Scott Tiner on Digital Signage as a Service in higher education, Mark Coxon on his experience at AVEC 2019. Plus news from Vivitek, HoverCam, ClearOne, URC and more
December 3, 2019 | Volume: 12 | Issue: 23
Happy Tuesday, or should I say snooze-day because this colder weather has got me wanting to hibernate! Anybody else? No? Cool, moving on.
We’ve talked your ear off lately about AVaaS but get ready for its fun sibling, DSaaS — that is, Digital Signage as a Service. Scott Tiner makes a really great case for DSaaS in this issue. Think about AV-as-a-Service and all that it can do for the markets that surround the greater AV industry. Think a little more specifically about digital signage, and you’re picking up what Scott is putting down. He says that if universities can build a relationship with integrators to establish a system of ownership and compelling content — the world of digital signage in higher education is wide open.
Also in this issue, Mark Coxon attended AVEC 2019 and writes about his experience as master of ceremonies, and reflects about everything he learned at the convention. In other news, Vivitek has a new series of collaboration boards explicitly aimed at the education industry; HoverCam is shipping its new digital teaching station. Plus, FSR Smart-Way Raceway has new in-floor capabilities. We stan!
So, #AVtweeps, as you’re preparing for the students to leave so you can get to all the pesky installations over your universities’ breaks, just remember: AV is always changing, but some things never change. Like the fact that I link a Disney song in all of my intros. Something to ponder.
I always try to put forward ways that companies can partner with schools to provide value for all parties. As many people know, one area that I have struggled with in this aspect is AVaaS. As I thought more and more about this, however, I have come up with an area that would be perfect in higher education for aaS. That is DSaaS (Digital Signage as a Service).
Earlier this month I had the amazing opportunity to be the master of ceremonies at AVIXA's AV Executive Conference (AVEC). I'm still not sure why they entrusted a room full of leaders and executives to me, but I'm so happy they did because I had an amazing experience. Why was it amazing? Well, for one, unlike trade shows, the emphasis of the conference wasn't on products. Yes, many manufacturers sponsor the event, and many attend as well, but the content is not product-focused at all, and rather focuses on the business strategy side of AV as opposed to the technical execution of projects.
One of the things a consultant is often asked to do, especially for a repeat client, is to evaluate the work presented by others. Unfortunately, this is usually requested AFTER the proposal or submission has been generated and presented. If you’re asked to undertake such an analysis, what you’re really being asked is to determine if what was presented was a viable solution to the problem.