Embrace Being an Information Technology Integrator

Mike Pedersen, CTS-D, CTS-I

“The world has changed. I see it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost, For none now live who remember it.”

 

It continues to amaze me that so many people in the professional AV world are still having such a hard time accepting this: AV is IT. Yes, it is different from our AV of old, it is new, but increasingly it is hard to argue against. The fact remains that “The AV world has changed.” Each individual and organization that operates in pro AV needs to start making the decision: will we embrace the new reality of IT in our industry? It is time.

Again, I personally don’t really understand all the hesitancy. IT stands for “Information Technology.” Is not everything we do in AV based around using technology to share visual and auditory information with people? So even at the base definition level, we are doing IT work. But beyond that, let’s look at some technologies that have more traditionally been considered “IT” technology: computers, software, computer networks, cloud technologies, and servers. In higher education circles, how many classrooms are equipped either with a house computer, or a connection for a BYOD computer, or both? Computers – check. Software; what do you think is below the surface of your favorite AV hardware component today? In most cases, it is no longer custom chips designed for a very narrow AV focus; they are using some type of CPU that runs what? Yep, you guessed it, software! Or how many custom bits of software focused fully on pro AV are on your computer, phone, or tablet right now? Extron PCS? Crestron SIMPL? Biamp Tesira? Shure Designer? Software – check. What about computer networks? How many AV devices today have a network port on them? How many AV systems have you installed in the last year that have only one (or zero) network ports needed? How many AV systems have you installed in the last year that only provide control over RS-232 or relays? Networks – check. XIO Cloud anyone? Cloud – check. QSC Q-SYS Core 5200 Enterprise Processor running on a standard Dell R740s server? Servers – check. I don’t think I need to go on. 

There is only one thing left to do – embrace becoming an IT integrator. Yes, a very specialized IT integrator; an IT integrator with unique and important skills in optics and acoustics, but an IT integrator nonetheless.

Some of us have already been put into a position for success in this because we currently operate inside the IT department at our institution. We are that way here at Iowa State University. Under my direct supervisor, my peers are managers of network engineering, 

network architecture, endpoint technologies (computers), cable plant (network cabling), communications and collaboration, and others. By organization structure, I am already in the thick of all things IT here on my campus. For me to embrace the IT world is natural; it is built directly into our organizational structure. For others, your organizational structure places you as an entity separate from IT. For you, I would strongly encourage you to consider petitioning to have your AV team moved to your IT department. It will make your access so much easier to the network, security, and server teams that are now critical infrastructure for your AV installations. But even if that does not happen, you can start to make the effort to change to an IT mindset.

If you are an organization that needs to use outside contractors for your installation work, you should start to look for contractors that are choosing to make the IT transition. Ask them about their thoughts on AV/IT. Start to insist on some pure IT certifications within the integrators you use. Ask them to show you their written processes or standards on network security for networked AV devices.

So, what does it look like to become an IT integrator? There are a few things you might consider to help you make the shift:

Mindset. First and foremost, it takes embracing the mindset that AV really is a division of IT now.

Organizational Training. To be a functioning member of the greater IT community, it is up to us to take efforts to learn about how the IT community operates and some terminology used. I recommend starting with an overview class on ITIL. ITIL is a framework for how an IT organization may choose to operate. It helps structure your organization’s IT service management (ITSM) including concepts like service portfolio/catalog, change management, incident management, and continuous improvement. There are other courses on ITSM, so I would seek out others in the IT community at your institution and ask them about their ITSM framework and what they might recommend. It may be tempting to dive right into technical training, but you will do yourself a service to first learn the structures of a good IT organization and the management terminology they use.

Technical Training. After you understand the structure, another good training course and certification to consider is A+ from CompTIA. This will help lay the groundwork for core skills for IT professionals like device configuration, troubleshooting, backup/data protection, and basic security skills. Then you may want to get very specific based upon the ecosystem in use at your institution. For example, if your institution is based on a Cisco ecosystem, then consider CCT or CCNA.

