How Early AV Planning Helps Architects, Contractors and Businesses Create Conference Rooms That Look Better, Perform Better and Avoid Costly Changes Later

A modern conference room may look simple when it's finished.

A display on the wall. A camera positioned near the screen. Microphones that barely attract attention. Speakers integrated into the ceiling. A simple control interface on the table or wall.

But behind that simplicity is a considerable amount of planning.

Displays need power and data. Cameras need the correct position and viewing angle. Microphones need to capture everyone in the room. Speakers need appropriate placement. Videoconferencing equipment needs network connectivity. Tables may require floor boxes. Equipment needs somewhere to live. Lighting and acoustics affect how people look and sound on camera.

And all of those systems need to coordinate with the architecture.

That's why one of the biggest mistakes a business can make when building or renovating office space is waiting until construction is nearly complete to start thinking about conference room technology.

The best conference rooms aren't rooms where technology was added at the end. The technology was considered while the room itself was being designed.

At Xtend Technologies, we encourage businesses, architects, interior designers, general contractors and electrical contractors to bring us into the conversation early—ideally while architectural and electrical plans are still being developed.

Here's why.

One of the first decisions is what everyone needs to see.

A display that's too small may technically work, but participants at the opposite end of the room may struggle to read spreadsheets, drawings or presentation details.

Larger rooms may require dual displays, multiple displays, projection or other large-format solutions.

But display selection affects more than picture size.

The design team also needs to consider:

• Viewing distance
  
• Seating positions
  
• Wall dimensions
  
• Display height
  
• Furniture
  
• Camera location
  
• Power
  
• Data
  
• Structural support
  
• Cable pathways
  
• Architectural finishes
  

Waiting until the wall is finished to decide that the room needs a significantly larger display can create unnecessary compromises.

Determine the visual requirements early and let the architecture accommodate them.

People often focus on the display when designing a conference room.

But in many meetings, audio is even more important than video.

You can tolerate a remote participant whose image isn't perfect.

It's much harder to participate in a meeting when you can't understand what they're saying.

Microphone design should consider:

• Table dimensions
  
• Seating capacity
  
• Ceiling height
  
• Room acoustics
  
• Microphone pickup patterns
  
• HVAC noise
  
• Speaker locations
  
• Furniture
  
• How people actually use the room
  

Depending on the application, microphones might be integrated into the table, ceiling or another part of the room.

The correct approach isn't simply the one with the fewest visible devices.

It's the one that provides clear, intelligible communication while respecting the room's design.

Conference rooms often contain more equipment than users ever see.

Behind the finished experience may be:

• AV processors
  
• Network switches
  
• Amplifiers
  
• Videoconferencing hardware
  
• Control processors
  
• Power management
  
• Wireless presentation equipment
  
• USB extenders
  
• Video-distribution equipment
  

Some equipment can live behind a display.

Other equipment may be better located in a credenza, rack or dedicated technology room.

That decision affects heat management, serviceability, cabling and furniture design.

The best time to figure out where the equipment goes is before the room is built around it.

Lighting design has become increasingly important in conference rooms because the room isn't only being viewed by the people sitting inside it.

It's also being viewed through a camera.

Poorly positioned lighting can create shadows across people's faces.

Extremely bright windows behind participants can create difficult camera conditions.

Lighting directly above the conference table may look fine architecturally while creating an unflattering videoconferencing environment.

A better approach considers:

• Facial illumination
  
• Color quality
  
• Glare
  
• Daylight
  
• Display reflections
  
• Camera exposure
  
• Presentation modes
  
• Videoconferencing modes
  

Lighting control and motorized shades can make these spaces considerably easier to use.

A VIDEOCONFERENCE scene, for example, could establish an appropriate lighting environment and adjust shades before the meeting begins.

Technology can then support the architecture instead of fighting it.

Modern conference rooms depend heavily on the network.

Videoconferencing, wireless presentation, room scheduling and many other services require reliable connectivity.

That means the conference room design should also consider:

• Wired network connections
  
• Wi-Fi coverage
  
• Network capacity
  
• Quality of service where appropriate
  
• Device connectivity
  
• Remote management
  
• Security requirements
  

For businesses with multiple conference rooms, training rooms and collaborative spaces, this becomes even more important.

The AV system and IT infrastructure should be designed to work together.

The ultimate measure of a conference room isn't how sophisticated the technology is.

It's whether people can walk into the room and confidently start a meeting.

A well-designed room should minimize questions such as:

Which remote do I use?

How do I get my laptop onto the display?

Why can't they hear us?

Which input do I select?

How do I join the Teams meeting?

Who knows how this room works?

Depending on the application, control might be provided through a touchscreen, dedicated buttons or the native interface of the videoconferencing platform.

The objective should always be the same:

Make sophisticated technology feel simple.

Successful commercial technology projects rarely happen in isolation.

Xtend Technologies works collaboratively with:

Business owners and leadership teams

Architects

Interior designers

General contractors

Electrical contractors

IT professionals

Furniture and millwork providers

Each participant has an important role.

Our responsibility is to represent the technology requirements early enough that they can be incorporated into the overall design.

We can review architectural plans, discuss room usage, develop technology requirements and coordinate those requirements with the project team before construction makes changes more difficult or expensive.

Our goal isn't to arrive at the end of construction and figure out where the technology will fit.

Our goal is to help design the room so the technology already has a place.

Ideally, during architectural plan development.

If the architect is still developing room layouts, that's an excellent time to begin discussing AV.

The next-best opportunity is when architectural plans are near finalization or have just been completed, before electrical and construction details are fully committed.

Already further along?

Send us the plans anyway.

We can review the conference rooms, boardrooms, training spaces and other technology areas and determine what still needs to be coordinated.

The important thing is to avoid waiting until someone says:

“The conference room is almost finished. Now we need a TV and a camera.”

By then, many decisions have already been made.

Xtend Technologies provides professional commercial AV design and integration for businesses throughout Northeast Ohio.

Our commercial technology capabilities include:

• Conference rooms
  
• Executive boardrooms
  
• Videoconferencing
  
• Microsoft Teams and Zoom environments
  
• Displays and projection
  
• Cameras and microphones
  
• Commercial audio
  
• AV control
  
• Wireless presentation
  
• Digital signage
  
• Training rooms
  
• Auditoriums
  
• Network infrastructure
  
• Lighting control
  
• Acoustic coordination
  
• Equipment racks and power management
  

Whether you're building a new office, expanding an existing facility or renovating a conference room, getting the technology team involved early can create a better finished result.

Xtend Technologies designs and integrates conference rooms, boardrooms, videoconferencing systems and commercial AV solutions for businesses throughout Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, including Cuyahoga, Summit, Medina, Lake, Lorain and Geauga Counties.

We collaborate with businesses, architects, interior designers, general contractors, electrical contractors and IT professionals to develop technology systems that complement the architecture and support how each space will actually be used.

The best conference room technology shouldn't look like it was added after construction. It should look like it was always part of the plan.