The Tempo Blog

Tempo: Not Just for Training

2014-01-27T10:59:00.001-08:00

I spent the train ride home from New York to Baltimore reflecting on how great the National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show 2014 had been. Attendance was strong, energy levels were high and retailers from around the world were focused on identifying solutions that would allow them to reduce costs, increase sales and improve the customer experience.

The key takeaway for me was that retailers are focused on a differentiated customer experience that not only meets, but exceeds expectations. I spoke with one company who was interested in conducting in-store focus groups with a centrally located subject matter expert being broadcast into the store. The retailer wanted this to be more than just a broadcast experience, they wanted customers to have the ability to provide real time feedback by using store provided or personal smart devices to answer questions and make suggestions.

Another was interested in enhancing the level of assistance provided by associates by equipping them with tablets that not only had access to key product information, but could also process electronic payments and expedite checkout.

Each of these retailers understood the value proposition of a single platform designed to deliver content anytime, anywhere and to any device. Each understood the positive ROI implications that not only provided customer facing benefits, but could also be used to better train and inform employees as well. Best of all, each was excited to learn that all of the hardware, software and services could be offered by a single partner and as a managed service. 2014 promises to be a very exciting year for Tempo!

Kevin Lawrence, Sales Manager, Tempo

The Right Stuff for Retail

2014-01-10T14:51:00.002-08:00

“The Right Stuff,” first a book by Tom Wolfe then a successful movie, is a study in competition. It describes the competition between test pilots for altitude and speed records, the competition between astronauts for plum assignments, and the competition between superpowers for dominance in space.

Competition between retailers is perhaps not quite as high stakes but it is definitely as fierce, with successes measured in sales per square foot rather than successful earth orbits. And like the space race, the outcome will be decided by a combination of technology and people with the Right Stuff.

The technology is interactive video on the sales floor. Whether it is purely for elevating the customer experience, like Hollister stores streaming live video of the California beach to reinforce its brand, or fully realized monetization programs with QR codes, digital apps and digital coupons, the result is ultimately the same: more sales.

Telenet Mobile, a major European mobile device retailer, uses interactive digital signage to enhance customer service and reduce operating costs. Three 46 inch touchscreens guide customers through the process of deciding which smartphone to buy, based on preferences like price range, features, phone plans, and accessories. Customers are then guided to two or three phones in the store that meet their criteria. A 10 inch LCD screen sits atop each smartphone display providing additional information about that phone. Finally, a customer can then get additional assistance by speaking with a virtual specialist at the Smart Care Corner where they speak directly to a specialist team at Telenet Mobile’s headquarters.

The results: the stores equipped with the signage require fewer sales associates on the floor, so labor costs have decreased. But the customer appreciation levels in the stores are higher than in stores without the signage. And most important, the average order value per customer is “notably higher” in the stores with signage. You can read the article in ScreenMedia Daily.

But the metaphor does not end here, because the space program did not run on technology alone. It required people; the best of the best, heroes with the Right Stuff to sit atop those rockets, fly to the stars, and bring the craft home safely when there was a problem in Houston. With whole chapters of the book devoted to lavish recountings of the rigorous training, it was clear that part of acquiring and nurturing the Right Stuff was training. It still is.

No streaming beach scene or digital coupon will take the place of an engaged sales associate on your floor, even if technology allows you to have fewer of them. You have to do a great job hiring to get the “best of the best,” but you have to provide comprehensive training to develop and retain those employees. You must give your employees the knowledge they need to add value at the point of contact, the skills they need to advance and build a career within the company, and the ongoing communication with senior leadership they need to build and sustain a corporate culture that becomes a real differentiator in a crowded marketplace.

The race for control of the markets will be won by the retailers who commit to giving the people what they want. The winners will elevate the customer experience through video and music. They will provide kiosks and tablets to empower customers and sales associates with information right at the point of decision. The winners will make the in-store shopping experience notably better than the online experience because they will provide the technology to replicate the best features of the at-home experience – like the ability to search for reviews or product information – while providing motivated customer service from highly trained employees augmented by point of sale digital apps.

