It’s been a hassle to integrate video conferencing into web applications. Sure, there are solutions available, like long running Skype and Webex or newer things like Google Hangout. What they all have in common are small universes surrounding the core product: Skype requires a signup and a friends list, Webex requires an executive deal, Hangout requires a Google+ account, and so on.

Thankfully, Telenor Digital addresses these limitations with their latest innovation project appear.in, and here’s how we’ve used it successfully in a recent customer project:

Helping Red Cross help school children

Norwegian Red Cross offers “Leksehjelp”, a voluntary service for helping school children with their homework. As of February 2014, they also offer a digital meeting point: Enter the website, choose what kind of homework you’re working on, and meet your volunteer in a video conference.

When my company Iterate was asked to develop www.digitalleksehjelp.no on behalf of Red Cross, our challenge was to connect children and volunteers using as few clicks as possible.

Reactive UX with Meteor.js

Secondly, we wanted to avoid any serious integration challenges. (We love a tech challenge as much as anyone else, but when working for the Red Cross you do want to keep things as inexpensive as possible..)