Taking Corporate Collaboration to the Next Level with the Right Interactive Display

Companies are continually adopting new technologies to improve communication and foster collaboration amongst employees. One of those technologies is the interactive display. Originally used in academic environments, interactive displays have proven to be valuable in both formal and ad hoc meetings. As a result, they’re quickly becoming a must-have collaboration tool.

In the past, interactive displays were criticized by corporate users for being too complex and difficult to use. However, increased user familiarity with all things digital, as well as advancements in the technology, are helping to increase adoption. For example, modern interactive displays support both hand and pen-type control methods. In addition to finger taps, they support pinch, swipe, and multi-touch control. Improvements in the accuracy and sensitivity of the touch interface have also enhanced functionality and user experience.

Some systems further enhance collaboration by allowing users to share content with the simple download of an app or via commonly used wireless methods, like Airplay. This is especially important if you are using displays to collaborate with clients who may use different technology than your organization. When combined with the latest interactive displays, these developments help increase adoption through improved usability.

There’s a wide variety of interactive displays on the market. Choosing the one that’s right for your organization will depend on your business needs and existing IT infrastructure. Many manufacturers offer demos and ‘try before you buy’ programs to entice and assure you that their product is the best fit.

Here’s a way to  focus your product evaluations. Make sure you can answer these ten questions:

1. Does your organization’s culture and infrastructure support and foster collaboration? If yes, an interactive display could be a great addition to your environment. If not, this kind of technology could be the very thing to jump start collaborative working amongst employees, but you might want to consider a less advanced solution to increase your chances of success.

2. What are your growth and expansion plans? How many office locations do you operate from? Do you want to roll out this technology locally, nationally, or globally?

3. Think about your meeting spaces. How many do you currently have, and how are they used? Do you need a simple digital whiteboard for brainstorming, or do you need to visualize big data, or a multi-site visualization to analyze workflows?

4. Do you have a remote working policy? Do you want remote workers to be able to collaborate effectively with office workers in ad hoc and impromptu meetings?

5. How important is it to create a culture that appeals to millennial workers, who often expect their employers to supply the same interactive technologies they use at home?

6. What existing technologies, hardware, and software does your organization currently use? What interactive display would work best with the existing infrastructure? Choosing a solution that seamlessly integrates with your existing infrastructure will help minimize business disruption.

7. Do your existing collaboration technologies support business operations while enhancing engagement and increasing productivity?

8. What are the employee adoption rates of existing technology within the business? Does the existing technology meet the expectations of a modern-day workforce? The adoption rate of any tool is driven by ease of use. Technology that is intuitive and easy to use will have a greater success rate and reduce the need for training and support.

9. What budget do you have available to support collaborative working?

10. Do you know how to assess your organization’s collaborative needs.

If you need assistance with any of these questions, our consultants at Electrosonic would be happy to help you. The more you know about your existing infrastructure and the workforce’s collaborative needs, the better equipped you’ll be to choose an interactive display that not only meets those needs but helps take collaboration to the next level.