Description
We are using Zoom for Toastmasters meetings each week. The attendees of these meetings have specific roles and some key roles are for delivering speeches and evaluation of delivered speeches (another speech, effectively). Each speech has a pre-defined duration and is timed. For example, I may be delivering a 5-7 minute speech and my evaluator will speak for 2-3 minutes to provide feedback.
Normal face-to-face meetings always have a Timer role, the person who times every speech and presents Green/Yellow/Red lights or Cards for the speaker that indicate how much time has been used. We still need to do this when using Zoom but it would be really nice to have a little timer app (perhaps the host could enable and control it).
As a work-around, we have begun to provide Green, Yellow and Red solid color backgrounds that are set by the Timer to indicate minimum, half-way and maximum times during each speech. We ask the speakers to pin the Timer so that they can see the background changes.
I saw SNL last night (25-Apr-2020) and one of the skits actually showed a timer like what I am thinking of. If the app could have a âToastmastersâ mode that changed colors at the appropriate times it would have been perfect.
Does anyone else know how to develop this app?
Error
None. This is a feature app request.
Which App?
A new Timer app that provides the functionality needed for use in Toastmasters meetings.
How To Reproduce (If applicable)
The designated person in the Timer role (âtimer operatorâ) will enable the app at the start of the meeting. Each user can optionally hide this app from being on-screen if they like.
Prior to starting a timed speech the timer operator enters the time limits into the Timer app: min/max (format: MM:SS) and the half-way time is calculated by the Timer app.
Optionally the Time app could display the Speakerâs Name and Speech Title. This would add two more items to the information provided by the timer operator prior to the start of a timed speech (see #2).
The timer operator starts the timing app as soon as the speaker starts to speak. The Timer app shows the time since the start of the speech as MM:SS and turns on a Green, Yellow and Red âlightâ at the appropriate times (see above).
5a) At 30 seconds prior to the minimum time the Green âlightâ shows in a dimmed, muted way. This is to indicate that the minimum time for the speech is in less than 30 seconds.
5b) At 30 seconds past the end-time the Red âlightâ flashes or stones to indicate that the speaker has failed to complete their speech during the allotted time. This might also be optional, but should definitely be somewhat subtile - not in your face flashing.
The timer operator may stop the Timer app at any time and reset the configuration for the next speaker.
Screenshots (If applicable)
The Time App should be small and moveable, or optionally should be embedded in the control bar where the other controls are. It should be visible but not so big that it blocks the viewerâs view of the speaker.
Additional context
If you are a developer who knows how to produce this app I am willing to provide more functional specification, basic requirements and suggestions for usability.
NOTE: There are many Thousands of active Toastmasters worldwide who would probably be interested in this app. A very large market who might pay a small amount to be able to use it.
Thank you for the detailed explanation of your use case I have similar requirements for my meetings. Did you submit a feature request to Zoom? If not, I will submit one.
It doesnât seem there is a voting system here so I just wanted to add that this would be an invaluable addition to Zoomâs already impressive feature set.
Not using Zoom or App software. We currently use workarounds like using Red, Yellow and Green solid backgrounds to simulate the lights (Timer has these solid color images saved in the Profile -> Backgrounds folder and manually changes his background when the time comes). Some of our members, when they are in the Timer role, simply arrange to have 3 household items - one for each of the colors. They put the item in front of their camera when the time comes. For example, a Green book cover, a Yellow envelope and a Red grocery bag.
Like I said, âwork-arounds.â
I see the responses here, but I know of no official word from Zoom development or the extended Zoom App development community. My cursory examination of the various APIs indicated to me that there is no currently available Zoom API that would provide the hooks needed to add a timer. I think that Zoom developers should design and develop an integrated panel like the âChatâ and âManage Attendeesâ panels -OR- integrate a small timer that is optionally added to the window frame where âSecurityâ, âShare Screenâ and the other buttons are located. That would be ideal simply because it would not distract or take more screen area to display it there.
I am currently administrating government meetings via Zoom webinar. Public Comment needs a 3 minute timer and frankly the board members do also. Our meetings are broadcast over the public television station and a fb page. It would be great to have an integrated timer the speaker and all panelist see, but maybe not the audience.
I agree, having speaker timers viewable for host, co-host, and panelist on the webinar side would be a game changer. We would pay extra for this service!! Something that works like a DâSAN Speaker timer.
We need this for round-table meetings, not just webinars. Iâve been wracking my brain trying to figure out a good way to do this. I can run a timer on my phone and share that screen, but it takes up too much real estate.
Iâm a grad student, we use zoom for a writing group - each week one of us presents on anotherâs writing and then we have a discussion. A timer would be extremely useful so we can keep the presentations and discussion contributions from going too long.
It seems from this discussion there is a ton of interest and many use cases for this feature so I do hope it gets built soon. I will submit another feature request
