Conducting a Successful Mock Meeting, Virtually: Case Study

The Challenge

The FDA notified our client that their upcoming Advisory Committee Meeting was scheduled, as planned – even if the meeting needed to be held virtually. That meant the company needed to conduct their preparations (e.g. rehearsals) differently AND prepare for something different.

With their teams in different locations, they had to now decide how to conduct a virtual mock meeting and address all the challenges that come with it. During a virtual mock, how could the moderator communicate with the support team during Q&A? How could eight mock panelists, all in different locations, have an orderly Q&A session and provide constructive comments to the sponsor? How could slides needed for Q&A be previewed by the moderator and then project to the panelist seamlessly?

The company had to give the same considerations when planning and preparing for the day of their meeting. Their team had to learn to be effective when presenting, answering questions, and calling up slides – all without being in the same room with each other or with the FDA.

The Approach

3D worked with the Sponsor’s team to conduct a virtual mock meeting, using a combination of proprietary tools and proven third-party virtual meeting software. Our innovative process allowed the moderator to communicate directly with the mock panelists – while having a parallel system that enabled the moderator to communicate privately with the support team. To ensure the meeting ran flawlessly, a 3D executive chaired the meeting.

In advance of the meeting, 3D individually trained the mock panelists and the Sponsor’s team members on all technology applications. We scripted the presentation and transitions, and held in-role, virtual rehearsals to test the content and delivery. We identified the most likely challenging questions, determined who would respond to each question, and crafted specific answers to keep the team focused in their responses – and then practiced them as part of the meeting.

Using our proprietary technology, 3D’s tech support team advanced slides and controlled the display of backup slides – so responders had the data they needed to immediately and confidently answer questions.

The Results

3D’s mastery of remote meetings helped the Sponsor deliver a polished presentation with clear messages and data slides. By having 3D chair the meeting, run the technology, and conduct a full-scale remote rehearsal, the company was able to control their narrative and successfully continue their path to approval.