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Similar to A New System: Questions to Ask When Embarking on a New Technology Purchase or Contract
Similar to A New System: Questions to Ask When Embarking on a New Technology Purchase or Contract (20)
A New System: Questions to Ask When Embarking on a New Technology Purchase or Contract
- 1. A NEW SYSTEM questions to ask when embarking on a new technology purchase or contract
- 2. OVERVIEW Universal Concepts & Questions Outfitting a Classroom or Lab Space Modular/Portable Systems Venue Construction/Renovation
- 3. Universal Concept #1 1 Usability α and Options Reliability and Flexibility
- 4. Universal Concept #2 VALUE ENGINEERING WILL HAPPEN Plan Ahead Prioritize Spread purchases out if necessary
- 5. Universal Concept #3 WE CANNOT BE EXPERTS IN ALL FIELDS Find trusted experts and trust them You are an expert music educator; Share your expertise with them Beware of well-intentioned parents
- 6. Universal Concept #4 BEWARE OF GADGETS If you don’t get it, who will? Research & Ask Questions
- 7. Universal Concept #5 When working with contractors: CORI Check references Check certifications Assign a point-person Get “as-built” drawings & specs
- 8. Universal Questions • Who will use the system? • Who will design the system? • Who will build the system? • Who will maintain the system? • Who will be trained and understand the system besides me?
- 9. Universal Questions • Who do I call with questions? • How will inventory and security be handled? • How will updates, maintenance, and expendables be budgeted for?
- 10. CLASSROOM/LAB • What classes will use this space? • What are our curricular goals and the minimum amount necessary to accomplish those goals? • How will media be stored? • If one piece fails, what else fails? • How many software options do we really need? • How often do we update?
- 11. PORTABLE SYSTEMS • Is this equipment meant to be portable? • Where will this gear go? Where will it NOT go? • Cases & protection for the equipment? • Redundancy and Plan-B options? • What kind of power will we need? Where will it come from? • How are we going to move all this stuff?
- 12. VENUES Systems Audio Video Lighting Infrastructure Acoustics Electrical Rigging and Softgoods
- 13. VENUES - systems Audio • Are the speakers pointed at the people? • Speed of sound will always apply • What can/should be modular? • How can we create a system with curricular value? • What could be added later? • Where can we mix from? • Hearing Assistance? Communications?
- 14. VENUES - systems Video • Can we record video easily? • Can we show video easily? • What formats/terminations? Where? • How do we handle switching? • How accessible is the projector? • How do we douse the projector? • How powerful is the projector? • Lens throw?
- 15. VENUES - systems Lighting • Accessibility of hang positions? • Easy-to-use presets plus full control? • Power considerations? • Expendable considerations? • How will the instruments be delivered? • Have the musicians been considered?
- 16. VENUES - infrastructure Acoustics There’s not much you can do yourself Architectural Acousticians Find comparable spaces Beware of too-much-of-anything All shells are not created equal
- 17. VENUES - infrastructure Electrical Experience in entertainment spaces? Extra conduit runs for the future? Are certified electricians doing ALL conduit and most wire pulling? 100 amp 3-phase company switch? During punchlist, look for: Clearly marked circuit panels Plates on every box Wire not in conduit
- 18. VENUES - infrastructure Rigging ETCP Certified? Ratings for steel & fly rail? During punchlist, look for: Linesets that operate easily? Wire/Rope ONLY hits shives? Safety precautions/signage in place?
- 19. VENUES - infrastructure Soft Goods Do we have linesets available to add more later? What SHOULD be dead hung? Are all soft goods fireproofed? How long does that rating last? How will we store and clean them?
Editor's Notes
- These are questions to ask yourself, your colleagues, and the contractors you choose to work with.
- Unfortunately, options and flexibility are inversley proportional to usability and reliability; there are simply more things to confuse and or go wrong.Examples: Websites & Pocket Knifes The “perfect” kitchen! The “perfect” lab! The “perfect” sound system!Cafetorinasishelters
- We can be confident in 3 things – death, taxes, and value engineering.
- We have very distinct specialties in our own fields – we need to seek out the best at specialties in their fields and trust them.
- if you don't understand how to use something or what it is for (and have not been trained) how can you teach it to your students and troubleshoot it under pressure? -it's mostly on you to ask good questions (which is why your here…) and seek out good training, but partly on the vendor to not try and sneak equipment into your bid that you'll never be able to use because you don't understand it (and probably don't need it
- if you don't understand how to use something or what it is for (and have not been trained) how can you teach it to your students and troubleshoot it under pressure? -it's mostly on you to ask good questions (which is why your here…) and seek out good training, but partly on the vendor to not try and sneak equipment into your bid that you'll never be able to use because you don't understand it (and probably don't need it
- if you don't understand how to use something or what it is for (and have not been trained) how can you teach it to your students and troubleshoot it under pressure? -it's mostly on you to ask good questions (which is why your here…) and seek out good training, but partly on the vendor to not try and sneak equipment into your bid that you'll never be able to use because you don't understand it (and probably don't need it
- if you don't understand how to use something or what it is for (and have not been trained) how can you teach it to your students and troubleshoot it under pressure? -it's mostly on you to ask good questions (which is why your here…) and seek out good training, but partly on the vendor to not try and sneak equipment into your bid that you'll never be able to use because you don't understand it (and probably don't need it
- if you don't understand how to use something or what it is for (and have not been trained) how can you teach it to your students and troubleshoot it under pressure? -it's mostly on you to ask good questions (which is why your here…) and seek out good training, but partly on the vendor to not try and sneak equipment into your bid that you'll never be able to use because you don't understand it (and probably don't need it
- If there’s any place to overbuild – it’s the INFRASTRUCTURE of your spaces, because it’s expensive or impossible to improve upon later.
- if you don't understand how to use something or what it is for (and have not been trained) how can you teach it to your students and troubleshoot it under pressure? -it's mostly on you to ask good questions (which is why your here…) and seek out good training, but partly on the vendor to not try and sneak equipment into your bid that you'll never be able to use because you don't understand it (and probably don't need it
- if you don't understand how to use something or what it is for (and have not been trained) how can you teach it to your students and troubleshoot it under pressure? -it's mostly on you to ask good questions (which is why your here…) and seek out good training, but partly on the vendor to not try and sneak equipment into your bid that you'll never be able to use because you don't understand it (and probably don't need it
- If there’s any place to overbuild – it’s the INFRASTRUCTURE of your spaces, because it’s expensive or impossible to improve upon later.
- Both the electrical engineers of the design firm and the electricians contracted for the installation
- If there’s any place to overbuild – it’s the INFRASTRUCTURE of your spaces, because it’s expensive or impossible to improve upon later.
- If there’s any place to overbuild – it’s the INFRASTRUCTURE of your spaces, because it’s expensive or impossible to improve upon later.