They say, “third time’s a charm,” and that’s been an understatement as I wrapped up my third InfoComm as we returned to Orlando this past summer. While the show floor sets the stage to engage your audio-visual senses, I always felt like the yearly education sessions don’t get as much praise after the event wraps up. (Insider tip: try to dedicate at least one day to InfoComm's insightful education sessions, I personally pick Tuesday as I’m just settling into the city. You’ll thank me later!) 
 
With the being said, here are my top lessons from InfoComm's Education Sessions this year: 

The Need for Speed and Path of Least Resistance 

 
The first session I attended was “Secure Connectivity: Bridging the gap between AV Devices and IT Policy.” The convergence of IT and AV has been all the rage these past few years. To build the groundwork for that relationship, we must utilize a shared vocabulary, be proactive about each sides respective needs, and above all else, not make IT our enemy. Compliance is always a top priority, as AV must meet operator and user requirements (now think about that again in reverse order!) 
 

The Future is in the Eyes of Beholder 
 
Relevant to my role as IT/AV at ISDA was “Future-Proofing Your Hardware.” Scalability and reliability reign supreme in this topic, especially taking into account the typical 5–7-year lifespan of most hardware. Two additional challenges to bear in mind here are not just physical maintenance, but also what and who is maintaining the content these devices are showcasing. At the end of the day, stale content makes video walls disappear. And it’s up to #proAV professionals like us to provide a system for proper engagement. 
 

Technology Shouldn’t Be a Burden 
 
The next session on “Learning Spaces” proved to us that the #proAV solutions intended to build a thriving learning environment must be both equitable and pedagogical. There has been a 70% increase in recording needs in these environments, which have influenced both innovations in technology and barriers for buy-in when it comes to proposing such technologies to senior management. Some great suggestions from this session included piloting new and extra spaces with experimental #proAV technologies and even building a cross-functional task force around the building and maintaining of these spaces.  
 

Monitorability is key! 
 
As the hybrid world evolved, interoperability (as the title of session suggested) is going to be the new focal point going forward! While BYOD was crucial after 2020, it was advised that it should be an option for end-users but not the main option. Too much hardware can confuse the end-user, and we as #proAV leaders must be mindful of the usual culprits for issues (like SIP inbound concerns) as well as fringe scenarios. A remedy that was thrown around in discussion was third-party licenses like Pexip and Poly Real Connect that allow SIP as well as OTJ-enabled VC devices.  

As the #proAV world grows, so will the need for like-minded experts sharing their expertise on how to much the industry moves forward. Thank you again to Infocomm for procuring these great speakers!