1. AV Project Management Using InfoComm Standards
Tom Kehr, CTS-D, CTS-I, ISF-C, LEED Green Associate
Senior Staff Instructor
InfoComm International

2. Objectives
To use a framework for AV project planning, execution and closure
To be familiar with project planning tools and AV standard documentation

3. Are you the player or the coach?
Obvious?
Yes
It’s back to basics
It’s picking up tips
It’s getting in shape
Are you the player or the coach?
Note to instructor - This presentation can be a big DUH!!! I knew that!!!! Presentation. This slide is to head off that comment at the end by addressing it now.
Obvious? Let this sink in – click to reveal YES
Say – This presentation will seem a bit obvious for most of you in the room. Click to reveal – it’s back to the basics
But just like any sports player, we need to remember what it takes to be great. Look at our batter, he’s wearing an Alumni shirt so he has played the game for years. Does he really remember the basics? From his stance and tongue sticking out – I don’t think so. Click to reveal It’s picking up tips
Even if we know that basics, we can always pick up a few new tips. How many of you have given up on learning? I know the answer because you came to this meeting. Click – It’s getting into shape.
Getting back into shape. Over time we get a bit heavier and carry a little more baggage, look at me for example. If I were a little leaner I might be a little meaner.
Click – Now are you the player or coach? Will you be doing the work or directing others to do the work? Please think about your role as you participate in this presentation.

4. Why don’t our projects end? Why do we keep going back?
On Time – On Budget
Why don’t our projects end?
Why do we keep going back?
I’m losing money on this
Describe the problem – customer’s projects aren’t finished and they are expecting more from their integrator. Integrators are upset that they have to keep returning to the same customer over and over. Why are they not happy?
This course looks to explore this problem and to provide a path to correct or reduce these issues.
Encourage a discussion on projects that have gone awry.

5. The End Starts At The Beginning
What are expectations?
What the stakeholder thinks they are getting from the designer and integrator
What the designer thinks they told the customer and integrator
What the integrator thinks the designer and stakeholder wants and needs
The being is the end. If you have a poor beginning you will probably have a poor ending. Do you really understand what you are getting or doing? The more time we spend planning up front will reduce the rework we have to do later. It is always cheaper up front than it is later in the project.
The best way to make sure the project starts off well is to put it in writing. This way expectations no longer reside only in the individual’s head but are collective in nature. Everyone can see what has been proposed and can either agree or disagree before the project moves forward. This written exchange can ultimately be given to the installer, who wasn’t in the initial meetings, and build the project ensuring the design intent is met.

6. PM Process Definitions (Lifecycle)
Initiation
Preparation
Execution/ Control
Close
Project management plays a significant rule in the AV system design and install procedures.
Initiating: Defines and authorizes new project or phase
Preparation: Establishes scope of project, refines objectives and defines course of action to attain objectives. Preparation accounts for about 70% of the effort!
Executing: Completing work defined in project management plan to satisfy project specifications
Progress and Performance
Managing Change
Controlling: Tracking, reviewing, and regulating progress and performance of project
Identifying areas in which changes to the plan are required; and initiating those changes
Closing: Finalizes all activities to formally close the project or phase…WE DON’T OFTEN DO THIS BECAUSE WE DON’T REALIZE THE VALUE OF IT.
Benefits of PM
Why should I care?
Reactive and proactive thinking

7. So What Did You Agree To Do?
Scope of Work
Quality of Work
Time Line
Price
Terms and Conditions
Go down the list and talk about each one.
Scope of work, what are you going to do and what are you not going to do? Everyone involved should know the limits of the work.
Quality of the work – yes some people are willing to give up quality for price or time constraints. Others demand high quality work and will pay for it. Yet other demand high quality and didn’t pay for it.
Time line – how long ‘til I get my stuff? Is it just delivery or a completely tested system? Time line should be explained up front so when the customer wants it sooner they can renegotiate new costs and prices.
Price – price for what? It should be clear what the price is and what they get for that price.
Terms and conditions – when does money change hands? When does the customer take possession of the system or gear? What are the rules of this transaction.
Many times we don’t have a complete written plan. This is not good for anyone, the dealer, the customer, other trades. There are too many holes in the project and that leaves each person to have their own expectations that either will or will not be met.
Why does the job not end? Because the end was never specified. In military terms it’s called an exit strategy.