Digital display and corporate learning are two well-defined markets with plenty of products competing for your attention. But what sets Tempo apart, what gives us the Right Stuff, is the fact that we are not just a learning solution or a digital signage solution; we are a communications platform with which you can communicate on multiple screens – televisions, signs, computers, mobile devices – for numerous applications. With one platform you can control your digital display, your employee training, your video asset management, your employee collaboration, your live streaming events, and your enterprise content delivery. With Tempo you can do all of this with one unified infrastructure, one coherent user experience, and one comprehensive set of analytics. If you have a different vendor for each video application in your enterprise, you are building a digital Tower of Babel with video silos that will lower your digital ROI.

The space race seemed at the time to be about control of the universe. Competition amongst retailers is perhaps not quite so grand in scope but it is definitely existential. Losers will perish. That is why it is so exciting to be in our industry and why I cannot wait to go to the National Retail Federation show in a few days and hear from the retailers who are doing it best.

Michael Grant, Sales Manager, Tempo

Tempo and the Next Three Moments of Need

2013-11-06T07:50:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, the five moments of learning need have been popularized by Mosher and Gottfredson. They are learning for the first time (New), learning additional (More), learning when need to remember (Apply), learning when things break (Solve) and learning when the world changes (Change).

Last time I focused on "New" and "More". This time I’m covering "Apply", "Solve" and "Change". Again I invite you to compare your learning delivery to this idealized standard.

The first two moments of need lend themselves to formal instruction methods, however the remaining three are best served by performance support delivery. The "Apply" moment of need is easily recognized by the learner saying something like, “I know we covered this in class, but I just can’t remember it now that I have to use it.” Likewise the "Solve" and "Change" moments of need occur out in the real world at a time when the situation demands the learner’s skilled performance.

"Solve" means that something does not work as expected and now a problem has presented itself. "Change" means that the something in the world has changed. Maybe it’s the process or the tools or the competition.

Each of these moments of need require a rapid response. All the foundational content is not needed. Just the steps that were forgotten are needed in the "Apply" case. Just the new steps are needed in the "Solve" or "Change" case.

Tempo users find that their set of tools give them this rapid response capability. By building the right size modules, the Tempo catalog and chapter index can serve as a task oriented performance support tool guiding the learner to just the steps needed at the time.

When something breaks or the world changes, Tempo users can quickly create new modules or replacement modules and distribute them across the enterprise.

Tempo’s support of multiple mobile devices means that the Tempo users can access this new content on the fly when and where it’s needed. This is key to providing performance support capability.

How does your learning solution stack up? Does it provide support to learners at each moment of need? Can you re-use your content to provide both formal instruction and on-demand performance support? Can you deliver this content when and where your learners need it? My Tempo clients tell me yes, they can.

Rick Darby is President of SEDATA, LLC , consultants specializing in video-centric Interactive Distance Learning and technology-based training.

Tempo and the First Two Moments of Need

2013-10-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

The five moments of learning need have been popularized by Mosher and Gottfredson. They are learning for the first time (New), learning additional (More), learning when need to remember (Apply), learning when things break (Solve) and learning when the world changes (Change). I have found that they serve as a useful check list for assessing an organization’s learning strategy. We will focus on New and More in this post. I invite you to compare your learning delivery to this idealized standard.

New and More, the first two moments of need, are usually addressed by formal learning techniques. When a learner is completely new to a subject, a prescriptive approach is often the most efficient. The typical “Introduction to …” course covers the foundations of the subject and lays the groundwork for understanding the more complex, advanced topics. The advanced topics (More) are covered in the same way.

Subjects that are key to an employee’s performance in a critical role are usually supported by formal learning in mature organizations. These often include line management, sales, service delivery and customer support. A curriculum of courses is created for each of the critical roles. The content of each course is derived from job task analysis, ideally using Performance DNA methodology.

This approach assures management that employees new to these critical roles gain a solid understanding of the fundamental knowledge needed for job success.

