SCN sat down with integrators and consultants to learn a bit about their InfoComm show priorities: what they want to see, what they hope to achieve, what they think will steal the show, and so on. Today's blog comes from the president and CEO of Waveguide Consulting, Scott Walker.
1. What is your number 1 priority (or top priorities) at InfoComm this year?
InfoComm is the best opportunity I have all year to meet with my peers in the industry to discuss the state of our industry and the mutual challenges we all face. For me, InfoComm is about human networking, first and foremost. We have lots of folks attending who help us cover the show floor and all the new products and technologies.
2. What do you see as the top areas/categories to focus on for training, whether you are participating or recommending for others?
ProAV is rapidly evolving (whether we like it or not) from being a hardware-centric industry to a software-centric one. Clients want to use their personal mobile devices to be their gateway to integrated AV solutions. Additionally, our integrated spaces need to operate more like a user’s desktop than a separate technology planet. My training focus will be on solutions providers who are leading this transition to software-centric platforms.
3. What technological trends will you be on the lookout for most?
Our industry is being challenged to perform on larger and larger projects with shorter and shorter construction schedules. These forces, largely beyond our control, are greatly stressing our industry and our ability to deliver quality work. I will be looking at technology solutions that can greatly reduce the integration complexity and time while maintaining quality and flexibility.
4. What business or vertical market trends will you be pursuing most?
The global corporate enterprise market is our top market and is growing rapidly. We are helping our clients develop and deploy global standards in a consistent manner. We will be seeking like-minded partners who are focused on the same market to help cover this broad geography.
5. What specific product categories or service solutions are you most interested in seeing or hearing about?
There are some compelling audio products coming to market that should simplify (and thus quicken) the audio integration and setup process. Likewise, there are some compelling network video products coming to market that move us to a more IT-centric AV platform.