8. Project Elements / Constraints
Optimize project outcome by managing constraints
Quality is
impacted by all
elements
Project management tells us…. (what is going to give if you don’t plan it right up front?)
Touchstone slide
Our responsibility is to optimize the project outcome by managing these constraints
Quality is dependent upon and impacted by all the other elements
Purpose: Why?
Scope: What?
Quality: How Good?
Cost: Who? (what?) How much?
Time: How? How long? By when?
Risk: How sure?
COST DOES NOT EQUAL PRICE
Cost ≠ Price
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© InfoComm International. 2010
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9. Improving Performance
Requires a repeatable structure
Requires industry standard documents
Requires transparency
Requires a check list
Metaphor – A race car or race team takes time to develop. The racing industry has standard rules for A plan is created to win a race. A car is selected and modified. It is raced and measured. Measured in time and by the driver’s opinion. Adjustments are made. New plans are developed. Races are run and measured. The process goes on over time. As the team gets better, the car goes faster. Pit crews change tires quicker and the whole process improves. Before you know it the team becomes professional.
This only really works if we measure and make adjustments. The adjustments are against the old plan. So to make your company top notch, you need a plan, you need to run the plan, measure, adjust, and create a new plan and run it again.
I ask, do you have a plan and do you measure it? Do you share the results with your team? Does your pit crew understand the race we are in?
The industry now has the points in the slide. It’s on the next slide.

10. Project Comparison
Like the car example before, planning and preparation is what we need to reduce the effort and stress of installation.
The above graphics are from rental and staging but they easily apply to any AV project. Without proper planning many things are not thought through and must be dealt with on site. This raises stress levels and makes the project less efficient. The lower graphic shows more in-the-office planning effort (which is less expensive than on site) but less effort on site.
Notice and point out how the milestones are different for the projects.
Throw in one of your examples. You could include any home improvement project here – like the time you went to the hardware store 5 times because you didn’t have a proper plan.
We will discuss two over arching ideas – Making a plan and What to put into the plan. The What is next. Followed by creating the plan.

11. Standards Guide This guide can be purchased at the ANSI store:
You should have the guide at the ready for this presentation. Make reference to it and pass it around or use the document camera to show a bit of the content. It is robust.

12. Standards Guide for AV Systems Design and Coordination Processes
Guide for documenting AV projects
Guide for coordinating with other trades
Method for setting expectations
A comprehensive guide for consultants, designers, customers, integrators, architects, and general contractors. Let’s face it, anyone involved with AV. It provides a check list of most of the areas required for any AV project.
Customers should demand that their projects (consultants / integrators) use this guide. It puts everyone on the same page, figuratively and literately.

13. Standards Guide This guide can be purchased at the ANSI store:
I. Project Planning and Coordination Meetings II. Program Phase (alternatively, Briefing Phase or Concept Design Phase) A. Needs Analysis B. Program Report III. Design Phase A. Architectural and Infrastructure Requirements 1. Architectural and Interior Design 2. Electrical 3. Workmanship and Technique 4. Acoustical 5. Information Technology (IT) B. AV System Documents 1. Bid Specifications Part 1 – General Part 2 – Products Part 3 – Execution 2. Design Drawings 3. Facilities Drawings 4. System Drawings IV. Construction Phase A. Construction Drawings B. Facilities Drawings C. System Drawings D. Reference Documentation E. Testing and Acceptance F. Project Closeout
This guide can be purchased at the ANSI store:
You should have the guide at the ready for this presentation. Make reference to it and pass it around or use the document camera to show a bit of the content. It is robust.

14. Scope, Purpose, and Application Referenced Publications Definitions
What are the Parts?
Scope, Purpose, and Application
Referenced Publications
Definitions
Requirements
Verification
Appendix
These are the topics in the document. We will talk about Requirements and Verification in the coming slides. We will integrate a little project management too. Project management is not expressly found in the document but it is a good idea to implement PM with any AV project.

