Whiteboard Software

In the absence of physical meetings, remote or geographically dispersed teams can find it difficult to collaborate with their teammates. Points of discussions can get lost in long email threads, and issues can be hard to track on calls. 

Such teams can use whiteboard software that offers a digital canvas to facilitate real-time collaboration. Users can write, draw, or annotate on the digital whiteboard to present their ideas and explain topics. They can also leverage communication tools such as live chat and audio and video calls during live whiteboard sessions.

Given these benefits, whiteboard software is a valuable addition to any business. But selecting one tool from among the myriad options available on the market can be difficult. To help you with software selection, we’ve curated this guide that includes all the necessary information you’ll need. 

Here’s what we'll cover:

• What is whiteboard software?
• Common features of whiteboard software
• What type of buyer are you?
• Benefits of whiteboard software
• Market trends to understand

What is whiteboard software?

Whiteboard software is a software solution that lets multiple users simultaneously annotate on a digital whiteboard. While doing so, users can also share their screens and communicate via audio and video calls or live chat.

The software offers predefined templates for graphs, mind maps, Kanban boards, etc., that can be used to create engaging presentations. It allows users to save the annotated whiteboards at a centralized location and set up role-based access rights (editing, viewing, or reviewing) to prevent unauthorized access to whiteboard contents.

Users can add multiple participants to a whiteboard session. They can also save and export the whiteboard in various formats, such as PDF and JPEG, to share it with other team members or external stakeholders.

Micro mind map template in Miro (Source)

Common features of whiteboard software

Different vendors offer different features as part of their whiteboard software. Selecting software with the right features is easier when you know what the most common features are and what they do. Here’s a list of some important features you must check out.

Screen sharing and annotation	Allows users to share their screens while simultaneously annotating on the whiteboard. All inputs are saved in real time. Whiteboards can be exported in the PDF, SVG, JPEG, and PNG formats and shared with stakeholders via email or chat tools (e.g., Slack).
Virtual whiteboard/digital canvas	Offers an online whiteboard that users can write and draw on. It also provides predefined templates to create diagrams, flowcharts, maps, Kanban boards, etc. Users can even drag and drop videos and images onto the whiteboard during presentations.
Access management	Lets users set up and manage access permissions for the whiteboard. Users can assign viewing, reviewing, or editing rights to their team members. A live whiteboard session can have multiple moderators who can control whiteboard activities.
Communication tools	Offers live chat, voice and video conferencing, and instant messaging tools to help remote teams communicate in real time while simultaneously using the whiteboard.
Recording and saving	Lets users record and save whiteboard sessions for future reference. The recorded sessions can also be shared with other team members or external stakeholders.

What type of buyer are you?

Before you start evaluating software options, you'll want to know which buyer category you belong to. Most buyers belong to one of the below categories.

• Solopreneurs: If you’re a solopreneur, i.e., an independent educator, coach, or freelancer, you’ll need a whiteboard solution that lets you create engaging content (tutorials, lesson explanations, or client presentations) as well as share it with stakeholders (students or clients). You should opt for a tool that offers predefined design templates and the file save and export functionality. You should also ensure that the software you choose offers adequate storage space and decent customer service.

• Businesses: If you own a business with a team of users, you’ll need a whiteboard software solution that lets your team brainstorm and discuss ideas in real time. Some of the key features you should look for include screen sharing, audio and video calling, and file saving and exporting. You should seek a solution that lets you add multiple users to a whiteboard session, stores and displays the revision history of whiteboards, allows for live moderation, and integrates well with the apps you already use. 

Benefits of whiteboard software

There are several benefits of using whiteboard software. We’ve listed the most notable ones in this section.

• Better engagement among participants: Ensuring user engagement during online sessions can become a challenge due to the lack of face-to-face communication. Whiteboard software lets you present information in an interactive format during live sessions. You can even have the attendees write or annotate on the whiteboard for better engagement.

• Improved collaboration: With whiteboard software, users can share their screens during live presentations to explain their topics or ideas better. They can even interact with the attendees via audio and video calls and live chat. These live sessions can also be recorded for review at a later time and shared via email or chat tools, such as Slack.

• Mobility benefits: Most whiteboard software solutions can be used on Android and iOS devices via native apps or built-in browsers. This allows users to share ideas and collaborate with their teammates from anywhere and at any time using their mobile devices. 

Market trends to understand

Here are some recent trends in the whiteboard software market that you should be aware of.

• Use of artificial intelligence (AI) in whiteboard software: Whiteboard software equipped with AI capabilities allows users to make interactive presentations and communicate effectively. Presenters can use a touch screen to annotate and draw on the whiteboard, and AI ensures their input is rendered legible. The AI engine also offers textual recommendations for users to include in animated videos. Given these benefits, the use of AI in whiteboard technology is increasing, and accordingly, vendors are coming up with more innovative use cases of AI.

• Real-time annotating and editing is boosting whiteboard software demand: Most whiteboard software solutions allow multiple touchpoint inputs, making it possible for several users to annotate on and edit the contents of a whiteboard in real time. This facilitates better collaboration, as users don’t have to wait to save their inputs or open a separate document to write down their points. This ease of collaboration is expected to continue driving the demand for interactive whiteboard software.

Note: The application selected in this article is an example to show a feature in context and isn’t intended as an endorsement or a recommendation. It has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable at the time of publication.