#DearVendor — Episode 7: Integrator Flexibility Is Key

October 20, 2021

In this episode, I speak with John Cheatham of the University of North Georgia. John gives some great insight into how integrators being flexible with their services is key to being a good partner. John also talks about how the university used integrators this summer and how their work required a network reconfiguration. Podcast: Play […]

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#DearVendor — Episode 6: Class Capture Is the New Normal

August 31, 2021

Learn all about class capture in this episode as I speak with Kathleen Dooley of Midwestern University. Kathleen discusses her role and how much it has evolved to support the video recording, storage and distribution of classes. She also gives some great insight into how manufacturers have been critical to her success. Podcast: Play in […]

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#DearVendor — Episode 5: Accessibility Support Needs To Expand

June 25, 2021

In this episode, I speak with Josh Kaufman of Tufts University. Josh gives some great insight into how Tufts used outside integrators as install teams, while the university did design and purchasing in-house. Josh also spends some time talking about accessibility and where integrators and manufacturers can continue to add value in this area. Podcast: […]

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#DearVendor — Episode 4: Returning After 1 Year

May 21, 2021

In this episode, I speak with Don Merritt of the University of Central Florida. Don talks about what he is expecting in the year ahead — he is thinking not only about the changes we will see based on what faculty have learned over the past year but also how we need to prepare to have faculty and students in […]

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#DearVendor — Episode 3: Relationships Are Key

May 5, 2021

In this episode, I speak with Erin Maher-Moran of Johns Hopkins University. Erin gives some great insight into how Johns Hopkins has a hybrid approach to design and installation; she also offers advice about how strong relationships with integrators can be extremely valuable. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS

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#DearVendor — Episode 2: Lessons Learned During the Pandemic

April 12, 2021

In this episode, I talk with Jimmie Singleton from the University of Southern California. USC has a student enrollment of over 40,000 students, and Jimmie’s department supports about 280-300 spaces. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS

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#DearVendor — Episode 1: Welcome to #DearVendor

March 26, 2021

Introducing the newest podcast on the rAVe [RADIO] network: #DearVendor. For over a year I have been following the #DearVendor hashtag on Twitter. People often use the hashtag to make jokes or express frustration at vendors. Typically, the jokes are about cold calls or relentless emails. As I watched the communication on this over several […]

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Simple Can Be Elegant

September 11, 2020

As technology people, we in the AV world are not immune to being drawn to new, fancy, shiny objects. We know we need to ask the right questions, make sure it fits our needs (or our customers’ needs), but wow, that new tech can be exciting. On occasion, we are also drawn in the opposite […]

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A Pandemic Success Story — What AV Can Learn From WWE

September 2, 2020

World Wrestling Entertainment is a sport that relies on fan engagement and interaction more than any other. A big reason for that is the fact that it is staged. Yes, there is a substantial degree of physicality that goes into it, along with choreography and excellent timing. Yet, in the end, we know it is […]

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Recharge Centers: Technology’s Influence on Our Moods and Emotions

August 11, 2020

According to Kenny Chesney, “We all have a song that somehow stamped our lives, takes us to another place and time,” I know that I certainly do. But can technology do that too? Here are the facts: We know that numerous studies have shown the effect of technology on teenagers, along with the results of […]

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Remote Support Suddenly Sounds Like a Much Better Idea

August 4, 2020

Back in the late fall of 2019, I first heard of Teleportivity. It was in a demo video that Gary Kayye posted right here on rAVe [PUBS]. My initial thought was that the idea was great, but I wondered about the product’s efficacy at smaller institutions like mine, or even mid-size colleges and universities. My […]

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Barco’s Virtual Classroom at UCL: A Case Study for the Future of All University Classrooms?

July 2, 2020

Come fall 2020, every university will be approaching students’ return to campus a little differently. What’s clear is that the notion of the hybrid/HyFlex classroom (or whatever you want to call it) is rapidly gaining traction among the AV community — especially as we start to realize how integral audiovisual technology will be to the […]

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Strategies for Times of Crisis: How to Survive in the Short Term and Thrive in the Long Term

June 15, 2020

Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” This quote is reasonably relevant today, as we have all taken a beating from COVID-19. Most successful firms had developed strategies years ago and have been consistently and successfully following them. However, what we’ve experienced the past several months — […]

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The Fall 2020 Classroom

June 1, 2020

It’s June of 2020, and colleges and universities have finished their crazy spring semesters. Most are pivoting, rooted in planning for the fall semester of 2020. A few themes seem to be emerging that will begin to shape what this next school year looks like, and therefore how the AV market will play a role. […]

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Necessity Is the Mother of Invention

May 12, 2020

Many of us are approaching our third month of stay-at-home orders (while others on the West Coast are looking at their fourth month). We — or at least I — spend much of our time thinking/dreaming about when this will come to an end so that we can get back to a normal routine. However, […]

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LAVNCH WEEK End User Day Tech Talk — Blog Version: “#DearVendor and #DearCustomer: Two Sides to a Thriving Relationship”