Networking. Yes, TCP/IP style computer networking is part of being an IT person, but here I am referring to human networking. Take some time and effort to get to know other IT professionals in different specialties other than AV. Clearly, experts in networking, security, and communication/collaboration come to the top of mind. Ask them questions, listen, and learn. Ask them how they view AV. Ask them what they would like to see done differently with AV from an IT mindset. If you have taken the time to learn about ITSM structures and terminology, you may be surprised what kind of respect they may grant you.

The fact of the matter is that the AV blend into IT is not going away anytime soon. IT people are already installing devices that we once thought belonged only in our realm, and the manufacturers will continue to help them. Manufacturers will continue to devise methods for their devices to self-configure like automatic acoustic tuning. As the world continues to move toward more flat panel displays, the concepts of projector alignment and throw distance will continue to fall away. And AV-over-IP will continue to expand in the marketplace. History shows that consumer AV often drives where pro AV goes. Consumer AV is rapidly going away from making any physical connections at all. More and more consumers will simply buy a smart TV, plug it into power, set it up on their wireless network, and just stream away. I’d go so far as to predict that HDMI, DisplayPort, and HD-SDI will be the last three dedicated video connection formats in history; they will not have dedicated successors. Instead, connections will move more and more toward IT connections: wired network, wireless network, and USB (and the successors to USB). AV is IT, and it will only continue to merge in the future.

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Ring series, Galadriel also says “Maybe the paths that you each shall tread are already laid before your feet, though you do not see them.” The IT path has been laid at the feet of AV professionals for years now. It is past time to see it.

Get to know: Mike Pedersen

Mike Pedersen joined Iowa State University in the summer of 2018 as the Audiovisual Experience Manager.  Mike has been working in the engineering industry for over 26 years.  For the last 21 years, he has been focused on the professional audiovisual (AV) industry where he has become recognized as an expert.  He holds both the Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) certifications in Design (CTS-D) and Installation (CTS-I); he is one of the approximately 520 people in the world to hold both certifications.  In 2018, the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (AVIXA), the primary industry association for professional AV, recognized Mike as CTS Holder of the Year.  He currently serves as Chair of the Technology Manager’s Council and a member of the Certification Steering Committee for AVIXA.  Mike is a founding member of the Higher Education Technology Managers Alliance (HETMA) and co-founder of the Big 12 Technology Manager’s Alliance.

At Iowa State, Mike leads a team responsible for maintaining the AV systems in over 200 general university classrooms.  The Audiovisual Experience Team (AVXT) also assists with AV consulting, installation, and repairs in college and departmental spaces across the university.  Mike spends extensive time meeting with individuals to find out how audiovisual systems can make them better in whatever role they serve.

Prior to joining Iowa State, Mike worked for the AV Engineering and Integration firm Mechdyne Corporation for almost 19 years.  While at Mechdyne he served several roles including systems engineer, IT manager, manager of project engineering, research and development, and pre-sales engineering. He taught classes on AV extensively both inside and outside of Mechdyne.  He has also previously worked for John Deere and Engineering Animation Incorporated (EAI).

Mike is an active volunteer in the community.  He advocates extensively for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education.  He is currently a governor appointee to the governor’s North Central Iowa Regional STEM Advisory Board.  He has served as chair of the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) partnership team for the Marshalltown Community School District and on the advisory board for the Broadcasting/Digital Media program at Marshalltown Community College.  He has also been very active in the churches he has attended, serving in many leadership roles including Elder and Technology Leader.

Mike is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) where he served as chair of the Central Iowa Section.  Mike is a past invited participant to the National Security Forum (NSF.)  In addition to the CTS certificates, Mike holds certificates in ITIL Foundation, Extron Audiovisual Associate (EAVA), and OSHA-10.

Mike is a 1994 graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science degree with distinction in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in History.

Twitter Linkedin