AVNation TV

Category: Guest Blogs

  • The Next Big Thing In Video Collaboration

    The Next Big Thing In Video Collaboration

    *And You Likely Already Have It

    By Steve McKenzie,

    EVP, Troposphere

    The recent evolution of video-first technology is nothing short of amazing. Only a few years ago many of us were scrambling, out of necessity, to simply connect our laptops to video conference. Fast-forward to today: focus has progressed to much more advanced needs such as creating more natural conversations, achieving meeting room equity, and incorporating a bevy of new AI enhancements.

    Yet, from the user perspective, one aspect of the “all-in-one” collaboration experience lags: touch.

    Certainly, the technical capabilities are readily available for annotation, whiteboarding, ideation and more. However, while technology has moved forward, touch is an area where user adaptation has not always kept pace.

    Why are users not taking full advantage of video-enabled touch capabilities?

    In an informal poll of clients and colleagues, the reasons cover the gambit – from anxiety about speaking – and annotating – in meetings; not knowing how to fully use the technology; or a general reluctance to “use the finger,” as one colleague called it.

    Certainly, some people queried in my informal poll are power users, regularly taking full advantage of touchscreen tools. But as I started keeping track of the many video meetings I attend, it was clear: the majority of participants don’t use touch with any regularity. 

    Begging the question: how do you encourage team members to utilize touch-enabled tools?

    Getting more people engaged with the touchscreen requires a multi-faceted approach – including additional training, meeting management, and ongoing leadership. Seven strategies to consider:

    • Spend time on training. With your latest video installation or major platform update, you likely had a team meeting for training on how to utilize the new setup. However, my informal group said their companies spent little to no time on learning how to use touch capabilities. One solution: do a follow-up session with everyone assigned a little time at the board. (This type of training also seems like an opportunity for hardware and platform providers to deliver added value.)
    • Make touch part of the agenda. Not every meeting calls for touch, but when it will improve productivity and outcomes, be ready to put your technology to good use. Include the touchscreen canvas at the center of your meeting. Utilize annotation and drawing to make the session more dynamic. And keep everyone collaborating on the same virtual screen.
    • Jumpstart the process. Actively encourage the use of the whiteboard. When planning a meeting, specifically request presenters to utilize available touch-enabled tools. Alternate who is assigned to be the note taker at the display board. Assign short interactive presentations. During meetings, directly ask for participants to expand on ideas. And lead by example, making good use of touch capabilities yourself. 
    • Reinforce user input. To get more attendees to participate, show them their contributions matter. Give recognition when team members add to the board. Make it a “safe” process for new users who may not be confident in their touch skills yet. Although whiteboarding may be second nature to you, going to the touchscreen may be a big step for others.
    • Demonstrate the value of output. Be clear on how ideas will be used. Distribute notes, annotations, and brainstorm output from meetings as quickly as possible. And if your technology is persistent, keep the collaboration going after the physical meeting ends.
    • Focus on equity. Hopefully, your platform and hardware make it easy for remote participants to join via touch collaboration. Even so, offsite attendees may be more reluctant to contribute; pay special attention to their input and encourage full inclusion on your shared board.
    • Make it a habit. Remember just a few years ago it seemed odd to participate in video conferences; now it’s an everyday occurrence. The same idea applies here: build a routine of using touch capabilities and soon enough it will be second nature.

    You have invested in touch collaboration technology; why not use it to its fullest extent?

    In the long run, you’ll find meetings more collaborative and more productive. Touch is the next big thing – that you already have.

    Steve McKenzie is an executive at Troposphere, an independent marketing agency specializing in digital and direct marketing, email campaigns, public relations, and go-to-market planning. Troposphere recently celebrated 17 years of successfully working with clients in analytics, financial services, non-profit, travel, continuity, and tech industries. Contact Steve at smckenzie@tropospheremarketing.com

  • 3 Ways to Support IT Leaders by Adopting Hybrid Permanence

    3 Ways to Support IT Leaders by Adopting Hybrid Permanence

    What’s “hybrid permanence?” It’s the simple fact — borne out by recent research from Crestron — that the post-pandemic hybrid workplace is here to stay. Adopting the right technology to make it work for every employee will be the hallmark of successful businesses from now on.

    With that knowledge, here’s a pair of stats that should alarm every C-suite (as we found via ManageEngine):

    • 55% of IT department managers feel less loyal to their employer than two years ago.
    • 58% of ITDMs are actively looking for a new job.

