Sharing best practices among tech managers is at the heart of AV Technology’s editorial mission. Our inaugural 2013 issue comes brimming with best practices in both management and technology. For example, in “Working Smarter: 11 Ways Tech Managers Can Make AV Departments More Efficient” (page 24), writer James Careless checks in with tech managers and manufacturers to learn what separates the good from the great in terms of efficiency.
“AV technology managers are busier than ever, trying to meet all of their clients’ demands while managing staff, resources, and staying within budget,” Careless writes. “These 11 steps may not applicable to all departments or all managers, but the general guidelines might prove to be a helpful road map to increase efficacy in AV departments near and far.”
One of my favorite tips comes from Tracy Bathurst, ListenPoint Product Group Leader with Listen Technologies Corporation. In Tip #9, “Take a minute to save an hour,” Bathurst said, “Devote 5-10 percent of your week to efficiency improvements. Look at where the most time is wasted, and spend a few hours figuring out how it can be done more efficiently.”
Indeed, if we are spending all day endlessly answering emails, in a perennial state of “catching up,” we are responding to work demands rather than taking the leading role.
In “The Changing Face of Audiovisual Control Systems” (page 18), George Mason University’s Matthew Silverman explores how IT and AV control convergence is marking a new era for tech managers.
Writer Don Kreski takes us behind the scenes of a remarkable system in his feature “Building Community” on page 20. He shows how AV and IT staff work together at a premier Oregon Destination Resort to deliver high-tech amenities that were not possible a few years ago.
Our AV in Action snapshot, “Is There a Doctor in the Cloud?” (page 28), zooms in on an original solution from a tech-savvy doctor who is sharing real-time medical education.
And our conversations don’t stop in the pages of the magazine. AVNetwork.com continues to build a cadre of experts that examine the AV industry from all angles. Stay on the lookout for free Webinars-on-Demand, like “The Future of Flat-Panels.”
We encourage you to throw your hat in the ring in 2013; tell us about your management style, your AV system, or, suggest a topic for further examination.
Download our January edition here.
