Understanding the Value of an Integrated Experience

There is a big difference between AV technology and a truly integrated experience. To understand the difference, we spoke to industry insider Chris Conte, Electrosonic’s Vice President of New Business Development. Below, he also shares his insights on how organizations can benefit from an integrated experience.

Q: How do you define an integrated experience?

Conte: An integrated experience seamlessly leverages technologies to incorporate as many senses as possible. It is natural interaction that is content related and communicates the message without any distraction from any audiovisual device.

What often separates the most successful deployments centers on the ability to utilize the technology that makes the most sense and augment the guest/host experience.

For business and education environments, it is thinking about how the content can be consumed every day. Visualizing helps convey the experience so that content is easily represented and consumed.

Q: Why are integrated experiences important to Electrosonic and to the AV industry as a whole?

Conte: Whether it’s an exposition, museum, theme park or a corporate environment, guests and professionals alike are looking for experiences beyond what is available in the home or traditional office environment. Technology, in and of itself, is a single one-dimensional element that contributes to the whole solution. The merging of multiple elements including technology, space (architecture), and storytelling ultimately creates dynamic and integrated experiences for both work and play environments.

Q: How does Electrosonic approach projects that require an integrated experience solution?

Conte: We don’t think about technology first. We take the time needed to understand the client’s business, goals, and their desire to create a good customer or guest experience. We think about the guest experience first. When we interview clients about their dreams, wishes, and goals for their project, we ask, “How do you want your guest to feel?”

This allows us to focus on the experience from the guest’s perspective. Our approach is to evoke emotion and imagination through creative uses of existing and emerging technologies.

Q: How does starting with a solid story, message, or brand impact the success of the integrated experience?

Conte: If the AV deployment is within the entertainment sector, the story is the reason why people attend. However, within the enterprise, the story helps convey the brand and its intended message. Storytelling is a very natural aspect in passing on traditions, and human nature has always been relationship based. This is why understanding the story first is just as important as knowing what the company hopes to achieve. When effectively utilizing technology, it enhances the ability to relate to a story. What is the best technology and media flow to enable the “Wow!”

Q: How is success defined for projects that require an integrated experience?

Conte: For Electrosonic, a successful project is when technology is seamlessly integrated into the experience and content is delivered in effective ways. We see our job as delivering story, brand, and message in unique and creative ways using a variety of technology tools.

Q: Any other important factors Electrosonic considers when creating an integrated experience?

Conte: We look at technology as a suggestion and a starting point. We ask ourselves, how can we use this technology in a non-traditional way to help realize someone’s creative vision? We also focus heavily on the storytelling, branding, and message. A successful integrated experience is the sum of its elements, and sometimes the simplest use of technology is the best solution.