Design tools to plan & deploy AV infrastructure
Problem Statement
Planning and deployment of AV infrastructure is a multi-staged detail-oriented task which usually spans from paper to non-standard CAD diagrams. This often results in a lack of alignment between stakeholders and hence loss of efficiency and time.
My work
• Workshops with the client
• Contextual enquiry
• Secondary research
• Information architecture
• Design system & Interaction framework
• Interactive prototyping
Contextual Inquiry
AVDL is led by Sunil Botadra, who has successfully planned and deployed AV infrastructure for clients such as Apple, Google, and the likes. With the help of Sunil and his team, I formed an understanding of the processes and methods of this domain.
My aim with the contextual inquiry was to:
• Understand the methods and processes followed end-to-end
• Understand and establish the objects in the system
In terms of the process, there are broadly 4 stages in the process of successful deployment of infrastructure:
• Stage 1 • Site survey
• Stage 2 • Signal map (hand sketch) & initial BOM
• Stage 3 • Signal flow diagram
• Stage 4 • Final BOM
An illustration of the 4 stages of planning of AV infrastructure and the evolution of technical objects through them
My inquiry also led me to understand that there are 3 kinds of objects that the system contains:
• Technical objects
• Architectural fixtures
• Layout/Space objects
Further, out of these 3 objects, the most relevant to the eventual planning are technical and space objects. And, both these objects evolve through the 4 stages of the process. This evolution is explained below.
Stage 1 • Site survey and a hand sketch
A site engineer will visit the site and conduct a survey, to come up with an actual paper hand sketch, which is basically visual notes of the requirements on the site. These requirements are documented in the form of the layout of the site - the space size, fixtures and any other relevant construction details, and, the technical objects that will be deployed on the site.
At this stage, the technical objects are marked on a basic drawing of the venue, and, some information added to them.
Here are a few pages from the notebooks of site surveyors:
A hand sketch of a small conference room
A hand sketch of a large conference room
Stage 2 • Signal map (hand sketch) & initial BOM
The final hand sketch is then relayed to the engineering team which creates a signal map, in which technical objects are shown, but without any connections across them.
Accompanying this final hand sketch is a bill of material (BOM) that presents an estimate of the expenses for the devices indicated in the signal map.
... and a hand sketch of the whole signal flow itself
Stage 3 • Signal flow diagram
Once the signal map and BOM is approved by the client, the signal map is detailed out into a signal flow map.
At this stage, technical objects are detailed in terms of the specific components and sub-components that are required for the deployment.
A signal flow diagram illustrating the devices, components, connections and flow of signal across them
Stage 4 • Final BOM
Once the detailed signal flow looks good, a final BOM is generated and shared with the client for approval and purchase of the electronics and electrical material.
Finally, when all looks good, work is taken from the paper sheets and screens onto brick and mortar, and, the installation is commenced.
Design system
The design system for this project is 3-pronged:
1. General design system
2. Objects and interaction reference for the site survey app
3. Objects' reference for the signal flow planner
General design system
Objects and interaction reference for the site survey mobile app
Instead of a lot of mockups for all the screens, I created an interaction reference document for the site survey app as well as the signal mapping and flow diagramming. This helped in easier alignment with product and dev team.
Objects' reference for the signal flow planner
At the signal flow stage, the technical objects range from minimum detail to component-level detail. Additionally, equipment rack gets added to the signal flow diagram.
Technical objects in the signal map vs signal flow diagram
In the signal map, there can be detail only to the extent that an equipment proposal can be added
In the signal flow diagram, the approved equipment is nuanced with the components and its connections across the infra.
Equipment Rack in the signal map vs signal flow diagram
In the signal map, there can be detail only to the extent that the equipment rack itself will be expressed to the client.
In the signal flow diagram, the approved equipment rack is nuanced with the components and its connections across the infra.
Below is how a signal map can appear, with only the bare minimum detail of the technical objects and equipment rack shown.
Shown below is a signal flow diagram, which illustrated in-detail all the components and connections across them, including the equipment rack and components in it.
A prototype
I have created a walkthrough of where the engineering team takes over from the initial work done in the survey, to then:
• Prepare an initial map with the technical objects from the site survey
• On approval, prepare a signal flow diagram
• Eventually, prepare a BOM
This project is a WIP and is in its final phase.