Techorating: How technology and imagination can transform your business-as-usual

In case you’re new to ‘techorating’, it’s a concept that combines the worlds of technology and interior design, specifically, when you integrate display technologies or video walls as the canvas for the digital content.

Techorating is about engagement and creating an instant impression. It’s about a memorable experience, reflecting pride in your business and engendering surprise and excitement. Techorating uplifts spirits and energizes people – both customers and employees.

John Steinhauer, VP of Entertainment for Barco in the Americas, explains what techorating – which was first coined in 2008 by Doug Wilson, an interior designer – really is: "Techorating is the overall experience… a wow factor lobby at a casino, it can be eBay’s headquarters in California, it can be any corporate customer… [digital] signage essentially pushes information to people, and that plus an information and an entertainment component and an immersive environment draws people to the environment.” Once people are drawn in, they become energized and enthused.

The Californian tech marketing guru Jonathan Brawn of Brawn Consulting, similarly describes techorating as “the blending of modern display technologies with the art of decorating a space to ensure that the design and electronics suit the style and function of the space. The successful techoration of a space can serve as a functional and decorative part of the system and in the process expand the look and feel of the environment.”

Creating interactive and immersive experiences

Start techorating by inviting your customers and employees into creative digital experiences, so they connect and interact with your brand. It’s a case of show, not tell. A case of feel, not inform. Your facilities become the ultimate brand spokesperson, converting inspired visitors into actual customers. Your techoration conveys you are not only up-to-date with the very latest technology, but also that your company ethos is to engage and inspire.

This could be via a ‘Branding lobby’ to create an inspiring experience to reflect your brand's high standards, or a ‘Townhall lobby’ that serves as the heart of the company, with the function to discover, present, and collaborate. Either way, a tiled LCD or direct-view LED video wall are often the best choices.

The UK headquarters of Hewlett Packard is another case in point. It includes a large LED video wall at the entrance used for communicating the HP philosophy. Gordon McNair, project manager at HP, has publicly credited Barco’s LED displays for the” high-resolution dot pitch, the unique front access and the fact that the display could be easily hung rather than stand on the floor”. The impact, says McNair, serves to “impress visitors and highlight the HP brand”, where only the highest tech standards will do.

Like both these companies, and many more of our customers across multiple sectors, the best state-of-the-art technology supports your creativity from vision to execution. Techorating is the ability to blend technology seamlessly into your surroundings to make the technology become part of the design which delivers an effective use that is aesthetically pleasing. In addition, only the most reliable technology and sustainable solutions can fittingly showcase your brand on a daily basis.

Is techorating right for you?

According to the influential Harvard Business Review article ‘The Age of Continuous Connection’, “a seismic shift is under way. Thanks to new technologies that enable frequent, low-friction, customized digital interactions, companies today are building much deeper ties with customers than ever before.”

Techorating, therefore, both delights and strengthens ties with customers. When choosing the right video wall for you, start with the business case. Do you need a display image quality that is perfect in both dimmed and high-brightness modes, for example in lobbies with a lot of daylight? Video artifacts typically arise on fast-moving content, so you may need a screen with no image tearing or video hiccups: giving you techorating level quality. Calibration helps with uniformity and image perception, while automatic alignment reduces complexity, damage potential and installation challenges.

No matter the technology you choose or the reason for choosing it, latest trends from Barco finds that requirements are shifting. The focus is moving away from resolution, pixel-to-pixel pitches and brightness levels towards having a total solution. High quality viewing experience is essential, but it needs to be reliable, easy to install, operate and maintain, all of which are key ingredients to securing a return on investment.

Realizing the power of remarkable story-telling and stunning content remains the key to leave a lasting impression. The performance of your video wall is only as good as its underlying processing platform. By having the processing power to scale content, avoid tearing and convert it to your screen can your content truly standout and provide the impact you want to achieve.

We here at Barco believe in the power of technology to improve your experience. That’s why we strive to provide you both integrated solutions with commitment of support.

To learn more, view our portfolio or get in touch.