May 4, 2020

We’re continuing with our theme of providing corresponding blog posts to go with our LAVNCH WEEK coverage! Scott Tiner, director of client services at Bates College and member of the rAVe BlogSquad, delivered our Tech Talk about the interesting and symbiotic relationship between a vendor and customer. Below are his tips and advice for cultivating […]

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Scott Tiner to Present a Tech Talk on Vendor-Customer Relationships During LAVNCH WEEK

April 22, 2020

Hello, everyone. I’m back with another video — giving you a preview of what you can expect from LAVNCH WEEK. Yes, I’ve gotten slightly better at explaining what it is since my last video (emphasis on slightly). LAVNCH is a special platform we at rAVe have built to host a variety of things: new product […]

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What to Do During the COVID-19 Crisis

April 15, 2020

2020 will long be remembered as the year that the world changed. We are living through times that are unprecedented and hopefully, will not be experienced again for a very long time. As all of us adjust to this new reality that likely includes becoming a remote worker (and in many cases a home teacher), […]

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COVID-19 and Higher Ed: What Can We Expect?

April 2, 2020

The current environment we are all living in is scary on many fronts. First and foremost is the health of our family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Second, many of us worry about the security of our jobs as the virus causes epic problems with the economy. With everyone staying at home, much economic activity has […]

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Digital Transformation — Buzzword or Opportunity?

March 13, 2020

Technology certainly has its fair share of buzzwords. If you have had your ears open over the past couple of years, you have undoubtedly heard the phrase “digital transformation.” If your experience is similar to mine, you have not only heard about it but also read about it and seen ads for webinars about it. […]

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Universal Design in Higher Ed Classrooms — Part II

March 3, 2020

In February, I wrote a blog on universal design in higher ed classrooms. In that blog, I covered the first four of the seven principles of universal design. This month, I am going to cover the remaining three principles. As a refresher, the seven principles are: — Principle One: Equitable Use — Principle Two: Flexibility […]

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Effectively Reaching New Customers

February 18, 2020

In December, I was a panelist for a session of the HETMA conference. I can not recall the exact conversation that led to us discussing getting cold calls from vendors. Several of us who are “customers” replied how much we dislike getting the cold calls or emails. What struck me most about the conversation and […]

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A Worthy New Year’s Resolution

January 15, 2020

At the turn of every year, I often think of blogging about the big stories or products of the past year, or the promising products of the coming year. I have never written about my resolution for the new year, as they are often personal and not business- or AV-related. However, this year is different. […]

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HETMA Virtual Conference

January 7, 2020

In April I wrote a blog about HETMA, a new association formed by Joe Way and BC Hatchett. Check out the blog to understand more about the association and why it was formed. In this blog, I want to draw your attention to the first-ever virtual conference that HETMA hosted December 9-11, 2019. By all […]

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Projection Mapping Allows for a New Wave of Creativity

December 11, 2019

A couple of weeks ago, I saw a video on LinkedIn of a projection mapping project at a restaurant in New York City. It was gorgeous, powerful, it told a story and evoked emotions in the intended audience. In our AV language, we would say it created a real experience. For me, and maybe others, […]

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DSaaS: An Opportunity in Higher Education

December 3, 2019

Every time I start to write a piece for rAVe ED, I try to think about what the broader AV industry wants to know about the education market. 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 […]

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Social Media – Blessing or Curse?

November 19, 2019

Like so many industries, the AV industry has a robust and valuable community in the social media sphere. Many of us have dozens, if not hundreds of contacts and “friends” that we know only via social media. While we have opportunities to catch up and meet during industry events, including the always popular tweet-ups, the […]

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Data Privacy Issues in Higher Ed

November 7, 2019

Management guru Peter Drucker is often quoted as saying, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” I have long believed in this philosophy and work with my teams to make sure we are setting goals and measuring our success. While I think Drucker was right, he lived and worked in a much different […]

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The Most Dreaded Time of the Year

September 3, 2019

I have worked in education for over twenty years. When August hits, we know that summer has ended for us. The pace picks up quickly as the days get closer to September and the level of anxiety begins to rise. By the end of the month, we are in an all out sprint. Will all […]

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Virtual Reality – Create an Experience and Change Lives

August 15, 2019

For years, my family has watched America’s Got Talent in the summer. It’s a great family show that can be funny, touching and amazing. There have been numerous acts that use some type of technology. A couple of weeks ago however, there was one that really stuck with me. It was Italian psychologists (Simona and […]

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Tiner’s New Take on AVaaS

August 7, 2019

In late June, Andrew Davis posted a blog entry here on rAVe in which he declared that “in 10 years or less, what was once the AV industry is going to be a be a footnote in the history of business technology.” In the post he made the argument that software will, essentially, take over […]

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Does Certification Matter?

July 24, 2019

As a manager, I’m often faced with the question of what requirements we should put into a job description when we are ready to hire a person. Experience is always the easiest one to figure out. You think about how senior the position is and then you base years of experience or type of experiences […]

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