In the Loop: Monthly AV Insights from AVIXA Instructors

In the spring of 2006, I found myself in the picturesque city of Klagenfurt, Austria, pursuing a dream to study musical conducting. Â Amidst the excitement, however, came the challenge of mastering the German language.
One memorable mix-up still makes me chuckle: I confused "speigel" (mirror) with "zweibel" (onion). You can imagine the puzzled looks and stifled giggles when I told my professor I would spend time "practicing in front of my onion" during a rehearsal. While it was all in good humor, it was a vivid reminder of how crucial accurate communication is.
As our industry grows, I feel like common terminology is becoming more important. Misunderstandings due to ambiguous terms and processes can lead to confusion and inefficiencies, especially for newcomers to the industry and when communicating globally or with people from other fields. That's why establishing common terminology is so essential. It enhances collaboration, reduces errors, facilitates learning, and supports international teamwork.
To address these challenges, AVIXA has established several standards that provide clear guidelines and definitions. These standards are crucial for ensuring that everyone is aligned, which becomes particularly important as systems grow increasingly complex. Our industry certifications, such as the CTS (Certified Technology Specialist), CTS-D (Design), and CTS-I (Installation) exams, incorporate these standards to ensure all certified professionals share a consistent understanding of key principles and practices.
I experienced the critical importance of these standards firsthand during a recent trip to Norway, where I taught a CTS prep class to a group of highly experienced and talented AV professionals. While discussing the needs analysis process, I explained that the exam guide uses the term "Benchmarking" to describe the establishment of standards for technology practices. Many attendees were perplexed, as their equivalent English term was "Proof of Concept." This experience highlighted just how crucial it is for our industry to adopt and adhere to standardized terminology.
Clear communication and standardized terminology are not merely beneficial but essential in our rapidly evolving field. By embracing and applying industry standards, we can ensure that everyone—from newcomers to seasoned professionals—possesses the tools and knowledge needed to succeed. This, in turn, fosters better collaboration, higher productivity, and more effective global communication.
 What words and processes do you think we should formalize in the AV community?
Please sign in
If you are a registered user on AVIXA Xchange, please sign in
So true! We (AV pros) have terms/meanings that vary across the many regions of the world but also within (for instance) allied trades that might not know what we're referencing. Even worse (perhaps) are terms with more than one meaning depending on what aspect of AV is involved!Â
Will take this as a chance to plug AVIXA Audiovisual Glossary of Terms  Let us know if you don't find a term (or disagree with a definition) as we plan to periodically update this in consultation with our volunteer SME's.
benchmarkingThe process of examining methods, techniques, and principles to establish a standard to which comparisons can be made.