1. Task Force on Digital Solutions Working Group on Services for Conferences and Publishing 25-27 June 2012 New York

2. Content Recommendations and objectives Work plan Good practices Two success stories Preliminary conclusions Future plans

3. Recommendations and objectives 1.Invite interested organizations to share their experiences. 2.Evaluate Internet streaming. 3.Evaluate services that enable the sharing of documents and multimedia. 4.Continue the study of digital recording technologies. 5.Develop proposals for increasing the utilization of social networking sites to raise awareness among external parties and young people.

4. ObjectivesAchievements Members Three new members: CTBTO, European Parliament, and WIPO. Internet streaming IFAD Social media and live video streaming arrangements. Remote participation and remote support services for Governing Bodies in ITU. Online services that enable sharing of documents and multimedia. European Parliament documentation workflow based on XML, from the creation of documents to their dissemination to the wider public. Moving towards papersmart meetings at WFP. Digitalization projects implemented within the CTBTO Preparatory Commission. FAO collaborative documentation authoring Module. Digital recording technologies Digitalization of audio recording of ILO Governing Body & International Labour Conference. Social networks Proposal for the creation of an IAMLADP Twitter account.

5. 14 Good practices on the WIKI of the Task Force http://digitalsolutions.wikispaces.com/ In addition: Archive of good practices on digital alternatives to transcribed records

6. Two success stories Outsourcing of Verbatim Records at FAO Digitalization of audio recording of ILO Governing Body & International Labour Conference

7. Outsourcing of Verbatim Records at FAO Verbatim Records were produced by general service staff members seconded from their normal duties: 23 staff seconded for five Council sessions in a biennium and 45 staff for the biennial Conference. June 2008: Replacing transcribed records with digital files June 2011: Introduction of a Web-based workflow based on XML June 2012: Outsourcing of Verbatim Records

8. Outsourcing of Verbatim Records at FAO During the 144 th session of the Council held at FAO in June 2012, verbatim records were produced by an external company. Sound files of the meeting were posted on a password protected website and were accessible to the transcription company. The audio files were transcribed within 20 hours. The transcripts were reviewed by a team of internal editors (FAO staff) who volunteered to help the Conference Division during the Council week. The preliminary edited verbatim records were available for Members the next day.

9. Monitors English Ed Assistant Typists Audio Operator Typists French Ed Assistant Spanish Ed Assistant Typists Publication English Ed Assistant French Ed Assistant Spanish Ed Assistant TRANSCRIPTION COMPANY Monitors Verbatim HUB Verbatim operations Previous and current workflows English Ed Assistant French Ed Assistant Spanish Ed Assistant Publication Monitors Technical supervisor Verbatim HUB Verbatim HUB

10. Savings The combined cost of overtime payments and equipment rental amounted to USD 200,000 USD in 2010-11. Through contacts with IAMLADP and UNGBS members, Verbatim Records have been outsourced to an external company with savings estimated at USD 60,000+ per biennium.

11. Digitalization of audio recording of ILO GB & ILC Software: - VRS Recording System Enterprise - An MS Access application developed internally for transcription - ExpressScribe for transcription - Document templates in Word - Application developed internally for copying audio files on the network - A low-SQL database for storing information relating to records Results: hardware / software / installed and configured to collect four channels: original + English + French + Spanish. Savings: analysis currently in progress

12. Preliminary conclusions Digital solutions can improve workflow and/or be a viable alternative to traditional working methods Digital solutions should be introduced only after the analysis of user requirements, business case and effective collaboration Adoption of digital solutions should be considered to innovate the working methods of Governing Bodies

13. Future plans The Task Force will continue to facilitate frequent communications and knowledge sharing among its members and highlight good practices in digital solutions introduced in conference services especially: 1.Online collaboration tools for the creation and editing of documents; 2.Digital alternatives to verbatim record production; and 3.Uses of social media in conference management.

14. Thank you.