    What’s a CTO to do?

    Crestron just released a new report: Tackling the Modern Workplace by the Numbers. Executed in partnership with Simple Media Group, the conclusions of the surveys in this report suggest three solutions to the problem of IT frustrations — and potential turnover. (If a firm’s outsourcing IT services, these same considerations can simply save a business money.)

    3 Ways to Support IT Leaders by Adopting Hybrid Permanence

    • Implement the right technology management platforms.
    • Broaden your horizons beyond the office.
    • Empower employee collaboration and feedback.

    Implement the Right Technology Management Platforms

    Platforms that help manage room scheduling, report on actual usage, and signal alerts when equipment’s down (or nearing the end of its life cycle) or licenses need renewal can be a huge help to an IT department. Crestron learned that 80% of employees report that they have at least one meeting a week that includes remote participants. It follows, then, that every space will likely need connectivity, and therefore every space will need maintenance and upkeep from the IT department.

    Broaden Your Horizons Beyond the Office

    As more and more employees expect hybrid schedules as the norm, a home office setup that mirrors the best at-work solution one can offer is paramount (and vice-versa). The budget should be there for both — it’s incumbent on management to make the remote experience frictionless and the commute back into the office worth the drive.

    Empower Employee Collaboration and Feedback

    Encourage employees to alert management when they’re feeling disengaged or frustrated by tech that’s not working or isn’t intuitive. Look for solutions such as intelligent video and speaker-tracking technology that provide “equal pixel real estate” for everyone joining a meeting, creating meeting equity” for all participants. And maybe, most importantly, allow your IT leaders to help set your staff up for success.

    There’s info in the report that’s relevant to every decision-maker involved in finding the right solutions for the hybrid workplace beyond ITDM retention. The bottom line, though, is simply this: “Hybrid” is the way we now work, but most businesses aren’t deploying the necessary tech solutions — yet.

    Download the Tackling the Modern Workplace by the Numbers report here.

    By Sam Kennedy – Senior Director of Product Marketing, Crestron

  • XR And Fashion On The Same Runway

    XR And Fashion On The Same Runway

    Extended reality is poised to cause huge shifts in the fashion industry. Not only does it streamline the shopping process and reduce waste, but it has the potential to make shopping easier by providing opportunities for virtual try-on, on-demand customization, and interactive campaigns. Technology like Lalaland.ai allows you to customize your 3D model to your ethnicity, skin color, height, weight, and body shape so you can get a more accurate idea of how a piece of clothing will fit your body.

    With this technology comes the potential to, for example, scan a tag’s QR code and see how the garment looks on your digital twin. This could reduce the need to try on clothes, prevent damage, lower the rate of returns, and reduce waste. There’s also the potential to buy not just physical clothes, but also a digital version for your avatar to wear in the virtual world.

    There are other ways that this technology could reduce waste. Dress X is a retail platform targeted at influencers that offers virtual garments created by contemporary brands. When customers purchase a digital garment, it can then be overlaid on a photo of their choice. Dubbed “clothing for content,” the goal is to reduce waste in the fashion industry. 

    To learn more about the potential of XR in fashion, XR Star host Amelia Kallman sat down with the head of the Fashion Innovation Agency, Matthew Drinkwater.

    Virtual Reality’s Current Role in Fashion

    The Fashion Innovation Agency at the London College of Fashion works with young and emerging designers, technology companies, and luxury brands to bridge the fashion and technology industries. They work in three main areas: changing the way designers create, show, and retail their collections. It’s a traditional fashion designer business model infused with new technology.

    Drinkwater points out that students at the college have been experimenting with showcasing their designs within virtual reality. As this technology has become more popular, we’ve seen more examples of fashion shows being delivered in a more interesting way. At the most recent New York Fashion Week, Tommy Hilfiger used Roblox to stream their runway show and allow users to purchase products immediately. Other brands like Gucci, Ralph Lauren, and Burberry have also partnered with Roblox.

    While these examples are interesting, Drinkwater says that they also reveal the divide in the fashion industry: there’s a desire to exist in the metaverse, but not an understanding of how to do it, or how to enhance what might be there already. What’s out there currently is mainly driven by marketing and PR rather than structural change that will encourage digital asset creation.

    How AI Influences Fashion

    Virtual reality and extended reality isn’t the only sector of technology that’s changing fashion. Artificial intelligence is also impacting and supporting the industry.

