Commercial Integrator March 2023 - 3

EDITOR'S NOTE
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Refl ections
on ISE 2023
POST-PANDEMIC, commercial AV trade
shows have typically been graded on a curve.
In its heyday, InfoComm attained registeredattendance
fi gures approaching 45,000, as
compared to verifi ed attendance of roughly
19,700 at this past year's show. Despite that
disparity, most reporters and analysts - myself
included - judged InfoComm '22 a success.
With ISE 2023 now in the books, our conclusion
is equal parts distinct and remarkable:
This winter's exposition in
Barcelona didn't feel like a
pandemic-era show or a
post-pandemic show; rather, it
felt like a pre-pandemic show -
and the numbers prove it.
Over four days, ISE 2023 atISE
2023
didn't feel like
a pandemictracted
more than 58,107 unique
attendees from 155 countries.
As such, the show underscored
two key points: fi rst, in-person
AV events are well and truly
back; second, industry stakeholders
see particular value in
shows that bring together the commercial and
custom worlds. I expect we'll see those trends
amplifi ed even further this September during
the co-located CEDIA Expo and Commercial
Integrator Expo, which will bring a comprehensive
technology ecosystem to Denver.
Arguably, the most notable trend at ISE 2023
Pull quote
era show or a
post-pandemic
show; rather,
it felt like a
pre-pandemic
show.
their clients, industry stakeholders are increasingly
recognizing that having the fl exibility to
use diff erent manufacturers' solutions as part
of an " open garden, " interoperable system
can mean the diff erence between getting a
project closed out (and paid for) and having
it wither on the vine. Indeed, I've never heard
the phrase " closed garden " used so frequently
- and almost always derisively - in my 18
years attending trade events. The yin to that
yang is that lots of vendors were
also touting the breadth of their
off erings, referring to themselves
as providers of " end-to-end
solutions. "
Of course, ISE 2023 featured
abundant networking opportunities
with fellow #avtweeps,
and those conversations were
undoubtedly my show highlight.
Although much of this was old,
dear friends catching up (and
taking #avselfi es), I was gratifi ed
to hear more open, forthright
centered on how key vendors craſt ed their
booths. Gone were white walls festooned with
black boxes and accompanying explanatory
text; instead, attendees saw technologies presented
contextually in mock environments (e.g.,
lecture spaces, boardrooms, videoconferencing
suites). This underscores the transition from
a spec-sheet-driven mindset to an approach
grounded in the user experience. Aligned with
this experiential focus was a widespread recognition
that users aren't looking for the most
tricked-out equipment possible, but, rather, the
most functional and easily navigable solutions.
If I heard one refrain during ISE 2023, it was
" interoperability. " With supply-chain snarls
continuing to infl ict pain on integrators and
commercialintegrator.com
talk about equity and inclusion than ever before.
That manifested not only in the context of
DEI but also relative to mixed-mode meetings.
With so many organizations having fully leaned
into hybrid work, it's gratifying to see AV professionals
grappling with how to ensure that
all participants have equal stature and an equal
voice. Collaboration solutions that eff ect that
outcome will win out.
But amid all the talk of the hybrid revolution,
it's notable that the two extended conversations
I had about workforce management - one with
an integrator, one with a manufacturer - centered
on their shared commitment to having
their teams collaborate in person, face to face, in
physical offi ces. I must admit, their passionate,
articulately stated stances caught me off guard.
But maybe they shouldn't have. Aſt er all, we
were all there, in person, at ISE 2023, having an
experience we couldn't have had at home.
Dan Ferrisi, Editor-in-Chief
dan.ferrisi@emeraldx.com
EDITORIAL
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Commercial Integrator March 2023

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