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The power of integration: A strategic approach is needed

Ben Loos, Director, MII, 29th September, 2009

There’s no question that the transfer of information is changing. If organizations look at innovation in AV the same way they do IT, and manage AV technology in the same structured and proactive way, this exchange can then be transformed into effective communication, better accessibility and lowered costs. Also, if the AV environment becomes integrated with the IT environment, then the complete information and communication cycle can be used strategically. To make this happen, however, CIOs everywhere need to act as the catalyst in the integration process.

It was less than 15 years ago that printers and scanners were bought and managed by the IT department, while copiers and fax machines were purchased and managed by the facilities department. Then multifunction devices were introduced to the market: one device that can print, copy, scan and fax. This resulted in new questions around ownership, as well as the purchase and management of these new devices.

Today, leaders need to have a central role and make strong decisions because the boundaries between traditional IT and AV equipment are disappearing. For example:

• Projectors are often equipped with a network connection and are used to project data stored on a shared network or from a SharePoint site. In the past, a laptop with a VGA cable connection was needed.
• Meeting room reservation systems are connected to a central calendar system (e.g., Microsoft Exchange). The scheduler can see if participants are available to join, as well as if the desired meeting room is available.
• Data networks are used for video and voice. Videoconferencing can occur over IP on both high-end AV-originated tele-presence systems, as well as on low-end IT-originated systems such   as  Skype, Office Communication Server or MSN Messenger.
• Multitouch screens, although still under development, are growing fast. They will dramatically change the way we can interact with information – from static to dynamic and interactive. The continuing integration raises questions:
• Who will manage these merging technologies and how can this be done effectively and efficiently?
• Who is responsible for security?
• Where should each technology be used?
• How will the technology fit into the architecture?
• How should the technology be used within our organization?

This is where leaders need to step in with the answers that ensure this process is seamless and efficient.

Work Styles

Besides the convergence between IT and AV, we’re also seeing changes in work styles within organizations. This directly impacts the requirements regarding the components of IT and AV. The physical world is becoming more virtual – employees, suppliers and customers have access to more technology, which is ultimately changing the way people work and interact together. New working styles – where work can be done anywhere – are quickly becoming embraced, requiring a modern approach to collaboration and the distribution of information, thus impacting IT and AV requirements.

Digital signage on an enterprise level is a relatively traditional way of distributing information. With more employees working remotely, or in different locations across the globe, traditional digital signage solutions no longer work. Today, distributing information takes more than just putting it on a Web site or pushing it out using digital signage. Dissemination now requires companies to look at new communication strategies involving IT and AV components, including tools such as video casts, pod casts, blogs or streaming media.

Coordinated strategy

To be able to adapt to the changes as an organization, it’s critical to create a coordinated IT and AV strategy based upon a company’s information and communication needs. Based upon this strategy, AV and IT components are selected to be part of the overall architecture and integrated network, and then should be managed using methodologies like Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) since the network is critical for the organization.

This coordinated strategy will result in the best solution for each situation – sometimes a traditional IT solution will be chosen for a regular AV challenge or vice versa.

The role of the CIO

Through the convergence of IT and AV, it’s clear the facility department and the IT department need to work closely. The CIO should not just look at the IT environment, but should also be a dominant player in the audiovisual planning and buying decisions. A proper CIO will not wear two hats, but one converged hat in which AV and IT will make the most of each other and help support the organizational needs. Centralized management of this integrated environment will be a big part of this strategy in addition to delivering functionality to ensure availability and supportability.

Economy of scope

The advantages are clear. By looking at IT and AV from a different angle and integrating them from an innovative viewpoint, organizations will benefit from new and almost endless possibilities. They’ll find new, effective and efficient ways to distribute information while lowering costs. Also, new ways of collaboration will arise that fit the new work styles better. At the same time, the support structure will be easier for an employee to access when they need help. Just one desk for both IT and AV related questions, so there is no worry about which department to call. From a support point of view, the environment will be much easier when AV and IT are not just touching each other, but integrated and leveraging the same support model, processes and tools. Management can move from reactive to proactive, creating a more stable infrastructure.

Ben Loos is the owner of MII (www.mii.nu). MII is an independent consulting firm focusing on the integration of IT and AV. MII helps coordinate and integrate ICT/AV vision and strategy to lower management/operational costs, increase availability and enable new communication technologies. The company does not sell nor install any AV or ICT hardware/software to ensure independency, instead helping customers with the most innovative solutions where ICT and AV are key enablers.