    In the past, Drinkwater explains, a lot of the fashion industry relied on gut instinct when predicting retail trends. AI could be used to alter the operational side of things by tuning in to real-time demographics. This could lead to stores delivering more intelligent fast fashion and lower stock levels.

    AI data could also create a more sustainable, sensible, and intelligence-driven retail industry on the creative side. Tools like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion allow users to create AI-generated art from a few keywords. There’s the potential to use tools like this to generate new garments. While it’s hard to say exactly what the progression of fashion AI will look like, it’s almost certain they’ll change the future of creative fashion. 

    The Future of Virtual Fashion

    Drinkwater points out that we’ve already seen AI-generated clothing lines, and he expects them to start seeping into mainstream culture. The purpose of the metaverse is to blur our physical world with digital content. Drinkwater believes these tools will give creatives more control over their digital content and give customers a more immersive experience.

    While the future is promising for virtual fashion, there’s also promise for smart, digitally-enhanced fashion. Wearable technology like smartwatches has had a huge impact on the health and wellbeing sector. Drinkwater explains that when it comes to the future of wearable technology, there’s a lot to think about. Environmental issues with smart technology remain problematic, though projects like Claire Danes’s light-up Zac Posen gown and Studio XO’s Tinkerbell dress are exciting.

    When it comes to the future of technology and fashion, Drinkwater explains that virtual fashion could not only reduce waste but increase inclusiveness and accessibility. The fashion industry is typically an expensive one to break into, and virtual fashion makes it easier for anyone to get involved.

    Drinkwater hopes that this technology can help shift designer and consumer behavior. Further, he’s hopeful we can utilize these digital tools to transform communication, travel, and engagement. The fashion industry has the opportunity to be a trailblazer, so long as it’s done right.

    Check out our podcast XR Star, hosted by Amelia Kallman, and listen to the full episode here

  • User Experience: 11 Ways To Make Your Next Video Sales Call A Big Success

    User Experience: 11 Ways To Make Your Next Video Sales Call A Big Success

    By Steve McKenzie, Executive Vice President, Troposphere

    The video conference sales call: after working hard to book a meeting with a new prospect, now it’s your time to shine. But how do you engage and impress your prospect when you won’t be meeting in person?

    Our agency helps clients build more productive marketing and sales programs; one area of practice focuses on obtaining “first meetings” and successfully making the initial sales presentation. The pandemic required us to quickly pivot to virtual sales pitches – and the trend continues for first meetings via video conference in the hybrid workplace.

    Through this evolution, we’ve developed 11 strategies for success – hopefully, these practices will help perfect your next pitch.

    #1 Prepare the basics. 

    Whether in-person or via video conference, key essentials are the same: research the prospect, understand their business and develop your talking points. Be on time and dress professionally. Tangibly demonstrate how your product will benefit their company.

    However, there are specifics innate to video conferencing. First and foremost, be proficient with the software platform you will be using to connect; fumbling through the mechanics gives an impression of being unprepared. Be sure your virtual backgrounds are appropriate (or consider not using them at all). Close all unnecessary programs on your computer, especially email and messaging applications so incoming message tones aren’t distracting. Have your presentation and all supporting documents open and ready to go.

    #2 Control the crowd. 

    With an in-person meeting, assuming travel expenses, you’d likely only have one, or at most two colleagues join you for a first meeting. Just because video conferencing makes it easier to invite more people, don’t overwhelm your prospect with the entire team. Case in point: one sales director working in analytics limits the first meeting to just one additional team member, their top data scientist, to add both credibility and technical perspective.

    #3 Bring energy to the meeting. 

    In traditional sales, the travel process itself often gets you motivated: reviewing the presentation on the plane, the sights of a new city, and a jolt of caffeine right before the meeting. Sales via video conference don’t necessarily have those built-in rituals, yet it’s equally important to be ready with your best sales self. Take a short walk, do deep breathing, channel Dwight in The Office and listen to Mötley Crüe – whatever gets you mentally prepared and energized.

    #4 Know your camera. 

    One common issue – with an easy fix – is camera positioning. If you’re using a laptop to connect, your camera is likely below eye level (nicknamed the chin-cam.) Before the presentation starts, be sure to position your camera so you’re meeting the prospect face-to-face. And then be certain to maintain good eye contact throughout the video meeting.

    #5 Have a conversation. 