15. Scope - Purpose – Application
Provides a method for documentation
Provides a recognition and method of coordinating with other disciplines and trades
Provides a practical guideline for verifying cross trade responsibilities
Scope – Purpose – Application is the title of the first section of the document. It explains the bullets in the slide.
The purpose of this standard is to provide a description of the methods, procedures, tasks, and deliverables typically recommended or applied by professionals in audiovisual (AV) systems design and integration projects. The intention of the structure outlined in this standard is to enable clients and other design and construction team members to assess confidently whether the responsible parties are providing the expected services

16. Method For Documentation
Project Planning & Coordination
Program Phase
Design Phase
Construction Phase
Verification
The first four points are in the document standard as fairly linear steps but the fifth bullet, verification, works along side of the first four. Verification is the ongoing process of being involved with allied trades that all is working in the customer’s favor from a construction stand point. It starts up front and continues to the final sign off.
Explain the four phases using the standard as a guide.

17. Exceptions
The Standard Guide is a guide not a law. Not all projects will need everything. It is up to the AV person to judge what is necessary for the job at hand. Use this guide as a check list so that you don’t miss anything. Remember, if it isn’t written down then there can be mis-understanding and confusion as to what must be done to call the project complete.

18. Guide Requirements Section
The largest portion of the document
Describes in detail all aspects of the design process from project planning to a verified completed project
Requirements
Planning and Coordination
Program Phase
Design Phase
Construction Phase
The requirements part of the document contain
Planning and coordination
Program Phase
Design Phase
Construction Phase
These four phases are relatively linear in nature. One is complete before the next phase begins.

19. Planning & Coord Meetings
Schedule of meetings
Dates and times
Length and location
Meeting members
Who is on the list?
Who is not on the list?
Agenda for meetings
Every project has meetings. The number and members differ by project. Make sure that the right people are there for what you need. Suggest meetings if you need them.
Use your calendar to pencil in the meetings and the project deadlines. Move-in, cable pulls, equipment delivery, project completion. If you can’t put down actual days you can indicate the amount of time each of these processes will take. Walk your customer through the process.

20. Establishing a Governance Structure
Who do you need to make happy?
Managing expectations
Stakeholder relationships
Conflict and Escalation
How are you doing?
-Who do you need to make happy: Client, Sponsor, etc. Who else do you need to deal with: meeting planner, special presenters.
-How will you manage their expectations: what if a presenter wants to add equipment at the client’s expense? How important is this presenter to the result?
-What are the relationships between the stakeholders: are they cooperative or competitive, do they have their own agendas, are there politics involved? Who needs to approve what decisions and how are they verified: is there a change order system?
-How will you handle Conflict and escalation: requires communications and use of the quality triangle.
-How will you check how you’re doing: what are the milestones and who will you get your updates from?
Wedding example – Who’s the stake holder at a wedding? Bride, Mother, Father, Groom (in that order?) It depends on the decision that needs to be made. Father is spending the money on the dress. Bride gets to wear it, and Mother makes sure it’s “right”. This example could go on and on….
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21. Functions and Features
Program Phase
Needs analysis
Program report
Needs
Applications
Tasks
Functions and Features
Needs Analysis: Addresses the owner’s business processes to assess specific requirements and expectation. This may include discussions regarding available technologies to the owner’s needs and a review of systems and infrastructure proposed to support the project goals. Components of this analysis may include:
Interviews with end users, facilities managers, etc.
Surveys of existing facilities – benchmarking
Discovery of additional project requirements, such as sustainable building guidelines
Program Report – describes the client’s specific needs, system purpose and functionality, and the designer’s best estimate of probable cost, in a non-technical format for review and approval by the owner. The report follows a Needs Analysis phase addressing the owner’s business processes, which assesses specific technologies to meet the owner’s needs and a review of systems and infrastructure proposed to support the project goals. Components include:
Executive summary
Space planning
Systems Description
Infrastructure considerations
Audio Visual and associated budgets
Form follows function pyramid. All designs should be centered on the humans using the space. The space (functions and features) should be configured to meet the human’s needs. In existing space, the needs of the human might be impaired due to the space limitations. These impairments must be documented.

