AV facilitates move to collaborative workspaces

13 August 2012

AV helpdesk has used projection technology to implement 'Virtual Canvas', a touch enabled immersive collaboration tool

Technology developments and changing trends in work practices are shifting demands on AV integrators. Anna Mitchell learns how AV technologies can facilitate flexible working, boost efficiency and enable collaboration. But is it technologies or attitudes driving the change?

Recent technology developments are having a dramatic effect on the workspaces of today. While that fact is undisputed the drivers behind the changing processes and attitudes are less clear. When you start to dissect trends and uptake it’s not easy to work out if technology developments are driving adoption or whether changing priorities and attitudes are driving technology developments.

Exploring the technologies used in today’s workspaces is also a problematic task when you can’t even pinpoint a rigid definition of what a workspace is. Increasingly the workforce of today is conducting business from home, from serviced business centres and on the move (even in the air). Technology developments mean people can work virtually anywhere and seamlessly move from space to space, accessing documents and data on multiple devices via cloud based services.

Offices still play a crucial role but, given that many activities that can be carried out virtually anywhere, making efficient use of an office space requires a change in attitude of how that space is used. When you do get people together it’s important they are given the tools to effectively and efficiently collaborate. And, whilst the lines between AV and IT are of course blurring, this is really somewhere where hardcore AV technologies play a crucial role.

Anna Mitchell explores these trends as well as the future of AV in collaborative workspaces with integrators Impact and AVEX as well as Chris Neto, consultant with AV Helpdesk. Read the full article in InAVate Active.