A highly reliable and secure service that enables the online delivery of a welfare forum

The need to reconsider our traditional forum format—inviting participants to venues across the country to listen to lectures by welfare and medical experts and engage in discussions—arose, as expected, due to the impact of COVID-19. Normally, by January or February each year, our projects for the following fiscal year are finalized. However, when the state of emergency was declared in April 2020, we were required to stay home, and most of our planned activities came to a halt.

Amid concerns that we might not be able to carry out any activities that year due to COVID-19, we began exploring alternative approaches. During this process, a staff member proposed moving the forum online, and believing this would be feasible, we immediately began making arrangements. After securing a streaming venue and completing the necessary preparations, the forum was scheduled for June 21, and we requested support from NTT SmartConnect, which has extensive experience in video streaming. Despite the short preparation period, the live stream of the forum using “SmartSTREAM” was successfully completed without any issues, enabling us to restructure our entire project plan and proceed with holding that year’s forum program online.

The primary reasons for adopting the “SmartSTREAM” service were, first and foremost, “reliability” and “security.” Although simple, these are the most important factors. In addition to the strength of the NTT brand itself, we were impressed by the speed and high quality of responses from NTT SmartConnect regarding inquiries and consultations about the streaming service, which gave us a strong sense of trust. We are also grateful that discussions progressed smoothly, with clear responses incorporating technical expertise and terminology, allowing us to move forward without wasting time. We also feel assured by the transmission security and the service’s proven track record of implementation.

For this project, we chose a streaming format for video delivery in order to create an environment that is as device-free and simple as possible. Although smartphones have become widespread and live streaming has become common, considering the age range of our viewers, we wanted to minimize the burden required to watch. In other words, we wanted to avoid asking viewers to do things like, install an app in advance, as much as possible. Ideally, they would simply access a designated web page and begin watching. With high-quality video and audio, a simple interface, and easy operation and setup, these were also key reasons for choosing “SmartSTREAM.”

The contract plan was also handled flexibly. For our first forum broadcast, we used a spot live streaming plan that allowed for a one-time live broadcast. Thanks to this plan, we were able to experience how the service works in practice and check the streaming quality, which gave us confidence that “this is something we can continue using.” After that, we changed our plan and have continued using “SmartSTREAM” on an ongoing basis. We greatly appreciate having plans available to suit different circumstances and the flexibility provided. From the initial consultation through to the live broadcast, we have been very satisfied with the reliable support and solid proposals that gave us peace of mind throughout the process.

What we realized after implementing “SmartSTREAM” were the unique advantages that only an online format can offer. There are several, but first and foremost, the forum became accessible from anywhere in the country. With in-person events, even if someone finds a forum of interest, they may be unable to attend if they live far away. Online, however, participants can watch from home and access the information they need, which has been a major achievement. In terms of participant numbers as well, regardless of the size of the venue, many people can view the stream, and since there is naturally no “crowding of people,” we have been able to continue our operations safely even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Another major benefit has been improved efficiency in various types of data collection and aggregation. Previously, at welfare forum venues, questions for speakers were handled by a show of hands or by collecting written questionnaires. However, when there were many participants, some hesitated to raise their hands, and sorting questionnaires manually required time. These challenges were resolved by moving online. In an online setting, viewers can post comments at their own pace, and data collection becomes much easier. Moreover, unlike raising hands, anonymity is preserved, making it easier to ask questions. When holding an online forum, maintaining this kind of real-time interaction—such as questions asked on the spot—and preserving a sense of unity among participants is a key appeal of live streaming, distinct from recorded broadcasts.

In addition, by preparing two channels for streaming, we were able to simultaneously provide a “captioned stream” alongside the regular broadcast. Allowing viewers to choose the channel best suited to them made the stream more accessible to many people, and we feel this further improved participant satisfaction.

This welfare-oriented philosophy of “enabling as many people as possible to access the service” is extremely important not only in welfare settings but more broadly as well. In this live streaming initiative, there were many challenges in creating an appropriate environment. As mentioned earlier, building a simple viewing environment was one such challenge. Even if participants could access the viewing page, various factors—such as internet connectivity or device issues—could prevent video playback. If inquiries about such problems were to concentrate on the day of the event, it could have impacted operations.

For this reason, we decided to utilize the VOD (Video on Demand) distribution feature of the “SmartSTREAM” service, which allows pre-uploaded media to be played over the internet. A test video was prepared on the same viewing page as the live broadcast, and participants who accessed the page in advance were asked to play the video. If it played successfully, there was no issue; if not, inquiries were handled in advance, thereby avoiding a surge of questions on the day of the forum. Later, the operations team simply switched from the test video to the live broadcast for the actual event, enabling the forum to proceed smoothly.

This switching process is also very easy and intuitive with “SmartSTREAM,” which we greatly appreciate. Not only is the video output quality high, but ease of use is also a major strength of “SmartSTREAM.” Embedding video into a website is simple, and continued use allows us to truly appreciate its user-friendly design from the end-user’s perspective.

In this live broadcast, viewers commented that “the video looked very clear,” and the streaming quality received positive feedback. In the post-forum survey as well, nearly 90% of respondents indicated that they were “satisfied.” Judging from the survey results, we feel that the streaming quality has been well received by viewers, and personally, I would give it a perfect score of 100. The fact that the event proceeded without any trouble was thanks to the easy-to-use, one-stop system and the attentive support provided by NTT SmartConnect.

We intend to continue using “SmartSTREAM,” and going forward, we will further explore ways to maximize the advantages of streaming. For example, by offering a digest version of the live broadcast later as VOD content, we can help more people learn about the Welfare Forum, promote the fact that it can be viewed from anywhere in the country, and increase opportunities for participation.

This is a personal view, but I believe it would be beneficial to expand video-based information sharing beyond the forum project as well. By producing and streaming reports on organizations supported by the foundation’s grants, or by showcasing the initiatives of welfare facilities and groups through video, we can create opportunities for more people to learn about welfare initiatives. For that reason, we would also like to raise greater awareness of this forum streaming project through channels such as email newsletters and Facebook. We hope to emphasize that our activities continue even during the COVID-19 pandemic and that participation is easy and accessible, so that the information can reach and support those in need.

Moving forward, we will continue to take proactive steps to deliver welfare information to even more people who need it, remaining active in a society that continues to evolve as new lifestyles take root.