InfoComm insights with Heather Long on technology, AI, and designing smarter, more connected workplaces.
From AI-driven insights to technology design that actually works for people, InfoComm 2025 was full of big ideas shaping how we work, meet, and connect. We caught up with Heather Long, Market Development, Technology, to get her behind-the-scenes perspective on what stood out, what’s changing, and why this moment feels different.
Whether you’re thinking about the future of hybrid work or simply wondering why bad audio still derails great meetings, her takeaways are a must-read.
You sat in on several standout sessions at InfoComm. Which conversation stuck with you the most, and what made it resonate?
Heather: The future-focused workplace technology panel really stood out. Leaders from Shure, Crestron, Diversified, and Telus explored how we’re redefining what “the workplace” even means as we approach 2030. What stayed with me most was the urgency around user experience, how technology, space, and operations must come together to eliminate friction and support connection. It reinforced the idea that we’re not just deploying systems; we’re shaping culture through design.
Technology isn’t just an afterthought—it’s infrastructure for connection. How can organizations shift toward treating it as a foundational part of workplace strategy?
Heather: It starts by pulling technology into the conversation early, during the strategy phase—not after design, not after construction. Today’s workplace isn’t bound by four walls. We’re designing physical spaces and digital ones, the ones people use when they’re remote, on the road, or in satellite offices. If those experiences aren’t equitable or intuitive, people disengage, collaboration suffers, and productivity dips. When technology is thoughtfully integrated, it becomes a force multiplier. But when it isn’t, it creates friction that costs time, morale, and real money.
One key theme was that AV systems now deliver strategic data. What kind of insights are most valuable, and who stands to benefit?
Heather: The most actionable insights show how people actually use space. Are rooms being abandoned mid-meeting? Are users ignoring installed tech in favor of their own devices? These behavioral signals offer tremendous value—not just to IT or facilities, but also to HR, real estate, and the executive team. When AV data is paired with broader workplace intelligence, it becomes a feedback loop for smarter design and planning.
We loved this quote you shared: “If people are using AirPods in a high-end conference room, it’s not a user issue—it’s a design failure.” What can we learn from how people actually use tech in the workplace?
Heather: We have to design for real habits, not perfect ones. If people default to their own headphones or laptops, that’s a signal something’s not working for them. Maybe the system feels clunky, maybe the UX isn’t intuitive, or maybe they simply don’t trust it. Technology should meet people where they are, not the other way around. It’s on us to simplify, test with real users, and continuously adapt.
What does it mean for AV standards to be “living documents”? How can companies keep theirs agile and aligned with business goals?
Heather: Living documents evolve. Your AV standards shouldn’t be something you revisit once a decade. They should flex with changes in business goals, user expectations, and available tools. That means building in regular checkpoints, capturing user feedback, and making iterative improvements. When done right, standards become a source of alignment, not a constraint.
Several speakers talked about this being the “iPhone moment” for workplace tech. How do you interpret that, and what should companies be doing right now to prepare?
Heather: I saw this firsthand while working in healthcare during the early iPhone wave. I was with AT&T at the time, and iPhones were showing up in hospitals before IT and security had figured out what to do with them. Clinicians didn’t wait; they used what worked. We’re seeing the same thing now with AI. Employees are already integrating AI tools into their workflows, sometimes in ways that are invisible to leadership. If companies don’t step in with secure, enterprise-grade solutions, they risk fragmentation, loss of control, and serious security issues. The future isn’t waiting for perfect readiness. Organizations need to act now or risk being left behind.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about where technology is heading, and what’s one thing we must get right in order to design more connected, inclusive spaces?
Heather: I’m most excited about a future where technology becomes more invisible but more important. Spaces will respond more naturally, and tools will just work—quietly supporting how we connect, collaborate, and create.
To get there, we need to broaden how we define and design the workplace. It’s not just the conference room or the office anymore. It’s also the home office, the hotel room, the airport gate. That means taking a design lens to both physical and digital environments:
- Designing physical spaces that offer meaningful, intuitive in-person experiences, where technology is fully integrated into how the space functions.
- Designing digital spaces with the same care—platforms and virtual environments that support remote work in ways that are consistent, equitable, and easy to use.
When we fail to design for both, the experience breaks. And when the experience breaks, people disengage. That has real business impact.
I’m especially excited about how AI and data will continue to enhance these environments, helping organizations adapt in real time, make better decisions, and support how people truly work. We’re entering a phase where agentic AI will play a growing role, with systems that proactively support users, automate intelligently, and respond contextually to evolving needs.
But the most important shift we need to make is to recognize that technology isn’t additive. It’s not something layered on after a space is designed. It’s an essential part of how the space works—and it needs to be co-authored from the start by designers, technologists, and workplace leaders alike.
