The Black Box and Open Source Intersection in Workplace Collaboration Solutions

 

Today’s office spaces continue to represent a paradigm shift from segmented, non-creative workspaces to the exact opposite. Technology has accelerated this shift towards intimacy and customization, and with that comes the need for the right solutions, particularly for today’s communal and meeting spaces.

“We’re at a place now where true global room standards are paramount to the success of an enterprise,” Tom Spearman, Executive Vice President at Diversified said.

Spearman noted on today’s episode of the MarketScale Pro AV Podcast that meeting rooms have changed and expanded in number while shrinking in space. Instead of four, 16-seat rooms, offices are more inclined to create 16 four-seat areas, and the needs of these spaces are very different.

Finding an all-encompassing solution to the diverse layout of offices across the globe will be key to AV integrators, Spearman said. This solution will also have to be compatible with modern expectations of seamless user-experience. This means that neither the completely custom solution nor the one-stop-shop black box solution will be viable; the more successful competitive solutions will need to be technology agnostic and efficient.

“What we’re seeing is, where hardwire solutions were the de facto standard for many, many years, I think people have the expectation now that when they walk into a conference room that their first option for connectivity is a wireless presentation gateway,” Spearman said. “A hardwire connection falls into the category of their backup connection.”

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication. A new episode of the Pro AV Show drops every Thursday.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @ProAVMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Career success
A CEO’s Blueprint for Career Success: Leading with Love to Drive Performance and Culture
March 10, 2026

Leadership right now feels heavier than it did just a few years ago. Teams are stretched, expectations are high, and many employees are quietly disengaged. In fact, Gallup’s 2025 U.S. data shows that only about 31% of employees are actively engaged at work, leaving the majority feeling disconnected or indifferent. For CEOs and senior…

Read More
employer-sponsored apprenticeships
The Degree That Pays You Back: How Employer-Sponsored Apprenticeships Are Rewriting Higher Ed
March 9, 2026

Higher education is under pressure. Over the past few years, public confidence in the value of a four-year degree has declined significantly, with fewer Americans expressing a strong belief that traditional higher education delivers a worthwhile return on investment. At the same time, employers consistently report that graduates lack job-ready skills—particularly the “durable skills”…

Read More
Denial Data
Turning Denial Data Into Action: How Healthcare Organizations Can Fight Back Against Payer Denials
March 5, 2026

Healthcare providers across the U.S. are facing a growing wave of claim denials that is putting pressure on already strained hospital finances. Industry research from the American Hospital Association shows that nearly 15% of medical claims submitted to private payers are initially denied, forcing hospitals and health systems to spend about $19.7 billion annually attempting…

Read More
Jabra
ISE 2026: Jabra Unveils Scalable Room Solutions for the Hybrid Workplace
March 5, 2026

At ISE 2026, Jabra highlighted how meeting technology is evolving to support the realities of hybrid work, where the experience must be equally effective for people inside and outside the room. In a conversation with Craig Durr, Chief Analyst and Founder of The Collab Collective, Jabra’s VP of Video Product Olly Henderson explained that…

Read More