    Let’s be honest: a 30-page sales deck would likely bore them in person. And that’s doubly true when it’s during a video presentation. One long-term client notes, “The sales deck has become less important in virtual meetings; it’s better to approach these first interactions as conversations. Technical details, journeys, financials, etc. still need visualization, but they are more supportive aids.”

    #6 Bring your product to life. 

    Talking features and benefits can fall a little flat in the online sales call. A better tactic is storytelling. Align your message with the prospect’s “pain point.” Show how other clients utilize your product or service successfully. And when possible, quantify outcomes to prove your product is worth their time and investment.

    #7 Break it up. 

    The average attention span for adults is estimated to be 12 – 15 minutes. To keep interested, change gears every so often. Show a brief product video. Include an interactive checklist. Or save a “wow” moment for later in your pitch: one business travel client delays their marquee customer spend analysis until the middle of the presentation, after providing upfront context.

    #8 Use your tools. 

    Most video conferencing technology today also offers some level of annotation and whiteboarding. Make use of the tools available to highlight key points, illustrate a concept and interactively capture ideas. You don’t exactly need to be Jim Kramer at his display board, but it’s a good way to keep your prospects interested and take meeting notes at the same time.

    #9 Read the room. 

    In-person, you’d be attuned to a variety of cues regarding your prospects’ level of engagement – e.g., are they looking at their phones and not your presentation? As best as the technology will allow, do the same while video conferencing. As needed, use simple techniques, like asking a question or sharing competitive insights, to re-engage.

    #10 Use gestures and expressions. 

    Although they may need to be adjusted for the video pitch, body language reinforces your enthusiasm. Smile. Nod to show you are listening. Use subtle hand motions to further emphasize your message; in fact, research shows that gestures can increase the value of spoken messages by more than 50%.

    #11 Build genuine rapport. 

    In many cases, the goal for the first meeting is to simply gain a second, more detailed meeting. Be attentive and listen carefully. Focus on providing a solution more than being a salesperson. And one advantage of the video meeting, if you have permission, is the ability to record the session to capture every detail.

    First meeting via video offers an efficient opportunity for meeting new prospects. And, with a little fine-tuning, you can also make it a highly effective way to start new relationships as well.

     

    ‘User Experience is a series of articles designed to discuss the tips, tricks, and challenges that come with using AV technology

    Steve McKenzie is an executive at Troposphere, an independent agency specializing in digital and direct marketing, email campaigns, public relations, and go-to-market planning. Contact Steve at smckenzie@tropospheremarketing.com 

  • 3 Reasons Why AV-as-a–Service Makes Logical Business & Financial Sense in Today’s Environment

    3 Reasons Why AV-as-a–Service Makes Logical Business & Financial Sense in Today’s Environment

    1. Economics of Ownership

    Audiovisual technology solutions are nonrevenue generating assets because they rapidly depreciate the day after they are installed. Paying cash with after-tax dollars on nonrevenue generating assets defies basic economics. AV equipment today is essential-use, but there’s a big difference between being essential and making good economic choices for your organization.

    AV-as-a-service solutions you have a way to absorb the myriad of non-recoverable costs associated with acquiring new audiovisual technology while maintaining the ability to keep your working capital, working! With AV-as-a-service, you are packaging everything into one all-inclusive monthly subscription payment for 36 or 60 months. This includes the hardware equipment and support services to ensure your solution is serving you optimally.

    1. Rapid Advancement of Technology

    Customers are realizing that outcomes, use, and access are more important than ownership due to technology rapidly changing, for the better, with no sign of it slowing down. 

    When considering the number of money manufacturers are pouring into R&D how are you as the consumer supposed to manage the rapid advancement of technology and risk of obsolescence? A component of a true and real audiovisual-as-a-service solution should make scaling and changing technology simple, allowing the customer to migrate to new technology, at any time during the subscription term without financial penalties, rollover balances, or making large upfront capital expenses.

    1. Insuring Essential Use Technology

    Technology fuels nearly everything in a modern organization’s daily operations; communications, logistics, education, security, etc. No doubt it has become essential use. So how can you NOT insure & protect it with complete support and maintenance service plans? You simply can’t! It’s not smart and it is too much of a risk. Keeping your technology operating effectively and efficiently at all times is mission-critical.

