Insight by Poly

Time to raise the quality of your agency’s online collaboration video

Some parts of the new, post-pandemic mode of working are already old. Like low-grade video and poor quality sound, for instance. The awkwardness of trying to collaborate simultaneously with people in the room with you, and with those working remotely.

Federal agencies, like businesses, are planning for employees to return to offices, yet it’s likely some degree of remote and teleworking will continue. The recent White House guidance to federal agencies emphasizes flexibility, more liberal...

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Some parts of the new, post-pandemic mode of working are already old. Like low-grade video and poor quality sound, for instance. The awkwardness of trying to collaborate simultaneously with people in the room with you, and with those working remotely.

Federal agencies, like businesses, are planning for employees to return to offices, yet it’s likely some degree of remote and teleworking will continue. The recent White House guidance to federal agencies emphasizes flexibility, more liberal telework policies. It even suggests establishment of remote work spaces, presumably occupied by employees of multiple agencies.

Research by Poly indicates the level of remote work will settle back, but still remain at twice what it was before the pandemic. Poly Chief Technology Officer Chris Moss said that as a result, agencies and other large organizations are thinking about the collaboration tools in the long term so that they best serve hybrid workforces.

Among the technologies Moss said agencies should consider are more-sophisticated web cameras that are able to provide high quality video, follow people as they move, and provide audio “fencing” to keep out tiresome intrusions like barking dogs or passing emergency vehicles. No built-in notebook PC gear can do that, nor can most amateur-grade web cams. Conference room cameras are available that can choose which person is speaking and aim there, without the need for someone standing at a tripod or acting as technical director.

Better-grade equipment can also help agency management by providing metrics data on usage patterns, Moss said. For example, when was a conference room last used, and by how many people, and therefore does it require cleaning.

Another important consideration in buying such technologies, Moss said, it the degree of cybersecurity assurance they come with and whether they are manufactured in trusted locations with trusted components.

Shape

The Future of Work

We put a lot of AI and machine learning around our audio and video elements, to make sure that we keep noise out of the meeting, so that we don't distract people who are remote, and to make sure that people can participate as well as possible, even when they're remote.

Shape

Audio Technologies

People are looking to redesign offices. If I'm a user, and I work from home, when I do go into the office, I want to be able to do something different. I want to get to collaborate with users that are there in a different way. So maybe I build out larger meeting spaces that have more of an agile setup for teams to come in and do sort of an on-site innovation session.

Listen to the full show:

Featured speakers

  • Chris Moss

    Vice President and Sales CTO, Poly

  • Tom Temin

    Host, The Federal Drive, Federal News Network