22. Architectural and interior design AV System Documents
Design Phase
Architectural and interior design
AV System Documents
Use pages 5 and 6 of the standards guide for architectural and interior design.
Use pages 6 through 11 for the AV System Documents

23. Program and Design Phases
CTS Study Group Instructor Guide Leader Notes
Program and Design Phases
Gather Information
Needs Analysis
Site Survey
Recommend Changes & Create Scope
Determine AV Solution Components
Design AV Solution
Shameless plug for the gray book. Use it as an example document set. It was used as a reference book for the Standard Guide.
This slide also connects the two parts of documenting your designs.
©2008, InfoComm International®

24. Construction drawings Facilities drawings System Drawings
Construction Phase
Construction drawings
Facilities drawings
System Drawings
Reference Documentation
Testing and acceptance
Project closeout
Each area is described in detail within the guide
Use gray book as example graphics if desired

25. All trades coordination and expectations
Verification
All trades coordination and expectations
Provides responsibility check list
Avoids planning and delivery holes
Creates better understanding amongst client, GC, and trade partners
See pages 14 through 24
This is probably the MOST important part for the AV person to understand.
This is part of a STANDARD so the other trades should take note.
Customers and other trades never knew we were so involved with their day to day activities.
It FORCES us to do something about it.
It puts us as an important player in the construction process.
It takes us from last to first. It elevates the AV industry.
This is the most important part to get across to the group.

26. Who Will Manage The Project
Technician
Designer
Sales manager
Consultant
Customer
Project manager
We talked about the parts of project, but who will actually manage or run the project to completion?
You might ask who does it at there location.
In my opinion a technician’s reward is in the repair or the install. Not in the customer being happy or the bills being paid
The designer’s reward is completing the drawings and documentation. Not the customer’s on time delivery or installer’s convenience.
Sales Manager is motivated by closing the sale and the project getting paid. They may not understand what it takes to install the project.
Consultant’s reward is seeing the completed project. They are not necessary interested in the details involved in completing the project.
Customer’s reward is a working system that let’s them communicate better. The don’t understand the install process much at all.
Project Manager’s reward is a smooth project. That is there job. They care about all the stake holders.
Side note – When I (Paul Streffon) was a Technical Representative for a manufacturer, dealer service was seen by some dealers as a loss leader. Service was something that they had to do. I found there was another set of dealers that liked their service department and it was profitable. For whatever reason, the profitable service departments had a secretary that coordinated activities. I don’t know if the profitable departments had the money to hire someone or if by hiring someone they became profitable. By having the right person in the job things can be better.

27. Roles And Perspectives
Technicians / Engineers
Seeks optimal solutions
Strives for precision
Deals with things
Focuses on processes
Reactionary problem solving
Works with immutable laws
Succeeds individually
Project Manager
Seeks pragmatic decisions
Strives for accuracy
Deals with people
Focuses on outcomes
Proactive planning
Works with situational rules
Succeeds through others
People in our industry have a tendency to be conflict-averse. We do our best to make the client happy, sometimes not to our advantage. There’s nothing worse that to over-commit yourself and have the result be less than satisfactory to the client.
Optimal: the most desirable (coolest) solution.
Pragmatic: relating to matters of fact or practical affairs often to the exclusion of intellectual or artistic matters : practical as opposed to idealistic ..
Precision: the degree of refinement with which an operation is performed or a measurement stated .
Accuracy: 1: freedom from mistake or error. 2: conformity to truth or to a standard or model.
Immutable: : not capable of or susceptible to change
Situational: position with respect to conditions and circumstances.
Which behaviors are being rewarded? (Piracy, Heroism, Well-Run Projects, etc.)

28. Making A Timeline
You have what needs to be done
How long will it take?
Break it down
Create milestones
Assign people