    With essential-use technology customers need ongoing service and support. True audiovisual-as-a-service includes a system integrator’s maintenance and support service agreements as a part of the one proposed monthly subscription payment. These services are inclusive and remove most additional service expenses throughout the subscription term. A well-built AV-as-a-service solution should even protect you from unforeseen natural disaster occurrences.

  • Collaboration Tool Quality is Essential for Remote Employees to be Seen and Heard

    Collaboration Tool Quality is Essential for Remote Employees to be Seen and Heard

    Companies are increasingly adopting hybrid work models, which poses many opportunities and challenges. Every day, as the hybrid workplace grows in popularity, remote employees join meetings in which several members of the team are physically present. With employees joining meetings near and far, meeting equality is a major new challenge for installers to consider when selling and designing video collaboration systems.

    That’s because remote participants often struggle to be seen and heard in a way that physical participants do not. If a remote participant’s audio and video aren’t clear, they are unable to follow side discussions and have trouble picking up non-verbal cues. This raises critical equality discrepancies. If audio and video quality is bad, remote collaboration does not allow them to engage as easily as colleagues sitting face-to-face – which could lead to a disadvantage in meetings if they cannot correctly contribute.

    The reality is that the quality of a video conferencing solution is the key to ensuring meeting equity. Both remote and in-person colleagues must be able to speak, be seen, and engage in the conversation as naturally as possible in order for hybrid meetings to really work.

    Barco’s report, “Exploring the Challenges of The Hybrid Workplace” indicates that there is a hybrid meeting paradox. Approximately 80% of staff want to work in a hybrid schedule – but approximately 71% of those employees feel stressed and frustrated in hybrid meetings. Plus, 35% find it difficult to engage with others during hybrid meetings with 1 in 4 having difficulty speaking up.

    With the innovative video conferencing solutions available on the market, this frankly should not be the case. Integrators and resellers can help ensure that corporate customers can effectively collaborate in this new (hybrid) normal. High-quality collaboration solutions can help establish meeting equality – allowing remote participants to be seen and heard, while also reducing stress and anxiety for physically present workers in the office.

    When it comes to room acoustics, background noise, slow broadband, and poor hardware all undermine clear audio within a conferencing setting. Specifically for remote workers, poor audio pick-up on laptops or microphones can lead to a battle to be heard and a feeling of inferiority. It’s pivotal for meeting equality to be able to capture every detail of a conversation without distortion with a high-quality audio solution.

    In addition to the equipment used, the location in which microphones and speakers are placed also helps correct poor audio. Keeping a clear line of sight by not blocking audio devices with a laptop or drink canisters can help optimize sound performance.

    For physical, in-office employees, ensuring ease of use is critical for adoption. Video collaboration solutions should be flexible and offer them the ability to use whatever collaboration app or cloud service they prefer. Ideally, physically present employees should be able to bring their laptop to an office or remote meeting and plugin with a USB cable.

    The meeting equality challenge offers a unique opportunity for the integration and IT communities. Professionals can build customized video collaboration ecosystems that foster inspiration and facilitate collaborative sessions that ensure productivity in the hybrid workplace.

    Installers can and should encourage corporate customers to invest in high-quality video cameras, webcams, and audio devices for all room sizes and locations. Other tips for optimizing performance include:

    1. Adopt as simple of a user interface as possible to reduce overall technical complexities
    2. Rely on auto framing technology so that physically present employees can be seen wherever they are seated in a conference room
    3. Design a clear sightline to microphones; don’t block them with objects
    4. Maintain high-speed Internet for optimal performance
    5. Ensure that employees are familiar with the technology and meeting apps for seamless adoption
    6. Suggest ergonomic keyboards and mice
    7. Invest in powerful, enterprise-grade laptops and provide extra monitors

    — By Stefan Eriksson, CMO at Konftel

  • The Great Resignation and the AV Industry: Embracing the Change

    The Great Resignation and the AV Industry: Embracing the Change

    Written by John Day, Founder, AV HERO

    Beyond “pandemic” or “masks”, the “Great Resignation” may have been the biggest buzz phrase of 2021. Many industries, including the AV industry, painted a picture of being unable to find skilled talent, some even saying the problem was workers that just didn’t want to work. But when you look behind the scenes, what is actually happening is that workers are discovering their value and with job boards overflowing with postings, workers now have the leverage. The freelance revolution is here and traditional AV companies need to embrace the change and possibly take a different approach when it comes to hiring.

