Camille Burch outlines principles that are preventing wholesale implementation of an AV and IP merger for converged IP networks.
The merging of AV technology with IT and IP has occurred at a pace few could have predicted. This rapid evolution has created a wide disparity of skills and abilities among AV integrators with regard to overlapping into traditional IT territory. Some have adapted and are moving forward, others are struggling, but most are somewhere in the middle. Still, many would agree that global adoption of AV over IP has been slower than expected. Speeding adoption and management of proposed technology solutions creates an environment in which the best and most sustainable solutions for the enterprise can be the driving factor in technology selections. The technology, rather than ability, can be the driver in these decisions, and AV over IP challenges can be turned into opportunities. There are a few general principles that are preventing wholesale implementation of an AV and IP convergence. In exploring what is keeping us apart, we can begin a conversation, and maybe define concrete actions that can draw us together and deliver more cohesive results. AV professionals often do not understand the basics of how IP protocols work, or how to address issues and concerns that reside within the IT department. Conversely, the IP focus is completely different than the AV focus, and too often both sides struggle to reach across the aisle, so to speak. But AV and IT must collaborate for successful IP network convergence. “Actually understanding and adopting IP and IT practices to enterprise and industry-standard levels have delayed true adoption, in my mind,” said Derrick Kelly, director of technical service operations at Whitlock. Kelly suggested more robust cross-training between areas where there is overlap. At Whitlock, many senior managers have altered their hiring practices to develop blended teams with different areas of expertise. In understanding one another’s goals, capabilities and limitations, both AV and IT teams become better trained on what works and what doesn’t in terms of both AV technology and IP protocols. Bandwidth issues are probably the largest point of contention between the two departments. As long as AV is pushing 4K (and beyond!) through the network, there will be bandwidth restrictions. IT is not very happy when the AV group comes in making demands. So if both groups have a better understanding of the needs and abilities of the other, they are more likely to work together for the good of the final product. IP network convergence requires that AV pros gain IT networking skills As AV and IT continue to merge, it can be challenging to determine where one department’s responsibilities end and another’s begin. If hardware takes up too much bandwidth on the system, who is responsible for resolving that? In reverse, some AV hardware requires sophisticated programming to maximize efficiencies. Who will do that and ensure it works with existing interfaces? What is the best way to communicate what’s needed and how to prioritize the work? Mark Coxon, sales director at Tangram, insists it’s essential to move away from a siloed view of the world and toward one that allows for collaborative work among IT, AV, furniture, architecture, customers, on-site tech managers, and anyone else whose expertise contributes to a better outcome. The more complex the project, the more critical this collaboration becomes. “By looking at the whole instead of the parts and working toward partnerships with customer IT teams/end users/decision-makers and all of the important elements of a customer’s team—both internal and external—allows for a holistic approach to the customers’ needs. The more protected and siloed groups are, the less likely true adoption and growth will occur.” “Some of that does mean checking egos and biases at the door, and going in with an open and willing mindset to provide the best solutions,” Coxon explained. “That attitude removes barriers and allows for better adoption. The more collaboratively delivered projects and systems that there are, the better the products, work and adoption will be.” It’s important to remember that each side of the equation has a knowledge base that is critical for success. Partnerships create wins. Kelly explained how the teams at Whitlock have adopted a partnership mentality that has led to success. “We believe strongly that the customer’s IT team is a partner in our technology deployments instead of a hurdle or adversary,” Kelly commented. “In the past, people avoided certain conversations because the climate was always more of ‘us versus them.’ Now our goal is always working toward the strongest partnership possible for the deployment. There will always be situations where that doesn’t work, but those should the exceptions, not the rule.” By necessity, that process and relationship-building means taking a longer-term view of the sales cycle, design, and project deployment expectations. Kelley added that at Whitlock, this approach has proven beneficial in providing solutions in line with the current technology, as well as keeping future expectations in mind.