My Tempo clients find that they have a set of state of the art tools that allow them to quickly create and update modules for their formal training courses. The Tempo platform supports live, distance learning sessions that leverage facilitator and subject matter experts’ time and availability without having to schedule travel to distant outposts or the tremendous expense of bringing the learners to a central facility.

The immediacy of real time, high definition video gives the learners the feeling that they are right in the room with the instructors and their peers. Client surveys have found that the training received in this manner is just as effective as the traditional classroom training approach while yielding a significant savings in time and money.

My Tempo user clients also find that they have the ability to create self-paced modules from the live sessions without the overhead of major editing and configuration required of other systems. With a modicum of planning and foresight, the self-paced, on demand versions of these modules are available for distribution almost immediately. In addition, the interactivity presentation and tracking are the same for the on-demand attendees as the live session attendees. The self-paced modules are used to deliver pre-requisite content, background information and as make-up modules for those who cannot attend the live sessions.

In my next post I will address the three remaining moments of need and how they can be implemented in an ideal learning strategy model.

Rick Darby is President of SEDATA, LLC , consultants specializing in video-centric Interactive Distance Learning and technology-based training.

Tempo and Performance Support

2013-10-22T06:24:00.000-07:00

My clients are always interested in doing things better. That’s definitely true for the training function. When we discuss this topic, I always like to ask the following:

“What’s better than training your people really, really well?” My answer is, "Not having to train them at all. Isn't it better if they could already do their jobs?"

Of course it is. This is where the fields of training and performance support overlap. Performance support deals with helping people do their jobs accurately and efficiently. Modern practitioners of corporate learning know how to combine training and performance support into a single discipline.

Learners don’t always have to attend a formal training course to execute new tasks. It is often that a memorandum on the new procedure outlining the new tasks together with a quick reference chart is more than sufficient.

TEMPO users have even more flexibility in this regard. TEMPO’s course catalog feature allows users to quickly and easily locate a module covering a specific task. With today’s video tools a TEMPO author can quickly create a demonstration of the new procedure, show how it fits in the field and have the CEO speak to the importance of its adoption. Upload that into TEMPO and a five minute video viewed when and where the user needs it is now ready to support the user.

No need to schedule classes, rooms or people. The solution is available enterprise-wide immediately. TEMPO is not just a training tool, it’s also a performance support tool.

Rick Darby
Rick Darby is President of SEDATA, LLC , consultants specializing in video-centric Interactive Distance Learning and technology-based training.

Virtual is Still Real. Image is Everything

2013-09-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

For the longest time computers were actual physical hardware machines and software made the difference. This software was called "the image" and each machine had one. Now virtual technology allows a hardware machine to support many soft machines, meaning that the software image is now the computer.

Tempo allows for installing an operational image on existing hardware. This provides a selection of modular features within the Tempo ecosystem, and integrates within currently managed IT systems. Streaming, On-Demand, and Interactive training are all features available through the image, along with many more options.

Supporting existing hardware, or as an appliance, the reality of Tempo is that software image is everything; and it extends the possibility for solutions anywhere and everywhere!

James Brown, Sales Engineer, Tempo

Tempo & Play Network: Expanding The Vision Of One Platform

2013-07-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

Last week's announcement of a strategic alliance between Globecomm and Play Network to integrate their music and digital signage services into our Tempo platform, represents a giant step forward in the evolution of the Enterprise Video Platform, and creates compelling value propositions for the clients we serve.

When we first conceived Tempo, we placed ourselves five or six years in the future and asked: "What will large enterprises need in terms of a video delivery system"? One of our guiding principles was that of "One Platform". We were living in a world where there were streaming and webcasting platforms for Corporate Communications, proprietary systems for Interactive Distance Learning, and Digital Signage systems with less than elegant implementations. We believed that all of these applications would converge into a single platform, kind of like Microsoft Office. We were correct. And as we have evolved our philosophy, items like third-party training content, mobile app delivery, and customer facing applications - including in-store music and advanced digital display systems - have become essential elements of our roadmap. The Tempo/Play Network alliance adds the Customer Experience elements of in-store music and advanced signage to our platform.