29. Risk Response Planning Strategies
Threats
Opportunities
Strategies
Avoidance
Transference
Mitigation
Acceptance
Threats to respond to: We will need more crew if we can’t get into the room when we need to.
Threats to accept: Our HSIA (High Speed Internet Access) may be slow the first day due to other events loading down the bandwidth.
Opportunities to pursue: We can bring in a generator for your extra power needs.
Opportunities to ignore: You can use our banquet setup crew to help set up your equipment.
Negative Impacts to the Project
Avoidance - eliminating a risk event or condition
Transference - shift the consequence and ownership of the risk to others
(Used primarily on Pure Risk – no gain, only loss)
Mitigation - reducing the probability and / or the consequences (impact) of an adverse risk event to an acceptable threshold
Acceptance - accepting the consequences actively (contingency or fallback plan) or passively (deal with consequences)
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31. Work Breakdown Structure
AV Production System
Lighting
Video
Display
P&D
Scaffold
Support
Microphones
Cabling
Loudspeakers
Stands
Dynamic
Mixer
Amplifiers
Condenser
ENG Cam BOH
Talent Mic BOH
Rigging
General Session Intro
Audio
FOH
Power
Power
Monitors
What is the required result?
Defines work into manageable subsets / pieces: Allows for the definition of quality specifications
Facilitates the assignment of resources, responsibility and necessary skill levels
Provides a basis for cost, time, and resource estimates
Defines baseline for performance measurement
Provides the capability to identify, document, and control changes
CLICK FOR REVEALS.
Write down as many nouns as possible which make up the project’s deliverables and group them in descending order and detail
For live events projects, deliverables can include rigging, lights, table centerpieces, lecterns, microphones, etc.
They can also include Functions (a presentation or performance). Include all the support documents (drawings, cue list, etc.) needed for each of the deliverables
H A L F W A Y.
Specific, measurable, verifiable, unambiguous
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32. © InfoComm International. 2010
Logic Network Diagram
-List activities and their sequential relationships:
Ask the people responsible for the work
There are usually more relationships than initially thought
-Identify the dependencies and their impacts:
What has to be done before something else can be done?
Introduce activities into the network according to their dependencies, not on the basis of time constraints.
Work through the project from the start – identify successors (could be in other projects)
Work through the project from the finish – identify predecessors (could be from other projects)
Also known as a PERT chart – Project Evaluation and Review Technique
Also known as a Critical Path Method (CPM)
Dotted lines show work that can be done if there is any slack time as one group waits for another to finish.
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33. Estimate – Effort & Duration
Time to complete the task?
Aggregate time to complete the task?
Most organizations collapse the distinction between effort and duration – and often underestimate both
Effort is “How Much” time it will take to complete a task in its entirety. This is often arrived at through perfect world or best-case estimating using the best resources with everything needed in place.
Duration is “How Long” and is the combination of:
Effort (number of work periods) – drywall 2 hours takes 3 days
Resource availability (other projects, operations, etc.)
Number of resources (1 or 20 – more not always better) 1 woman baby nine months, not nine women, 1 baby, 1 month
Personal / organizational calendars (weekends, holidays, etc.)

34. Mature Display of a Project Schedule
5 days / 2 days
6 days / 2 days
7 days shown
8 days shown
Hiding or Padding
Mature Use of Uncertainty and Reserves
5 days
6 days
shown
4 days
uncertainty
22 days
planned
reserve
26 days
actual
24 days
2 days
mitigation
Mature use of reserves gives the PM control over time, rather than each department head adding their own padding.
This is an example of a Gantt chart.
Named after Henry Gantt for his contribution to this method.
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35. Work Schedule The production schedule.
What if the PM can’t make it to the show?

36. Labor Jurisdiction Work Rules Scales within scales Premium time
Penalties
Payroll
Triangle: Cost and Time
Jurisdiction: Truck loaders, grips, electricians, projectionists, etc.
Work rules: Minimum calls, skill levels, event types.
Scales within scales: rehearsals and shows
Premium time: number of hours, when started, when stopped (40+ hours changes scale to overtime)
Penalties: Meal penalties and short turnaround
Payroll companies: have you added in their charges to labor, benefits, etc?

37. Take the time to Look Back and Learn
Event Closure
What did we do well?
Take the time to Look Back and Learn
Preparation Phase
Executing & Controlling Phase
Closing Phase
What could we have done better?
In the closing is the time to ask the questions and analyze what happened throughout the entire project. Do your best to document what you’ve learned from the event and communicate it to others.
What were the key events for each phase?
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38. How Will This Affect Me?
Project quality will be improved
Coordination with other trades will be improved
Costs will be reduced
Expectations will be met
Stress will be reduced

39. When you finished doing all the things that you said you would do.
Project Completion
When you finished doing all the things that you said you would do.