Prioritizing Needs for Audio Visual Collaboration Upon Return to Work
While some organizations are starting a returning to work program, all employees may not be returning at the same time so some remain remote. Even those returning to work may not be returning to prior meeting routines.
Regardless of location status, many people have become very familiar with video conferencing platforms over the last few months. It’s likely that this form of collaboration will be required for the foreseeable future. However, not every organization has the same tools available in all locations.
How do you keep large teams collaborating locally and remotely upon return to work?
If you are planning to deploy collaboration rooms in the near future, there may be some critical factors to consider before you get back to business as usual. Keeping staff safe is always going to be top priority.
A phased approach when coming back to work ensures social distancing measures are followed. In addition, travel may be restricted, making video conferencing even more essential.
These new working conditions may come with pressure to implement solutions quickly to maintain high levels of productivity.
Audio
Integrating AV with video conferencing platforms in your meeting rooms can improve collaboration activities.
When choosing a solution for a collaborative meeting room, the main focus should be on audio. Having clear, intelligible audio allows teams to communicate most effectively.
There are a few options to consider especially if you have budget constraints.
- Speaker and microphone placement are critical; speaker and microphone coverage areas should be mapped out in advance to ensure everyone will be able to hear local and remote presenters from any location in the room.
- Implement simple acoustic treatments and reduce noise reflection.
- Invest in a system with Acoustic Echo Cancelling (AEC) capabilities.
- Remove any unnecessary, noisy electronics from the room
Sharing Content
Another important factor to consider with collaboration solutions is the ability to share presentations and data effectively. The main sharing enablers are displays and the user interface.
The display doesn’t need to be fancy. Almost any monitor or TV will allow teammates to share their content. But if your data is highly detailed, the size and resolution of the display become factors to consider.
User experience needs to be intuitive enough for any user to boot up and begin a presentation. Most people working from home have been using remote collaboration services.
Choose a user experience which operates similar to those products to help meetings get started on-time and reduce calls for support.
Camera
Selecting the right camera is the next technology consideration. Although face-to-face interaction is important, budgets may dictate tough investment choices.
In these cases, video cameras can be categorized as “nice to have”. Depending upon the intent, successful meetings can result from sharing verbal and written information, not necessarily seeing each other.
Prioritizing your conference room needs can be difficult, especially in a time of uncertainty. Remember, audio should be the main focus. Finding a solution that fits your organization’s specific needs will be key.
Getting a head start on planning now will increase your collaborative success upon return to work.