This announcement is also significant because we are now not only providing the technology, we are providing the content. The future will be defined by how users interact with content. Together with Play Network, we are now in the business of defining that experience. Nothing excites us more.

It has also been exciting to see the market response to this announcement. My favorite interaction was with a Fortune 50 retailer who said "With Tempo, I can replace five existing systems with a single platform from a single vendor." That is the power of One Platform.

Lastly, it is great to be working with the folks at Play Network. We could not have hoped for a better partner. They are a focused, knowledgable, and forward-leaning organization. I see the fire in the eyes of our team when we walk out of meetings with them. It is inspiring.

Ed Behan, Vice President of Enterprise Services, Globecomm

The TEMPO Courseware Tool

2013-07-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

Courseware development tools have usually been expensive necessities for the learning and development department. Many tools are priced per courseware author and often cost in the thousands of dollars per seat. Some actually charge per learner as well which can add up to tens of thousands of additional dollars. In addition, many vendors charge annual maintenance fees for the tools. In my experience, these costs can be quite substantial.

Globecomm’s TEMPO approach changes all that. You can use Microsoft PowerPoint® as your courseware authoring tool, a software tool that’s ubiquitous in most organizations. That means that your marginal cost for courseware authoring is zero. So those friendly little ppt files can be your courseware files as well.

If you don’t happen to have PowerPoint® available in your shop, I still have good news for you; I have tried TEMPO with OpenOfficeTM Impress files and it works well. It is available as a free download at www.openoffice.org . Since, Impress is an open source product, your courseware development tool investment can be exactly zero when you use TEMPO.

Of course, many products claim to be able to use PowerPoint presentations as input to their courseware system. But TEMPO takes it a step further. Not only are you creating your slides in PowerPoint®, but you can create your quizzes as ppt files as well.

So how does that work, you ask?

Those clever engineers at Globecomm have come up with a easy to use coding scheme. To signal to TEMPO that you want a slide to be a quiz, you just insert a text string such as %Q. at the beginning of the slide title. You label answers with similar short little tags. You specify distractors in the same way. It’s simple and straight forward. The same coding scheme works for both interactive live broadcasts and interactive, on-demand modules.

So you already have your TEMPO courseware authoring tool – and you already know how to use it!

Rick Darby
Rick Darby is President of SEDATA, LLC , consultants specializing in video-centric Interactive Distance Learning and technology-based training.

TEMPO Courseware Development

2013-07-11T07:49:00.000-07:00

In my last post I told you how TEMPO uses PowerPoint and a simple coding scheme to allow you to build state-of-the-art interactive courseware while eliminating the need for expensive courseware development tools. In this post I’d like to show you how the TEMPO courseware development approach expands your reach and solves many common training problems.

Most mature training organizations that have a large number of people to train on a consistent basis have gravitated to video-centric training. There have been some very good reasons for this. People are used to getting their information from video. Its production techniques are well understood. The huge installed base of consumer television equipment has had pricing advantages. The broadcast industry has been a driving force for innovation for years.

But just as the bandwidth for video centric training across the Internet has become affordable for even the smallest organizations, the playing field has expanded. The job of delivering training has become much, much tougher.

More and more people are on the go and need training wherever they are: in the office, at home or on the road. Now you need to deliver training to TVs, desktops, laptops, smart phones and tablets. Most of these are attached to the Internet, but not all the time. Not everyone is on the same continent, let alone in the same satellite footprint. That means not everyone can participate at the same time, so you need the on-demand experience to be as rich as the live experience.

There have been piecemeal approaches to delivering training across all of these environments, so it’s possible to address each scenario individually with point solutions. But it is most ideal to address them with a single, integrated, video-based training and delivery platform. You need an enterprise-wide solution. You need a system that understands that it must be part of a complex environment with subsidiaries, divisions, regions and districts. You need a platform that integrates with your learning management system and yet can also track the training activities with more granular data.

