This document discusses using Google Plus Hangouts-on-Air for decision support services within the National Weather Service. It evaluates video conference software options and determines that Google Plus Hangouts is a good choice due to its large user base, ease of use, multi-point video conferencing capability, and ability to broadcast live conferences on YouTube. Examples are given of how Hangouts-on-Air could be used for briefings, discussions, presentations, training, interviews, and sharing information both within offices and with partners and the public. Requirements and limitations of using Hangouts-on-Air are also reviewed.

1. By Tim Brice – NWS El Paso
AMS Annual Conference January 10, 2012
USING GOOGLE PLUS HANGOUTS-ON-AIR
FOR DECISION SUPPORT SERVICES

2. VIDEO CONFERENCE SOFTWARE EVALUATION
 Quickly and easily conducting interviews with
media
 Face-to-face communication with emergency
management involving Decision Support
 Savings related to not having to deploy to a
remote location.
 Training opportunities- SKYWARN, office-to-
office, etc

3. VIDEO CONFERENCE SOFTWARE EVALUATION
 A large user base
 The ability to quickly and easily set-up and run
video conferencing
 Multi-point video conferencing capability
 Desktop sharing
 User friendly

4. VIDEO CONFERENCE SOFTWARE EVALUATION
 Skype
 GoToMeeting HD Faces
 Google Plus Hangouts

5. GOOGLE PLUS
 Rapidly growing user database
 500+ million users around the world
 Easy to use interface
 Integrated with other Google products like
Search, Reader, YouTube, Picasa, Blogger etc.
 Organized via circles
 Video hangouts have great potential for
coordination use.

6. GOOGLE PLUS HANGOUTS
 Group chat of up to nine users at a 640p x 480p
rate.
 Uses a client-server system, as opposed to P2P.
 News Media and musicians are early Hangout
adopters

7. GOOGLE PLUS HANGOUTS
 Easy install of video chat plugin.
 Can chat with one to nine people at
once
 Can show desktop in one on one and
group chat
 No additional cost

8. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR
 Same advantages as regular hangouts
 Broadcast live on YouTube (potentially to
millions of viewers)
Immediately archived on
YouTube

9. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR EXAMPLES
 Cooking classes
 Game shows
 Guitar Lessons
 Presidential chats
 Music Concerts
 Hangouts from the Space Station
 Search for the Higgs Boson
 Astronomy-casts

10. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR - DISCUSSION

11. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR – SHARING INFO

12. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR – SHARING INFO

13. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR - PRESENTATIONS

14. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR – OFFICE BRIEFINGS

15. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR – OFFICE BRIEFINGS

16. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR – ON GOING WEATHER

17. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR – ON GOING WEATHER

18. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR – ON GOING WEATHER

19. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR – ON GOING WEATHER

20. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR – IN THE FIELD

21. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR – PROMOTING THE NWS

22. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR REQUIREMENTS
 Google Plus account (free)
 YouTube account (free)
 Computer/Laptop with camera and mic
 Aircard or DSL Internet connection (regional
LAN usually can’t support HOA)

23. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR – HOW CLOSE ARE WE
 YouTube accounts now available for WR (and
soon SR offices)
 Google Plus experimental office accounts to
start soon
 WFO bandwidth limitations will continue

24. HANGOUTS-ON-AIR TAKE AWAYS
 Up to nine people can join the chat
 Share desktop, videos and docs
 Unlimited number of people can view live via
G+ or YouTube
 Automatic archiving on YouTube for later review
or distribution.
 Great face-to-face briefing and/or discussion
tool.

25. QUESTIONS?
Tim Brice
NWS – El Paso
tim.brice@noaa.gov
@timbrice17
+Tim Brice
http://about.me/timbrice