Top-notch AV design is a crucial component of the modern workforce. The right AV equipment makes it possible for employees and clients worldwide to connect as if they were in the same room. As such, today’s employees have grown accustomed to the utilization of technology throughout their workday, and they expect the best.
High-quality AV design promotes effective communication, boosts productivity, creates engaging presentations, enables seamless collaboration, offers versatility and scalability, enhances a professional image, and can result in long-term cost savings. Overall, it plays a vital role in maximizing the impact and success of any applications where audiovisual solutions are utilized.
Meanwhile, poor AV design can hinder growth and cause significant issues that negatively impact your company. Today, we’ll discuss the consequences of poor AV design and the components of a great AV setup.
What Constitutes Bad AV Design?
Designing an effective AV system requires more than cutting-edge technology. High-quality AV design will elevate your entire organization by implementing a long-term solution that meets your needs. Additionally, your AV experts should offer support throughout the AV technology lifecycle to ensure that it continues to perform at a high level.
However, not all AV setups hit the mark, and sub-par design can cripple the effectiveness of your technology. Common mishaps that lead to poor AV design include:
- Investing in the wrong solutions. When creating your AV setup, it’s crucial that each piece of equipment suits your organization’s unique needs.
- Expecting a seamless transition. It takes time to install and monitor your new AV solutions. Furthermore, the transition will require training as your staff learns how to use your new AV equipment.
- Underestimating cost. You want an AV system that will stand the test of time. So avoid choosing only the lowest cost options when attempting to create your AV setup, and budget accordingly to prevent issues later.
- Piecemeal implementation. Each component of your AV setup must function appropriately with others to ensure seamless operation. Piecemeal implementation can cause connectivity and compatibility issues that could easily be avoided with the planning assistance of AV integration specialists.
A well-functioning AV system will support communication, productivity, and engagement. With thoughtful AV design, users will benefit from improved audio and video quality as they easily share content and ideas.
The Consequences of Poor AV Design
Poor AV design is inconvenient for users and can cause significant issues that negatively impact employees and clients. Spotty audio or visuals combined with poor connectivity will make it challenging for employees to complete their daily tasks. Meanwhile, your organization will appear unprofessional and difficult to work with.
If you’re on the fence about updating your AV system, consider the following consequences of poor AV design.
1. Subpar AV Design Can Interfere with Meetings
While face-to-face interaction is essential, many modern meetings occur virtually with video conferencing technology. If your AV setup needs updating, this can be disastrous. Research from the University of Southern California supports the assertion that poor audio may cause individuals to appear less professional, knowledgeable, and trustworthy compared to those with a better audio setup.
There are several reasons why your employees could be struggling with poor audio quality, which may include malfunctioning microphones, outdated speakers, or excessive ambient noise. Even the room’s acoustics can negatively impact audio quality.
2. Low-quality AV Design Can Hinder Connectivity
Poor AV design can also make it difficult for employees and clients to complete necessary tasks, such as connecting their devices to your AV system. When this occurs, it may take several minutes for the presenter to begin, which means you may lose the audience’s attention by the time the presentation starts.
Modern AV systems offer advanced collaboration features such as screen sharing, interactive whiteboards, and virtual breakout rooms. A poor AV design may lack these capabilities or have limited functionality, limiting the possibilities for collaborative work. The inability to effectively utilize these features can hinder brainstorming, problem-solving, and other group activities.
3. Poor AV Design Decreases Engagement and Participation
The wrong AV setup can also negatively impact employee engagement. Studies from Gallup show that poor employee engagement causes the global economy to lose $8.1 trillion annually. In a dispersed workforce, the employees must have access to AV equipment that makes it easy for them to communicate and remain engaged with remote colleagues and clients.
AV systems are essential for remote collaboration, especially in today’s digital and hybrid work environments. Poor AV design can hinder effective communication, particularly in virtual meetings. If the audio quality is subpar, participants may struggle to hear and understand each other, resulting in repeated requests for clarification or missed information. Furthermore, inadequate video quality can make it difficult to read facial expressions and body language, leading to misunderstandings and reduced attentiveness.
4. The Wrong AV Setup Can Reduce Productivity
When employees are productive, they can complete tasks on time, increasing profitability. However, when employees run behind schedule due to the technical difficulties incurred by poor AV design, your organization’s overall productivity will also decrease. For instance, a recent study found that the workforce spends 31 hours a month in unproductive meetings.
A poorly designed AV setup may add to this issue, requiring additional time and effort to set up and troubleshoot before each meeting or presentation. If the equipment is not user-friendly or lacks proper integration, participants may spend valuable time trying to connect devices, configure settings, or resolve compatibility issues. This time adds up and can significantly impact overall productivity.
5. Outdated AV Systems Increase Maintenance Costs
AV design is incredibly complex because so many components work in tandem to create a fully functional AV system. Furthermore, each one of these devices has its own maintenance requirements and life cycles — meaning that some devices may fail or require updates long before others. When some components are still functioning, organizations are often tempted to wait until the last minute to upgrade their AV setup.
However, neglecting to upgrade your AV system comes with serious consequences. For instance, an outdated AV system is vulnerable to costly data breaches. And, as previously mentioned, failing AV equipment will disrupt employee workflow and reduce productivity.
Improve Your AV Design with Applied Global
If you’re ready to revamp your AV setup with cutting-edge AV design for your conference room or other office areas, Applied Global Technologies (AGT) offers the professional guidance and implementation support you need. To learn more about our AV solutions, contact us today. We’ll be happy to discuss your specific needs and recommend the right solution for your goals and budget.