TEMPO is the first of its kind video-centric delivery platform that addresses all these training needs using a single integrated tool. It allows you to deliver synchronous training to a remote class or a remote individual. Mobile workers on laptops, smart phones and tablets can participate in a live training event or catch up on their own time by viewing an interactive video-on-demand.

For the first time, there is an integrated platform that provides the high quality video-centric training demanded by business in the 21st century.

Rick Darby
Rick Darby is President of SEDATA, LLC , consultants specializing in video-centric Interactive Distance Learning and technology-based training.

Tempo Rocks...and James Brown Knows it!

2013-06-28T09:37:00.001-07:00

Solutions Engineering: Noun: Assurance that products and services fit each customer, and that these services are applicable to both horizontal and vertical markets targeted for the use of Tempo!

Now let me introduce myself: James Brown, (yes, I can dance) Solutions Engineer. I joined the Tempo team this week, and spent time in Hauppauge, NY meeting my new team members and investigating the technology that is Tempo.

I was excited to see the mechanics of technology creation in motion. The Tempo team defining, designing, documenting, and planning for the delivery of a digital signage feature. But this was only a small subset of the truly focused, service-oriented delivery machine that is Tempo. My initiation, (they call this jumping from the pot to the fire where I come from) to real service support was watching the team react in real time supporting a live customer's network. The immediate call to action of the team and the rapid resolution of the issue gave me a thrill to see that process, protocol, and engineering proficiency are native to the team I've joined. I also jumped into the mix of determining the success criteria (internal and external) for the Tempo Satellite Challenge. It sounds "Field of Dream-ish", but actually is a fabulous idea based on taking a built out satellite network and extending a formerly limited audience network to any mobile employee anywhere. Cool!

My background: For those that are meeting me for the first time, I bring a history of electronic design engineering, satellite system engineering, cellular networks and services design, and yes software products - as my last job was with KenCast as the Director of Sales and Marketing.

I am, as I mentioned, thrilled to be a part of the Tempo team, and look forward to focusing all my efforts on the global success of this service product that can reach any device, anywhere at anytime.

Flying with Ann

2013-06-21T08:13:00.001-07:00

The End User Could be Next to You!

Yesterday, I boarded a flight home following a week on the road. The adjacent seat was occupied by a very sweet, southern lady named Ann. She quickly introduced herself and advised that this was only the second time she had ever flown in an airplane and to excuse her if she got too nervous. I did my best to assure her that everything would be alright.

We struck up a nice conversations that winded through her life in rural Georgia, her children, the Braves, and then onto her employer. It turns out that Ann is a regular user of our Tempo platform. This was my lucky day.

I inquired about her Tempo experience. She shared that she is often intimidated by technology. In both her work and home lives, change and new technology have recently been hitting her at "too wicked a pace." As a result, she avoided Tempo for as long as she could.

When she finally had no other choice, she approached it apprehensively, logging in from a mobile device that she had only recently mastered. After completing her first training course, she said that she felt empowered. "Tempo is really easy to use."

She also shared that many of her co-workers have had a similar experience. Whew!

The conversation served as an important reminder that although our Tempo team is deeply engrossed in the world of technology, our users are not. Our solutions must always be simple and inviting, as should our service. When someone calls our help desk, we need to always remember that our users may not be as technically sophisticated as we are. We must be clear and competent. Fortunately, we are.

After landing, Ann shook my hand and said she was going to tell everyone at work that she "sat next to The Tempo Man." But the pleasure was all mine. Thanks Ann.

Ed Behan, Vice President of Enterprise Services, Globecomm

As Markets Evolve: A Perspective From Streaming Media East

2013-05-23T07:36:00.000-07:00

Ever since I first entered the streaming media market many years ago, Streaming Media's website, publications, and trade shows have been those reliable destinations for me to sharpen my view of the market, meet like-minded people, and help contribute to strategic direction of our Tempo platform.

This week, Globecomm exhibited at Streaming Media East in NYC. As always, the show provided me an opportunity to catch up with colleagues and meet new people who share a passion for streaming media. However, there was something unsettling about this year's show that I could not quite put my finger on.