    At the start of the pandemic, technicians throughout the industry were laid off or furloughed as projects, installs, and events were put on hold, along with the rest of everyday life. During the lockdown, people enjoyed newfound flexibility and were able to do the things they enjoy more easily. As things have slowly returned to pre-pandemic life, workers are trying to find more of a work-life balance after recognizing that life is more than a 9-5 job.

    This line of thinking has caused the freelance economy to boom and even though traditional AV companies may be comfortable today, many will want to re-strategize what getting a project done looks like and how they are going to find the right people to get things done moving forward. As the demands of the AV industry continue to ramp up, companies are finding themselves with millions of dollars of labor they need to outsource and don’t have the people in-house to handle it. If they expect the technicians that got laid off will be looking for the same scenario as before, they might be in for a surprise.

    For those willing to embrace it, there are benefits to hiring freelance technicians for companies big and small. Working with freelancers allows companies to operate lean since traditional overhead costs are not needed when working with freelancers. Nationally and globally, it also can expand the overall footprint of your company. As it becomes easier to access AV experts within any location, companies will be able to increase the amount of work in areas without physical office space or presence, expanding the ability to work in areas they might once have struggled to work within. Gone are the days when you need to send an entire team and incur the costs for their flights, per diems, hotels, etc. Now, companies can easily hire freelance technicians to cover offsite projects ranging from site surveys to install support.

    As the freelance revolution shows no signs of stopping, traditional hiring companies will also need to adapt as the requirements for completing projects and keeping people satisfied become less predictable. AV companies are going to have a lot fewer technicians on the payroll, focusing employee hires around leadership and sales positions, and freelancers will be the way to get things done.

    Clients want things now, and if you can’t do it they will find the company that can. AV companies need to keep customer satisfaction high as we navigate, what we hope, are the final stages of the pandemic. An idea before the pandemic, AV HERO is unlike a traditional labor company. Calling ourselves the “Uber of AV”, we work as a middle man between AV companies and expert AV technicians. Companies and technicians work directly through our automated platform to quickly hire technicians at the flat rate of $75/hour. Technicians are paid $50/hour which is higher than the industry average of $20.37. These AV “HEROES” get the opportunity to save the day, giving them the recognition they deserve while providing high-level service to AV companies and their clients. The name of the game is to embrace the change and if you do, this evolution will have benefits for all.

  • The Future of Higher Education and Return to Campus this Fall: What We Can Expect

    The Future of Higher Education and Return to Campus this Fall: What We Can Expect

    By: John Hulen, Director of Channel Marketing, Education, at Crestron

    It’s no surprise that the pandemic dramatically altered the way students and faculty collaborate. Many colleges and universities shifted to fully remote learning to adhere to the social distancing and safety protocols established by the federal, state, and local governments. I’ve heard some experts refer to the first few months of the global pandemic as emergency remote teaching. Navigating these unprecedented times was difficult, but educational institutions quickly discovered that 2020 technology and collaboration tools could create an effective learning experience during that period and beyond. Don’t get me wrong, some learning experiences were more effective than others. A great example of this is the large-scale adoption of Zoom use in classrooms. Zoom has been around for a decade, but its use for synchronous learning was minimal compared to the explosion of its use over the last 15 months.

    This Fall, there will be learning combined with a declaration that the face-to-face experience can never be replaced. When that period subsides, however, there will be a pang of loss of for the benefits of remote learning and a desire by students, along with a smaller percentage of faculty, who want to regain those benefits and figure out a way to integrate them into normal learning.

    The potential whiplash, first from traditional on-campus learning, to being forced into using new technology during the pandemic, back to a physical return to the classroom, and then realizing some aspects were better with the new tools, will inevitably lead to many different opinions regarding which AV technology should be integrated into any modern classroom. So, you might be wondering which variables will provide the foundation for common AV technology across many types of new learning spaces?

     The modern classroom should address the four fundamental areas of teaching technology, which serve as the main requirements for any learning space. These areas are inclusive of core functionality and more technical aspects that promote collaboration between students and faculty whether during in-person, blended, or hybrid learning. Now, let’s dive into each one respectively.

    AV Backbone and Infrastructure

    In the modern classroom, it is essential to create a digital backbone for video and audio signal processing, routing, and distribution to transport the content from the instructor’s PC, guest laptop, and wireless presentation sources to the projector or display. This digital backbone handles the video and audio sources, routing a mic, navigating the requirements of HDMI video handshaking, bringing a camera feed into a video conferencing device, and managing the signals wherever they are needed in the learning space, around the building, or even across the campus.

