Collaboration displays are quickly becoming a critical part of the modern meeting room. These interactive screens offer companies a way to bridge the gaps between remote and in-office employees, enhance creative work, and streamline interactions.
While collaborative displays' features can vary, they’re all designed to enhance and optimize how teams share content and knowledge in the modern workplace. Analysts predict that by 2026, the market for collaboration displays will be worth an impressive $957 million, driven by the growing focus on hybrid and remote work.
The challenge for business leaders is determining which displays they should install in their meeting rooms and focus spaces. Based on our reviews of interactive screens and AV technology, we’re sharing our top tips on comparing collaboration display vendors in 2024.
Step 1: Determine Your Use Cases and Goals
When you compare collaboration display vendors, the first step is to determine what you want to achieve with these innovative devices. Start by looking at the types of meeting rooms in your workplace. If you’re creating large conference rooms where teams can host all-hands meetings and training sessions, you may want larger displays with which multiple people can interact simultaneously.
For smaller meeting spaces and focus rooms, you may want compact displays that support BYOM (Bring Your Own Meeting) initiatives. This will ensure team members can connect to the display from any device, such as smartphones and tablets, to share content without cables and wires.
Once you’ve considered the size of your meeting room, look at how teams are likely to use your collaboration displays. Will they simply be sharing content with other employees and remote workers, or do they need to be able to use the screen like an interactive whiteboard?
Should the display be portable, with a built-in stand that you can move into different meeting spaces as needed, or will you keep the solution in one specific space?
Step 2: Look at Your Existing Technology
The next step in choosing the right collaboration display for your meeting space is to consider your existing technology. You may already have hardware in your meeting room you want to connect with your new display, such as a video bar or a set of speakers and microphones.
Most leading market vendors will ensure that their displays can integrate with all of the endpoints you’re already using. If you don’t have any existing tech to consider, on the other hand, you may consider choosing a display with built-in cameras and microphones, minimizing the amount of hardware your teams need to configure when setting up meetings.
Another point to think about is the software your teams use for collaboration. For instance, if your employees already rely on Microsoft Teams for meetings, you may want to consider a screen or display designed explicitly for that solution. You could purchase a display from Microsoft or a partner vendor with Microsoft Teams Rooms already built-in.
Ensure your solution also supports “bring your own meeting” or device connectivity so your staff members can easily share their screens and connect their devices to the display for quick and convenient collaboration.
Step 3: Compare Collaboration Display Features
Now, you’re ready to compare collaboration display vendors based on their solutions' features. Most of these interactive screens will include similar capabilities. Many vendors now offer displays with exceptional resolution (4K or above), and many screens will have touchscreen capabilities so teams can annotate documents, draw pictures, and quickly brainstorm ideas.
