Editorial
Let’s be honest. Most meetings are a waste of time. First, it was “this could have been an email.” Now, the better question is: What if it could have been a mural instead?
Companies like Xero are adopting this approach by using visual collaboration platforms such as Miro to replace traditional meetings. These tools let teams share ideas, plan projects and provide feedback asynchronously across global locations.
Teams had previously “spent more time getting aligned” while juggling multiple nonvisual tools, said Courtney Martyn, Xero’s head of experience strategy. By consolidating work into Miro, Xero streamlined communication, reduced fatigue and supported more inclusive participation across distributed teams.
Xero's move reflects a broader shift toward asynchronous and visual‑first work that is reshaping how organizations manage time, collaboration and focus.
The Problem with Too Many Meetings
Meeting overload is widely acknowledged. According to Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index Annual Report, meetings “hijack prime focus time,” with 48% of employees saying their work feels “chaotic and fragmented.” Employees are logging long hours on video calls, leaving little time for focused work.
Back in 2023, Shopify, one of the companies aggressively tackling this issue, canceled all recurring meetings with more than three people and banned meetings on Wednesdays.
But removing meetings is only half the answer. What happens to the work that meetings were supposed to accomplish? That’s where shared digital canvases come in. These visual tools give teams a way to brainstorm, plan and problem-solve without requiring everyone to be present at the same time.
From Boardrooms to Digital Whiteboards
Visual collaboration tools such as Miro and FigJam let teams map out ideas, share feedback and co-create in real time or asynchronously. The idea is to make collaboration more flexible and less dependent on scheduling.
Shopify’s engineering teams have replaced whiteboard sessions with digital canvases that employees contribute to at their convenience. The shift aligns with how many people prefer to work. While learning styles are debated, studies suggest that people can benefit from visual information, making shared canvases more than just a creative outlet: They’re a way to increase participation.
This model also makes collaboration more equitable. Unlike meetings, which often favor the loudest or most confident voices — or the highest paid person's opinion (HIPPO) — shared boards allow people to contribute at their own pace. Some tools support anonymous input to lower social barriers that keep some less confident or more introverted employees from sharing their ideas.
More Flexibility, Less Fatigue
Visual collaboration also improves workflow and inclusion. Instead of trying to come to an agreement in a 30-minute window, teams iterate over time: collecting feedback, refining priorities and making decisions at a more sustainable pace. Remote contributors engage on their own schedule by moving items, highlighting key areas and leaving comments, which supports collaboration across time zones and working styles.
Atlassian provides a useful example of how digital canvases function as structured alternatives to live meetings.
According to Atlassian’s own guidance on distributed teamwork, teams often create new visual boards for each sprint or project, embedding Jira tickets and using color-coded sections to track priorities and blockers. These boards are not just brainstorming spaces; they produce actionable outputs similar to traditional meetings, such as task assignments, deadlines and ownership handoffs. Participation is asynchronous but intentional, with contributors prompted to respond to specific questions or update workstreams by a certain date. In some cases, teams maintain persistent whiteboards for ongoing collaboration, including retrospectives, quarterly planning and shared documentation.
Recent studies show that electronic brainstorming, in which participants contribute ideas visually and asynchronously, results in more ideas, more balanced participation and include more people compared with traditional face-to-face sessions.
Of course, not every task can — or should — be solved through asynchronous collaboration. Sensitive conversations, fast-moving crises and complex decisions often call for live discussion. And fully removing meetings comes with tradeoffs. Without real-time interaction, teams may miss out on the informal moments that build trust, creativity and cohesion.
Experts caution against swinging too far in either direction. Shopify’s leadership has emphasized that while asynchronous tools improve efficiency, they are not a substitute for meaningful human connection. The goal is not to eliminate meetings entirely but to be more intentional about when and why they occur. The company replaced meetings “with asynchronous interactions where possible so that staff have more flexibility over their time” and to “treat everyone as remote” to maintain inclusivity and collaboration across distributed teams.
A useful way to decide between a meeting and a shared canvas is to clarify the purpose of the interaction. If the goal is to generate ideas, build alignment or gather feedback, a visual collaboration tool is more flexible and promotes broader participation. These tools work best for tasks that benefit from reflection, iteration and asynchronous feedback.
In contrast, if the conversation involves emotional nuance, rapid decision-making or complex interpersonal dynamics, a live meeting is likely the better choice. The key is to match the format to the function by choosing the tool that best supports the intended outcome.
A More Intentional Way to Collaborate
The lesson from companies like Atlassian and Shopify isn’t that all meetings are bad. It’s that collaboration looks different — and in many cases, better — when we give teams flexible, purpose-fit options. Visual collaboration platforms offer an alternative to the meeting treadmill. They give teams more control over how and when they engage.
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Before sending that next calendar invitation, ask yourself: Could this meeting be a mural instead? Reimagining collaboration this way could free up the time, attention and creative energy your team actually needs.
Editor's Note: Read more on how to set teams up for successful collaboration below:
- The Daily Behaviors That Turn Good Teams Into Great Ones — The path from functional to exceptional teams isn't mysterious. Most have the talent they need. What they lack are daily behaviors that create cohesion.
- Is Your Team Still Collaborating in Email? Tips to Break the Habit — Three ways to encourage your employees to get out of email, drop the DMs and make better use of channels.
- Designing a New Rhythm of Collaboration for the Modern Workplace — Today’s teams need new choreography in order to dance their best.
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