Then I realized it was that many of those familiar faces, who helped define streaming media in the enterprise, were not in attendance. I sent notes to a few to ask why they skipped the show. The reply was almost unanimous: they were too busy tending to their networks and customers.

Today, many of those pioneers who created this industry are realizing their vision of a connected enterprise, with video content elevating discourse across their organizations. The scale and complexity of their networks continues to expand, as does the importance of their mission. As they look down the road, they see the applications for their services expanding to include digital signage, learning, and an explosion of mobile applications.

All of this results in exciting and busy times for media managers. For me, I find it bittersweet that a consequence of their wild success is that we do not get to catch up at events like this. I guess that is what happens as markets evolve.

Ed Behan, Vice President Enterprise Services, Globecomm

Strategy and Creativity Matters Most in Today’s Media Communications

2013-05-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the 2013 Spring Communications Media Management Association (CMMA) Professional Development Conference at McDonald’s campus in Oakbrook, Illinois. CMMA is the premier organization for media managers and provides professional development and networking for many enterprise organizations, such as Best Buy, Bank of America, Microsoft and Monsanto. Its always rewarding to hear that Globecomm’s Tempo product is the perfect solution to many of the challenges that Media Managers are facing today. With one platform delivering enterprise video everywhere, Tempo solves many of the headaches that these managers face within their organization.

This year’s conference was themed, “Get a Seat at the Table” and encourages Media Managers to become a strategic partner with all of their internal departments by:

· Consistently building and providing trust with their Senior leadership

· Continuously making a creative impact

· Defining an internal brand and promoting it within the company

The overall content of this year’s conference was fantastic and very well received from all attendees. I have two personal favorite keynote speakers from last week, which I would like to share.

The first was Ms. Bridget Coffing, Chief Communications Officer and SVP Corporate Relations, McDonalds. Bridget’s session was focused on the power and importance of strategic communications. From the moment Bridget began her presentation her honest and sincere perspective on the state of her business today was compelling. Bridget has been with McDonald’s since 2000 and she quickly reminded us that in 2005 McDonald’s was being slammed in the media from almost every direction as the company posted their first ever revenue decline. She discussed the importance of a team’s ability to develop and apply corporate messages in both favorable and unfavorable times as long as the over-all message “gets it right”. One of the most eye opening statements she provided was McDonald’s being mentioned in the media 22 times every second. Wow, that is a lot of communications to keep up with!

Another great keynote was delivered by Francesco Cordua, Director, Retail Design forMcDonald’s. Francesco leads the very talented team who transformed the McDonald’s brand strategy. With a direct, quick-witted confidence, his presentation focused on how design is strategic and creative decisions not only matter to the brand, but most times they define the brand. He provided examples of how McDonalds’s Creative Services overcame the challenge of finding their strategic partnerships and seats at the table.

Aside from the great content of this year’s spring conference the Tempo team also had a lot of laughs with our customers and prospective customers. One of my favorite moments was viewing the Tempo partner video. This was our first year to participate in the partner video segment and I think Tempo did a great job engaging the organization on our product. Our piece is different; a little edgy with a really cool soundtrack. We accomplished exactly what we intended to do; inspire intrigue and curiosity about Tempo.

“What is Tempo?”... exactly what people were asking after watching. That was precisely our strategy.

Check it out for yourself http://tempoeverywhere.com/videohome.html

Jennifer Flavin, Manager Enterprise Sales at Globecomm

A New World for Corporate Trainers

2013-05-02T14:06:00.000-07:00

I remember how it used to be when I was the client using the old Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) approach to corporate training. We wanted to deliver high quality, video-centric content, but to get that beautiful full motion video experience; we had to put up with a lot of inconvenience and compromise. I also remember using those old two line black and white keypads to answer the instructor’s questions – the ones with umbilical cords strung all over the classroom. We had to tape the cords down just so folks wouldn’t trip.

