Signature Microsoft Teams Rooms represents Microsoft’s vision for a more collaborate hybrid meeting experience. Born out of the opportunity to enhance hybrid meetings for the flexible workforce, Teams Rooms evolved as an innovative, new way to design hybrid-optimized spaces that foster more inclusive and human interactions.
“Teams Rooms is our solution for Microsoft Teams in shared spaces, and most predominantly, conference rooms,” said Matt Taylor, Director of Product Marketing for Microsoft Teams. “With most meetings today involving a mix of in-person and remote attendees, we are embracing true flexible work. The goal is to improve the meeting experience across software, hardware and furniture design optimized for multiple users throughout the day and a hybrid-first scenario.”
A major component of Teams Rooms is the use of video displays. With Planar as the display solution provider for Signature Teams Rooms, users can realize the benefits of fine-pitch LED video wall technology. “The experience is elevated with a larger, high-definition display, which allows remote participants to appear life size,” Taylor said.
Hybrid Meetings for High Impact Spaces
To demonstrate how Teams Rooms can apply to a boardroom setting, Microsoft built a boardroom archetype at the Executive Briefing Center (EBC) on Microsoft’s Redmond, Wash.-based campus headquarters. Offering customers executive-level engagement opportunities to collaborate on transformative digital initiatives, the EBC works to inspire customers through immersive demos, presentations of real-life customer solutions and examples of Microsoft’s technology and thought leadership.
The boardroom archetype at the EBC features a nearly 12-foot-wide, 5.5-foot-high Planar® DirectLight® Series LED video wall with a 0.9mm pixel pitch and was designed with a Crestron Automate VX multi-camera system and an 85- inch Surface Hub for collaboration and whiteboarding.
“The reason for designing this space was to ultimately answer the question that we’ve received from many customers as to how Teams Rooms can work in boardroom format and scenario,” Taylor said. “It’s a blueprint if you will that is available for customers to use as they see fit—either for replicating or for learning and building upon. Specifically, the boardroom archetype showcases how Microsoft technologies, along with our partners like Planar, are addressing flexible work in high-impact spaces.”
According to Taylor, the Planar LED video wall in the EBC space helps support Microsoft’s intentions to demonstrate how stronger connections can be built in hybrid meetings between remote and in-person attendees. Among the multiple views users can select in Teams Rooms, the “Front Row” option positions remote attendees on the video wall front-and-center and at eye-level with in-room participants. “With that setting, you get the feeling that people joining remotely are sitting at the same table with you,” Taylor said.
As a larger format display, the Planar LED video wall also provides more screen real estate for sharing content and for using other Teams Rooms features during hybrid meetings such as a panel for raised hands and chat within a meeting, Taylor said. “The video wall is very impressive and incredibly crisp. It enables more of the intuitive experiences that really help to reduce meeting fatigue and make discussions feel more lifelike.”
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
Doug values time with family, watersports, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. In addition to being a devoted member of his church, Doug serves as Board President for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County, Board member of Schools for Haiti and Scripture Chair of the Gideons-Portage camp.
A graduate of MATC, Lois oversees Fearing’s daily book keeping along with various HR responsibilities.
Along with Doug, Lois is deeply connected to community outreach, serving as a Board member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County. She also serves on the Schools for Haiti Fundraising committee. In addition, Lois’ ongoing passion and commitment to provide care for the elderly comes from her 10-year history of working in a Reedsburg, Wisconsin Nursing home.
Lois enjoys singing, hiking, sunny days on the pontoon, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.
Ehren drives Fearing’s technology by continually seeking out trends to enhance capabilities while supporting Sales, Engineering and Installation teams. Throughout his years with Fearing’s, Ehren’s talent and vision have joined forces to create a wide variety of projects and strategic solutions that exceed expectation.
Ehren loves music, family time, movies, nature, sustainability efforts and electric vehicles.
With 10 years with Fearing’s and over twice that long in the industry, Ben continues to lead, coordinate, and develop the Commercial AV team.
By consistently delivering an outstanding experience and outcome, Ben contributes to the Fearing’s legacy of long-lasting partnerships that truly make a difference. Whatever the Commercial AV need may be, Ben and team deliver at the highest level.
Ben is an avid fisherman and photographer. He enjoys coaching his sons and other youth.
Chris has been with Fearing’s for 20 years and in the industry for over 2 decades. As a Certified leader in Sales Acceleration and trained in EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems), Chris successfully utilizes his skills to lead the Fearing’s Salesforce. Chris and team are motivated and driven to develop new client partnerships while continuing to reinforce loyal long-term relationships with ongoing Service excellence.
Married for 19 years with 3 children, Chris enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping and golf. He’s also been actively involved as a Youth Football and Softball coach for his family and others.
