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Starting Your First Meeting

Learn how to launch, navigate, and make the most of your video meetings with Archy, your AI architecture assistant.

Launching a Meeting​

From the Dashboard​

  1. Log in to your Archy account
  2. Navigate to your main dashboard
  3. Click the prominent "Start Meeting with Archy" button
  4. Wait for the meeting interface to load (usually 3-5 seconds)

Meeting Interface Setup​

When the meeting interface appears:

  1. Grant permissions for camera and microphone when prompted
  2. Test your audio/video - you'll see a preview of yourself
  3. Wait for Archy - you'll see "Archy is joining..." followed by the AI avatar appearing
  4. Initial greeting - Archy will greet you and ask how they can help

Technical Requirements​

  • Browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge (latest versions)
  • Connection: Stable internet (minimum 1 Mbps for video)
  • Hardware: Camera and microphone (built-in or external)
  • Permissions: Camera and microphone access granted to your browser

Meeting Interface Overview​

Video Area​

  • Your video appears in a small window (bottom-right by default)
  • Archy's avatar takes the main video space
  • Controls for muting audio/video appear on hover

Chat Panel​

  • Live chat for text-based communication (supplementary to voice)
  • Meeting notes automatically generated during conversation
  • Links and resources shared by Archy appear here

Control Bar​

  • Microphone toggle - mute/unmute your audio
  • Camera toggle - turn video on/off
  • Screen share - share your screen with Archy (premium feature)
  • End meeting - closes the session and generates summary

First Meeting Best Practices​

Opening the Conversation​

Start with clear context about your goals:

Good openers:

  • "Hi Archy, I'd like to document our e-commerce platform architecture"
  • "I need help analyzing our current integration patterns"
  • "Can you guide me through mapping our customer onboarding process?"

Less effective openers:

  • "Hello" (too vague)
  • "Fix our architecture" (no specific starting point)
  • "Tell me about enterprise architecture" (too broad for a working session)

Setting Expectations​

Help Archy understand your:

  • Time availability ("I have about 30 minutes")
  • Experience level ("I'm new to enterprise architecture")
  • Specific outcomes ("I want to create a system diagram by the end")
  • Information access ("I have our system documentation available")

Engaging Naturally​

Treat Archy like a knowledgeable colleague:

  • Ask follow-up questions when something isn't clear
  • Request explanations of technical terms or concepts
  • Share concerns about your architecture or processes
  • Ask for alternatives when discussing solutions

Common First Meeting Scenarios​

Scenario 1: System Documentation​

Goal: Document a specific business system

Archy's approach: Structured questioning about system purpose, users, technology, and integrations

Your preparation:

  • System overview and business purpose
  • User groups and access patterns
  • Technical details (platform, hosting, version)
  • Integration points with other systems

Scenario 2: Process Mapping​

Goal: Document a business process

Archy's approach: Step-by-step process walkthrough with system touchpoints

Your preparation:

  • Process steps from start to finish
  • Systems involved at each step
  • User roles and responsibilities
  • Exception handling and edge cases

Scenario 3: Integration Analysis​

Goal: Understand system connections and data flows

Archy's approach: Deep dive on integration patterns and dependencies

Your preparation:

  • List of connected systems
  • Data flow directions and frequency
  • Integration technologies (APIs, file transfers, etc.)
  • Known issues or limitations

Scenario 4: Problem Solving​

Goal: Get guidance on an architecture challenge

Archy's approach: Problem analysis with solution exploration

Your preparation:

  • Clear problem statement
  • Current situation context
  • Constraints and requirements
  • Previous attempts or considerations

During Your Meeting​

Active Participation​

Do:

  • ✅ Speak clearly and at a normal pace
  • ✅ Provide examples to illustrate complex concepts
  • ✅ Ask questions when you need clarification
  • ✅ Take notes on key insights and action items

Don't:

  • ❌ Rush through information - Archy processes better with clear, complete responses
  • ❌ Use excessive jargon without explanation - define internal terms and acronyms
  • ❌ Assume Archy knows your environment - provide context about your specific situation
  • ❌ Worry about perfect answers - partial information is better than no information

Managing the Flow​

If you need to:

  • Pause: Say "Hold on a moment" - Archy will wait
  • Change topics: "Let's switch to discussing our database architecture"
  • Go deeper: "Can we explore that integration pattern in more detail?"
  • Get summary: "What are the key points we've covered so far?"

Technical Difficulties​

If you experience:

  • Audio issues: Check your microphone settings and browser permissions
  • Video problems: Refresh the page and rejoin the meeting
  • Slow responses: Ensure stable internet connection; Archy may need a moment to process complex information
  • Missing features: Verify your subscription level includes the features you're trying to use

Meeting Recording and Notes​

Automatic Recording​

All meetings are automatically recorded (unless disabled in settings):

  • Video and audio captured for later review
  • Transcription generated in real-time
  • AI summary created at meeting end
  • Action items extracted and organized

Accessing Recordings​

After your meeting:

  1. Go to Meetings page from your dashboard
  2. Find your session in the recent meetings list
  3. Click to view recording, transcript, and summary
  4. Download or share as needed with team members

Privacy Controls​

Control meeting recording through:

  • Meeting settings before starting
  • Account preferences for default behavior
  • Team policies set by administrators
  • Guest permissions for external participants

After Your First Meeting​

Immediate Review​

Within 24 hours:

  1. Watch key portions of the recording to reinforce learning
  2. Review generated documentation for accuracy
  3. Complete action items identified during the session
  4. Share insights with relevant team members

Documentation Cleanup​

Take 10-15 minutes to:

  • Correct any errors in auto-generated system records
  • Add missing details you thought of after the meeting
  • Enhance descriptions with additional context
  • Link related items (systems, processes, integrations)

Planning Next Steps​

Based on your first meeting:

  • Schedule follow-up sessions for related systems or processes
  • Invite team members who can provide additional insights
  • Prepare deeper questions for areas that need more exploration
  • Connect integrations (like Workato) for automated analysis

Tips for Success​

Preparation Tips​

  • Choose a quiet environment with minimal interruptions
  • Have relevant documentation easily accessible
  • Clear your calendar - avoid back-to-back meetings
  • Test your technology before important sessions

Communication Tips​

  • Be conversational - Archy responds well to natural language
  • Provide context - explain the "why" behind systems and processes
  • Think out loud - verbalize your thought process when working through complex topics
  • Ask for help - Archy has extensive architecture knowledge to share

Follow-up Tips​

  • Act on insights quickly while they're fresh in your mind
  • Share learnings with your team to maximize value
  • Build on previous sessions - reference earlier conversations
  • Establish regular meeting rhythm for ongoing architecture work

Troubleshooting First Meetings​

If Archy Seems Off-Track​

  • Redirect clearly: "Let's focus on the customer database system"
  • Provide more context: "This system is critical for our order processing"
  • Ask specific questions: "What information do you need about our API integrations?"

If You Feel Overwhelmed​

  • Slow down: "Let me think about that for a moment"
  • Ask for structure: "Can you break that down into smaller steps?"
  • Focus on one thing: "Let's just focus on documenting this one system today"

If Technology Fails​

  • Refresh and retry - most issues resolve with a browser refresh
  • Check permissions - ensure camera/microphone access is granted
  • Try different browser - Chrome generally has the best compatibility
  • Contact support if issues persist

Your first meeting with Archy is the beginning of a more efficient, AI-assisted approach to enterprise architecture. Take your time, ask questions, and remember that every session builds on the previous ones to create a comprehensive view of your technology landscape.

Next: Getting the Most from Archy - Advanced techniques for productive AI architecture sessions