    Wireless Presentation Capabilities

    Wireless presentation solutions enable colleges and universities to reimagine their classroom setup and design, as well as offer a new, more improved learning experience. The latest teaching methods call for the need for professors to move about the classroom freely and it is necessary to implement the right technology that supports this. No-touch solutions enable students and faculty to present and even turn displays on from their own personal device.

    Unified Communications (UC) and Collaboration Technologies

    The ability to deploy a range of Unified Communications (UC) technologies in classrooms and teaching environments in order to allow students to effectively collaborate virtually or in-person is critical. There is a large number of schools that have already begun adding these capabilities, such as video conferencing technology and other software to create a dynamic, consistent learning experience for students wherever they may be. In addition, it is becoming common for Zoom recordings to act as the content for asynchronous learning because students can watch the recordings at a different time or for review.

    Cloud-based Management and Monitoring Platforms

    Since the number of classrooms and learning spaces with new technologies has been increasing at a fast rate, AV and IT teams need to have the capabilities to manage them. Enter cloud-based device management and monitoring platforms. Cloud-based platforms enable teams to monitor, manage, and support thousands of devices from anywhere. They can also remotely configure and provision devices to receive actionable data and analytics needed to make informed decisions. In addition, IT teams can change settings, provide remote control and support assistance to faculty, and view the live status of devices over the network.

    There are educational institutions at all levels, from K-12 to many major universities and colleges, that have taken a new approach to learning as a result of the pandemic. As they prepare for the return to campus this fall, students and faculty from the most technically savvy institutions can expect a newer, much safer and tech-forward setting full of cutting-edge automation and collaboration technologies.

  • Hybrid Work and the Future of Workplace Technology: Where are We Headed?

    Hybrid Work and the Future of Workplace Technology: Where are We Headed?

    By Robert Bach, Director, Product Strategy – Digital Workplace at Crestron

    It’s hard to believe it’s been over a year since the pandemic hit. This was the time when offices worldwide were forced to close their doors and transition to a remote workforce. Of course, as we look back, COVID-19 lockdowns were the catalyst that accelerated the move to remote or agile work. In recent months, businesses around the globe have been ideating around a hybrid workplace model that will offer employees unprecedented flexibility through a blended approach. And now it looks as though it’s here to stay.

    Companies that were early adopters of the agile workspace were met with some challenging perceptions that included workspaces that were being viewed as too sterile or lacking in personality. When combined with a hybrid workforce, employees are more apt to embrace agility in the workplace because they retain that missing personalization that comes with remote work options. Remote work becomes an effective enticement to attract and retain top-notch talent; businesses are now implementing flexible work policies more ubiquitously. In fact, a recent survey conducted by Microsoft has uncovered that “over 70 percent of workers want flexible remote work options to continue, while over 65 percent are craving more in-person time with their teams.” This dichotomy is not contradictory but represents the challenge we have to build spaces that both draw employees in yet are flexible enough to support an agile workforce.

    It goes to show that in order to deliver the most effective and safe hybrid work environments, business leaders must reimagine their office spaces and meeting rooms must be designed as open collaboration spaces. In addition, implementing new and advanced technology will be critical in enabling employees to perform their job duties efficiently, as well as to support social distancing and touchless interaction. The data doesn’t lie; the post-pandemic workplace will need a total makeover for it to succeed. Workers will be attracted to the companies that do this best and will be repelled from those who fail to adapt.  We must design value into the office workspace that compels our employees to participate.

    For remote employees, their home office set-up must offer a productive environment to effectively support their job responsibilities. A consistent experience is key in order to be able to get the day going. They will also need to be equipped with solid work from home technologies, such as home conferencing systems, mics, speakers, cameras, and headsets, to name a few. And for the hybrid employee, it is critical to deliver a safe and seamless in-office experience. That said, companies must offer technologies that enable touchless contact, social distancing, and can be leveraged from their mobile devices.

    Unified communications and building AI technology will become more ubiquitous than ever before. When the workforce could potentially be anywhere, it is necessary to measure location, performance, utilization, as well as ensure the facilities and desk spaces are optimized. This can be done through the use of sensors, smart building technology, and the production of empirical data to justify or validate the design and influence future designs. Additionally, cutting-edge technologies, such as QR codes, augmented reality-based wayfinding, touchless room control, digital signage, videoconferencing, room scheduling, cloud services, and mobile applications are also essential to create an optimal workplace experience.

