Creating a conference room in the digital transformation era! How introducing ICT and audiovisual equipment can create a comfortable office space

As hybrid meetings become commonplace, many businesses are facing new challenges. Understanding these challenges and responding appropriately is key to designing effective meeting rooms in the digital transformation era.

Let's start by looking at some of the key challenges and impacts of hybrid meetings.

One problem with hybrid meetings is that communication gaps can easily arise between in-person and online participants.

• The atmosphere of the meeting room is difficult to convey to online participants
• It's hard to know when to speak

To address this issue, it will be necessary to devise ways to increase the presence of online participants and to develop mechanisms to promote two-way communication.

When hybrid meetings are held in traditional conference rooms, issues with information sharing are likely to arise.

• Unable to share meeting room whiteboard content with online participants
• Projecting materials onto a monitor makes it difficult to see the reactions of online participants
• It is difficult to know whether information is being properly conveyed to everyone.

To solve these problems, new information-sharing mechanisms that utilize digital technology and spatial designs that take into consideration both real-life and online participants are required.

Audio and visual quality is important in hybrid meetings. However, traditional conference room equipment is said to be prone to the following problems:

• It is difficult to hear online participants in the conference room.
• Not all participants in the meeting room are visible on camera

To solve these technical problems, it is necessary to introduce appropriate ICT and audiovisual equipment and to design the space in order to place them effectively.

In the digital transformation era, conference rooms are being asked to fulfill new functions and roles that differ from traditional ones. The following three elements are attracting attention as important bases for integrating real and online, accommodating diverse working styles, and increasing organizational creativity and productivity.

To hold comfortable hybrid meetings, it is important to incorporate appropriate ICT, audiovisual technology into the conference room.

For example, by using high-performance cameras, microphones, and large monitors, you can communicate smoothly with online participants. Using a 360-degree camera and a highly sensitive microphone will allow online participants to easily sense the atmosphere of the conference room, and will improve non-verbal communication issues.

Recently, many devices suitable for hybrid meetings have appeared. Please consider using the latest ICT and audiovisual technology with high functionality.

​It is important not to simply add monitors and microphones to a conventional conference room, but to integrate ICT and audiovisual equipment into the spatial design and have them function as one.

By integrating spatial design with ICT and audiovisual equipment, you can create a meeting room that is easy to use and meets your needs. For example, by effectively arranging multiple displays at eye level, you can simultaneously display materials and online participants, improving the efficiency of information sharing.

In addition, by arranging chairs or sofas in a conference room side by side and capturing their images with a wide-angle camera in a highly immersive manner, it is possible to design a realistic space that allows online participants to feel as if they are actually there.

If we can create a conference room that combines livability, convenience, and design, it will be much easier to use.

Hybrid meetings require an environment where both in-person and online participants can participate comfortably.

It is especially important to prepare a good acoustic environment. Introducing high-performance microphones and speakers and properly arranging sound-absorbing materials will prevent echoes and distortion of the audio, enabling you to have clear conversations.

Furthermore, efforts to narrow the gap between the real and online worlds, such as displaying online participants in life-size on a large display, will lead to a more comfortable experience for all participants.

There are many benefits for companies when they skillfully combine ICT and audiovisual technology suited to hybrid meetings with spatial design to evolve conference rooms into comfortable spaces for participants. We will introduce the main advantage with concrete examples.

For example, using a high-performance microphone, wide-angle HD camera, or 360-degree camera will allow online participants to see the meeting clearly. This will facilitate smoother communication between participants and improve the efficiency of the meeting.

By placing multiple large monitors in front of the participants, everyone can easily see the materials and the expressions of online participants. If you use a touch panel, you can smoothly display materials on multiple monitors, allowing you to share information without interrupting the flow of the meeting.

This will help the meeting proceed smoothly, leaving more time for substantive discussions.

By introducing sound-absorbing curtains, appropriate lighting, and other features to suit the space, you can help participants maintain focus and make meetings more productive.

If we could achieve smooth communication that is the same for online participants as for those who are in person, we could even choose to participate online in meetings that previously required in-person attendance. Since the travel time and costs of online participants are reduced, it will become easier for more people to participate in meetings and decision-making will become faster.

Hybrid meetings allow participants to participate from locations other than the office, making them suitable for a variety of working styles, including telework (work remotely).

This will improve the work-life balance of employees, which will ultimately lead to increased engagement.

The introduction of ICT and audiovisual equipment makes it easier to communicate beyond physical distance, stimulating communication across departments and locations.

The exchange of diverse opinions and ideas will generate new concepts, which will contribute to the growth of the organization, such as creating innovation and promoting human resource development.

When designing a conference room in the digital transformation era, the most important thing is to create a space that matches the "purpose." Since the required functions and facilities differ depending on the type of conference and the composition of participants, a design that matches each purpose is necessary.

Below we will introduce some key points for creating space and specific ideas for different purposes for typical meetings.

There is a need for an environment where both real-life and online participants can comfortably share information.

• The seats are arranged side-by-side to ensure visibility on the monitor and camera.
• Introduction of multiple large monitors that make it easier to see the facial expressions of online participants

The key is to have a flexible space design that promotes communication among participants and encourages free thinking.

• Installation of a circular sofa so that all participants can easily make eye contact
• Introducing 360-degree cameras to deliver immersive video to online participants

In meetings where important decisions are made, such as executive meetings, accurate information transmission and high functionality are required.

• Installing ceiling-embedded microphones to prevent audio loss
• Installation of large monitors to make it easy for online participants to view materials

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For tips on conference room layout and arrangement, please also refer to the following article.

As we have seen, when designing conference rooms in the digital transformation era, it is important to create spaces that effectively combine spatial design with ICT and audiovisual equipment. Rather than simply installing equipment such as microphones and monitors, a comprehensive design tailored to the purpose of the conference and the needs of the participants will lead to the creation of a comfortable hybrid conference environment.

However, many people may be wondering what specific design and equipment selection would be best for their company.

At ITOKI, we have teams dedicated to both spatial design and ICT, and we are able to support the creation of cutting-edge spaces that are truly easy to use. Our strength is our ability to propose cutting-edge office spaces that combine both functionality and design.

We have also compiled ITOKI's know-how in a book called "Guide to Introducing ICT and Audio-Visual Equipment in Conference Rooms." This guide provides more detailed explanations of the optimal spatial design for hybrid conferences, examples of integrating ICT and audio-visual equipment, and the key points for purpose-specific design introduced in this column.
Please download the files from the following page and use them to create a comfortable conference room in your company.