 In this episode, I show you how I use my dual monitor setup plus a nifty device called StreamDack and an amazing software called OBS Studio to create high quality online workshops and training. Let's get started. When you are delivering online trainings or workshops using Zoom or other online platforms, you will normally have PowerPoint as part of your presentation. And the normal method of using PowerPoint is to share the screen. Something like this. Problem in this case is that 80 to 90% of your virtual real estate is taken up by PowerPoint. While the presenter is shown as a small box in the corner of the screen. To engage with the audience better, you may want to be part of the presentation. How about this? I'm still using PowerPoint as a reference, but now the real estate is split equally between me and the PowerPoint. Let me show you how this can be done professionally so that you can engage with the audience. Since we are using multiple tools and technology, it's very difficult to do this with a single monitor. The starting point should be a dual monitor setup. I will show you how I use both these monitors to control the flow of my workshop. Let's start with the PowerPoint. I create my presentations a little different from normal presentations. You will notice that I use only the right side of my slide to show my content, usually bullet points, images, etc. The left side is kept blank. This is where I will configure my camera. The second bit of software is the amazing OBS Studio. It's a completely free software that you can download for Windows, Mac, etc. I have several videos on how to effectively use OBS Studio. I will leave links in the video description. Do check them out. For example, this is a simple scene that shows only the camera view. This is another scene that combines camera with PowerPoint. As I switch between the scenes, the audience will see what is displayed here in OBS Studio. This is achieved using a feature in OBS Studio called virtual camera. It can combine multiple elements such as camera, PowerPoint, images, etc. to create a single camera view that you project to the online audience. Once you start using this method of sharing, you will never go back to screen sharing. There is simply no comparison. Now comes the tricky part of changing the PowerPoint slides while you are in the virtual camera mode. The steps required are first, switch to Microsoft PowerPoint, then click on the next slide, arrow, then come back to OBS Studio. This can be stressful when there are many windows open on your laptop and you are trying to locate the right window quickly. This is where the stream deck becomes an invaluable tool. With a single press of a button, it will do all of the steps that I have mentioned earlier through simple automation. I have another video that explains how to do that using stream deck. Even the scene changes to show only the camera or to show the camera with PowerPoint is done with stream deck. A very practical device for trainers. That takes care of monitor number one, OBS Studio and Microsoft PowerPoint. Let's see how I utilize the second monitor. I use training notes to make sure that I don't miss anything important. My training notes are kept as a Microsoft Word document. I place this document on my main monitor and then use the split window function by holding the windows and right key to place this window on the right side of my main monitor. I can quickly scroll through the notes while I'm delivering my training. Finally the meeting software. Let's assume we are using Zoom to conduct a workshop. I will start my Zoom client and connect to the meeting. Next I will use the split window feature to place Zoom on the left hand side of my main monitor and we are set. Change the scene with the flick of a button. Change the PowerPoint slide with another flick of the button on stream deck. The rest is up to you. If you are an online trainer I hope this gives you some ideas on how to improve your own online training. Let me know in the comments how you conduct your own training. Do you use a dual monitor setup? Perhaps even a triple monitor setup? I would love a triple monitor setup but because of space constraints I am as of now limited to two monitors only. That's all for today. Go and create your own amazing online trainings.