LSA Technology Services’ Sight and Sounds Operations team services over 250 classrooms, aiming to provide excellent technology experiences in each and every one. With around 20 audio visual (AV) technicians servicing different types of rooms with multiple sets of standards, it’s important for technicians to stay current on the intricacies of each system. They may frequently work in the same area, losing familiarity with other buildings. Perhaps taking a cue from the instructors teaching in the rooms, the team implemented a peer review program to keep everybody up to date.
The idea started years ago with Jesse Miller, media consultant lead, creating a list of specialized skills for Jim Pyke, AV services coordinator, to use as a quick reference when assigning technicians to classes and events with unique needs. Miller and Pyke wanted to update the list but realized that over the pandemic they had lost track of who had core skills, such as playing a video clip from the AV booth, in each space.
To remedy this, Miller and Pyke, along with media consultants Anne Windsor and Mike McLean, listed the core skills that each technician needed to have. They also identified 17 spaces that can be more challenging, mostly composed of auditoriums and event spaces, to kick off the program. Finally, they created a mechanism that would ensure that technicians were up to date on their skills.
It was important to Miller and Pyke that while there needed to be accountability, they did not want to add extra stress to the technicians by creating something like a test or performance management. To avoid this, technicians can perform the core skills with any other technician, whether they’re brand new or have been there for years. This also allows technicians to focus on helping each other regardless of experience.
Technicians are expected to complete a review in each room once a year, visiting spaces when they have downtime. The program is beneficial for long-time staff like Pyke or Miller who may be in the rooms less frequently—Miller describes it as “keeping the rust from accumulating”—but also for new staff who are still gaining comfort with the rooms.
More rooms may be added in the future after people gain experience with and improve the current program. LSA Technology Services staff look forward to using their increased knowledge to better support classes and events.
