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'I Think You're on Mute' - Addressing Dominance and Bias During Video Calls
[January 13, 2021]

'I Think You're on Mute' - Addressing Dominance and Bias During Video Calls


WGU Labs Inc., an affiliate of online nonprofit Western Governors University, today announced an Accelerator partnership with Riff Analytics, a learning technology company with AI-enabled capabilities that provide feedback to improve communication. Riff Analytics builds tools that use AI to measure how individuals and teams interact during video calls and chats while providing personalized feedback on opportunities for improving communication.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210113005657/en/

The shift to virtual work and schooling, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has brought an onslaught of virtual communication issues to the forefront. Virtual communication requires work to fill in for missing signals that ordinarily come through physical proximity, such as body language and eye contact. By using data and insights, Riff Analytics helps participants become more self-aware of their impact on others in a team environment.

"Our work is centered on using technology to improve human behavior," says Beth Porter, Co-founder and CEO of Riff Analytics. "We're excited to work with the Accelerator at WGU Labs to carry out research on how Riff Analytics improves communications among learners."

Under the partnership, the Accelerator will leverage its expertise in research and market development to measure Riff Analytics' impact within various learning communities and share these understandings within the postecondary education market.



"We're thrilled to welcome Riff Analytics to the Accelerator at WGU Labs," said Todd Bloom, Managing Director, Accelerator at WGU Labs. "In an increasingly virtual and remote world, there is a clear opportunity to utilize rich vocal and visual data to improve the experience for all participants."

Riff Analytics marks the ninth partnership for the Accelerator at WGU Labs since its establishment. To learn more about the Accelerator at WGU Labs and its partners, visit www.wgulabs.org/startup-services.


About WGU Labs

WGU Labs is a nonprofit affiliate of WGU. Accelerator at WGU Labs provides research, market development, and product enhancement services to early-stage education businesses. Through these services as well as financial investments, the Accelerator advances the scale and impact of education companies that share its mission to increase student access, lower student costs, and improve student outcomes. Learn more about WGU Labs and the Accelerator at www.wgulabs.org/startup-services. Follow WGU Labs on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Riff Analytics

Riff Analytics, creators of Riff Remote™, helps organizations improve team performance in online courses and corporate meetings by raising awareness of team dynamics and increasing engagement. Honed from decades of research at MIT (News - Alert) Media Lab, Riff's online video meeting and collaboration solution automatically analyzes conversation patterns to identify the subtle behaviors between people, such as influence and dominance. Riff then provides the coaching necessary for participants to improve their behavior in meetings leading to better organizational health. Learn more about Riff Analytics. Follow Riff Analytics on Twitter and LinkedIn.


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