need to cut, clip, splice or rearrange your footage, too.

There are plenty of benefits to using video in your security training program such as:

• Keep the attention of your audience longer
• Create real-world examples of proper procedure
• Appeal to visual learners
• Quickly train a large number of individuals
• Provide a unique way to deliver your information

If you’re interested in letting loose your creative side, here are a few tips to help you put together an effective training, orientation or instructional video.

#1: Don’t Get Too Fancy
Oh sure, you can spend thousands of dollars on a professionally made video and even win an Emmy like Denver Public Schools did with their Getting to School Safely instructional video. But what’s important is not how much you spend, but the relevance of your information to your audience. Even a simple video made with a screen capture tool or webcam can be effective if you focus on telling your viewers what they need to know as simply as possible – and them show them how it’s done.

#2: Prepare Your Script – Don’t Just Wing It
If you think you can just sit down in front of the camera and “wing it” to create your video, you might want to think again. Take the time to write out what you want to say and what order you’re going to say it in. This will help keep you on track and keep things simple and easy to understand. Plus, if you’re afraid of how you’ll look in the video, working from a script will make you appear much more relaxed, prepared and knowledgeable.

#3: Lights, Camera, Action!
While sitting down and talking to your audience is good, nothing is better than a little show and tell. Video is the perfect opportunity to show your viewers how to act and what to do, not just talk about it.

#4: Keep it Short
3-7 minutes is the perfect length of time to get the maximum impact from a video without losing your viewer’s attention. If you need more time, consider recording the video in multiple parts or episodes that work together.

#5: Don’t Forget To Wrap It Up
Start your video by telling the viewers what they are about to learn, then demonstrate the tutorial and finally, summarize what you’ve just told them to wrap it all up. Not only does this summary help future recall of the information, but it cues the viewer that the video is ending and creates a smooth transition that feels complete.

Now that you know a little about making a good video, start brainstorming about how video could help you. What could you do with video to improve your security measures? What about recording emergency drill procedures, or how to follow correct access control measures? You could even record an instructional video for your security technicians on how to use the new Video Monitoring System. As well, if you would like help, please feel free to call us at 800-547-9988 to discuss how to create, store and distribute your security documentation and optimize your user experience. This is part of our Security Process Optimization practice. The possibilities for video are endless.

Share some of your ideas with us. In what ways have you used or would like to use video? We will attempt to publish your ideas and share them in future posts!