These days, I’ve been spending a lot of time lately working with clients as they bring up their new TEMPO systems. The thing that strikes me the most is that TEMPO opens up a whole new world of convenience and flexibility to the corporate trainer.

Authoring courseware with an arcane set of PowerPoint add-ons used to require special PC software. We even had to upgrade our PC hardware just to get the add-ons to work. We would have to check for add-on patches and upgrades anytime there was a new release of MS Office. So basically, we ended up having to have special workstations just to be a courseware author. Our viewing options were limited, too. IDL meant only viewing on a TV monitor or a specially-configured PC. As the company went global, we were hamstrung by our North American satellite footprint. Operations outside the footprint were left in the dark, but bringing up additional satellites meant a huge increase in monthly charges.

Remarkably, TEMPO has changed all that. My TEMPO clients use full color, touch sensitive wireless keypads for interactivity. There are no wires to string and nothing for them to trip over. Anyone with PowerPoint, a browser and the right permissions can be a TEMPO courseware author. Tracking down add-on releases, patches and upgrades are no longer necessary.

My clients can deliver TEMPO courseware to a variety of devices: wide screen high definition TV monitors, PCs, laptops, tablets or smartphones. These devices can be connected by Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Edge, 3G or 4G. They are no longer held hostage in satellite footprint prison. Their courses go wherever the Internet goes without paying those huge monthly satellite channel charges.

TEMPO has changed the IDL game for my clients. This platform offers flexibility and convenience all while delivering that beautiful HD full motion video experience.

I say, “Welcome to the New World!”

Rick Darby
Rick Darby is President of SEDATA, LLC , consultants specializing in video-centric Interactive Distance Learning and technology-based training.

Where will Enterprise Video be in March 2016?

2013-04-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

Last month, I had an opportunity to speak at a regional meeting of the Communications Media Management Association (CMMA) at the JC Penney Corporate Headquarters in Plano, Texas. The event had a great format, where half a dozen technology companies each had twenty minutes to articulate their vision of where we will be in three years. Kind of like speed dating for techies.

The overall theme of my segment was that the use of video in the enterprise will dramatically increase over the next three years. This will create challenges and opportunities. They were summarized into four segments:

• IT Rises to the Challenge - IT infrastructure investment has been curtailed in recent years. This has led to a considerable amount of aged and capacity-limited infrastructure remaining deployed across many corporations. This creates a real challenge as video proliferation will require upgrading many of these systems. Other video-driven challenges to IT include mobility, security, bring your own device, and a lack of video expertise. Our view is that IT organizations will rise to meet this challenge in the coming years.

• Relevance & The Media Manager – One would think that the growth of enterprise video is a good thing for the Media Manager. It is. However, this will also result in change. The Media Manager will need to adapt to remain relevant in the future. Aside from executing their current responsibilities, media managers will need to focus on three new roles to remain relevant: Subject Matter Expert on video quality and distribution to their IT organization, Mentor on quality techniques to help associates creating their own quality content, and Trusted Source in guiding their organization to reliable third-party content.

• Applications, Applications, & More Apps – The market today does an excellent job in providing solutions for corporate communications. Webcasting and video portal solutions are well evolved and meet the needs of the enterprise. However, the use of video extends far beyond corporate communications. Our view is that in the next three year, the market will witness an explosion of applications in five areas: Corporate Training, Digital Signage, Social Media, Third Party Content, and Industry-specific Mobile Apps.

• The Integrated Enterprise – As video proliferates across the enterprise, it will need to integrate with more and more IT systems. Today, we integrate with LDAP and Learning Management Systems. However, this will expand to include Media Asset Management systems, Video Conferencing Technology, Mobile Enterprise Apps, and countless others. In many ways, this presents the greatest long-term challenge to today’s technology providers.

In the coming weeks, we will post deeper dives into these topics on this web site. In the meantime you can go here to view a video of my presentation. In addition, you can go here to view the Prezi of our CMMA presentation.

Feel free to comment. We are anxious to hear your perspective.

Ed Behan, Vice President of Enterprise Services at Globecomm