    In addition, the growing trend of “hot desking” is becoming a standard practice across many enterprises. However, one of the biggest problems with this new concept, aside from the loss of personal space, is that workers express issues finding a place to sit, knowing where key colleagues are, and wayfinding in general. Space booking solves the issues inherent in first-come, first-serve desks to allow guaranteed availability of them by department. Therefore, users can log-in from home to select their seat for the day or a range of days with an assurance of availability.​

    In order to pave the path forward, decision makers must adapt their workspaces in a way that enables maximum productivity and ensures the well-being of their employees. By optimizing the employee experience through agile design, exceptional technology, and superior office amenities, businesses can continue to thrive during these challenging times. The modern workplace will continue to grow and evolve, and we must always think 10 steps ahead to ensure employees are set up for success now and well into the future – whether they continue to work remotely, in-person, or a mix of both. Designing the best possible workplace experience for employees will result in a space that attracts them, and it will not only help optimize their in-office experience; it will help businesses flourish as well.

  • Sony’s Optical Disc Archive Easily Stores and Secures Montclair State University’s Most Important Content

    Sony’s Optical Disc Archive Easily Stores and Secures Montclair State University’s Most Important Content

    By Adam Goldberg, Chief Engineer, Broadcast and Media Operations, College of the Arts, Montclair State UniversityAdam Goldber

    In 2015, Sony Electronics and Montclair State University (MSU) in New Jersey entered into a strategic alliance giving the school’s students, faculty and staff access to the same state-of-the-art Sony professional technology used by the world’s leading broadcasters – often meeting or exceeding the equipment standards students would encounter on-the-job. From switchers, servers and storage to projectors, displays and studio and PTZ cameras, MSU employs Sony’s solutions across our campus.

    One way that we stay ahead of the curve and preserve our most important media is through our adoption of Sony’s Optical Disc Archive (ODA), which is critical to our long-term archival storage. We use Sony’s ODS-L30M PetaSite, a scalable 30-slot master library unit to archive, safeguard and easily recall the university’s most visible live events, including graduation ceremonies, presidential addresses, theater performances and concerts.

    We chose Sony’s ODA for our long-term archival storage because it is a touchless media, meaning the only thing that touches the disc during the Write/Read process is a laser light. Other archival options use a physical tape that touches drums and rollers and heads. This translates to less wear and tear and a longer shelf life.

    Another reason why we chose the ODA system is because of its backwards compatibility. If we opt to buy a next-generation system, I can take my Generation Two cartridges and the system will read off of them.  I don’t have to worry about making sure that I am transferring my old media onto new media to stay current, and the readers and writers are also compatible. That translates to a long-term savings for us.

    Sony Optical Disc Archive
    MSU uses Sony’s ODS-L30M PetaSite, a scalable 30-slot master library unit to archive, safeguard and easily recall the university’s most visible live events, including graduation ceremonies, presidential addresses, theater performances and concerts.

    In terms of workflow, we archive large scale events and performances that represent the university. Once an event takes place, we can send the RAW files to the ingest folder. Using Storage DNA as our accompanying manager for ODA, those files get sent to a folder where Storage DNA will pick them up. We metadata tag the files for easy search, and then they get sent to a cartridge into ODA.

    Prior to our adoption of ODA, we were mainly using external hard drives.  Using Sony’s solution is easier, faster and gives us peace of mind. I don’t have to worry about a hard drive sitting on the shelf for years and then plugging it in and hoping it works. Additionally, hard drives are often not labeled and in order to understand what is on the drive you have to plug it in and check. With ODA and Storage DNA, I can simply search the metadata tags for the content I’m looking for and it will tell me exactly what cartridge it’s on.  This allows me to easily tell the system to grab a specific cartridge and export its contents from that folder back to our hard drive system, so that I can locate it and do what I want with the file. Previously, we were digging through hard drives or losing track of tapes and information due to personnel changes. With ODA, I know that everything that is important to the university is secure and easily discoverable.

    Another benefit of ODA is its scalability. It’s great that we could buy a smaller base unit with the understanding that in the future, we can just add in more bays and more drives to expand and grow the system, which keeps everything cost-effective. Between the purchase of the system, the cartridge and the backwards compatibility, we are confident that we can continue to use the system for years to come and have it grow along with our operations.