It's time to design your meeting space. Whether you're starting from scratch or updating your current workspace, there are numerous details to consider during the design process. Smarter Systems specializes in room design and below are seven key points we suggest thinking about when designing your conference space.
1) Keep the Users in Mind
The main focus when designing a meeting space is the users of the room. What will the users be doing in this room? Will the space be used primarily for in-person meetings or virtual video conferencing or a combination? These questions will lead your decisions on the best way to design your space.
2) Spacing, sight lines, and ergonomics
This is one of the most common factors we see people forget to take into consideration when designing a meeting room. There are industry best practices on specifications for the correct furniture size, display size, and audio systems based on the spacing and design of a room. Each person in the room should have equivalent experiences with the audio and visual components, which requires strategic and calculated planning. Check out our guide for selecting what size display work best for your space by clicking below.
3) Minimal Distractions
The average attention span of an adult is 10-20 minutes. Adding an abundance of distractions in a meeting space can severely limit productivity. Distractions can include loud color schemes, excessive art, and even windows facing busy viewpoints. When you’re designing your meeting space, consider what will be aesthetically pleasing while still simple enough to reduce distractions.
4) Furniture Options
When you think of a traditional conference room, what do you see? For many, the answer is a large table in the middle of the room with chairs all around it and a display at one end. While this has proven to be a great solution, it may not be right for your space or needs. Consider utilizing moveable furniture with breakaway tables. Having personal space and the ability to break into smaller groups is a great way to give your conference space a higher level of functionality.
5) Natural Lighting
Natural light from windows can help create a more serene space which isn’t overpowered by artificial light sources. Without an ability to control the amount of natural light in a space introduces the possibility of glare on displays which then diminish the user experience. Always remember where your windows are and think about motorized shades when designing your meeting space to ensure the best experience for all users.
6) Acoustics
Acoustics is one of the most important pieces in a meeting space. A room can be beautiful, but if the sound is off, the overall experience is downgraded. Aspects to consider include the type of material the floor, walls and ceiling are, the number of windows in the space, and how high the ceilings are. Soft surfaces absorb noise, so a room with hardwood floors and multiple windows will have a greater echo effect than that of a room with carpet and few windows. The more hard surfaces, the more money you’ll spend on your audio systems to ensure a good experience. Ensuring your audio system pairs correctly with your room acoustics is a key factor in your room design.
7) Investing in High-quality Audio and Visual Equipment
We hear every type of industry expert instruct consumers to invest the money in buying high-quality products. The AV industry it is no different. That does not mean you must always purchase the highest ticket items, but we do recommend investing in the right audio and video equipment for your space. Here is a list of the top conference room technology of 2020.
As always, the Smarter Systems team is here to help you achieve success in any AV project. Our experts can help engineer the right system for your use case and space. Click here to schedule your free design consultation today!
