Collaboration.
If you’ve heard the word, you’ve heard it a thousand times. I have lost count of the number of seminars and webinars I’ve watched, and articles I’ve read covering the subject in recent years.
And there’s the crux: the subject. In truth, collaboration (from an AV perspective) is many different things to many different people. Video conferencing is collaboration, as is, in essence, a basic group email. I guess even work conversations in corridors tick the collaboration box.
But here I want to address the software application sharing aspect. There are many things to consider to ensure application sharing and collaboration is a truly beneficial, time saving practice in the workplace. For any business or organization that is looking to invest in this technology, here are a few essentials items to consider.
Writing to the Source File Annotating over a screen in a meeting, and then having to replicate those amendments on the source document when back at your desk is counter-productive.
Priorities Management Look for solutions that provide complete control over who does what. It may be that a large group need to view an application, but with only a select few allowed permissions to edit.
Video Wall Compatibility This is a major consideration for large organizations, where applications are needed to be shared and viewed on a command and control center video wall. This feature is also important for boardroom environments.
IT Infrastructure Rather than operating on company networks, look at secure peer-to-peer solutions. Peer-to-peer sharing brings two key benefits. First, it takes away the load from network servers—something that is warmly welcomed by IT departments! Second, it provides additional security as only those in the group have the ability to access.
Share and Annotate Anything, In Real Time Our definition of application sharing means sharing anything—regardless of whether the third party has the software or not. This means that any software window (accountancy software, CRM, pay rolls, medical documents, architectural plans, the list is endless) can be shared with a third party, as long as they are members of the same organization.
