
Most houses of worship (HOWs) rely on volunteers to operate their AV control rooms. Some can afford a paid staff member to oversee the operations, but generally it’s up to volunteers to throw the switches during services.
Given this fact, it is unwise to build HOW AV rooms that are more complex to operate than the Starship Enterprise – and even less user-friendly. This is why Church.Design asked three knowledgeable HOW experts how to create church AV rooms that are easy for volunteers to use.
1-Simplicity is the watchword
Since most HOW AV people are volunteers with little or no knowledge about AV production, it makes sense to build HOW AV spaces that are easy to understand and operate. After all, “A church service is not a show,” said Camron Ware, owner of Visual Worshiper in Dallas. “It does not need to be so complicated that paid staff is required.”
To keep HOW AV production simple, “we prefer to design systems that are intuitive to use,” said Brian Atkinson; Client Development Manager at ABD Engineering & Design in Grand Rapids, MI. “A volunteer with very little training or experience should be able to operate the AV system during a typical service or gathering.”
“I try to make a system with as few hardware pieces as possible so there are few points of failure, and make it usable by anyone with 5-10 minutes of training.” Camron Ware, Owner, Visual Worshiper, Dallas, TX
A rule of thumb: “When designing projection systems, I think, ‘Can my grandmother operate this?’” observes Ware. “I try to make a system with as few hardware pieces as possible so there are few points of failure, and make it usable by anyone with 5-10 minutes of training.”
2-Design drives everything
Thoughtful, purpose-driven design is central to building AV rooms that are volunteer-friendly. So, from the room layout to the equipment chosen and the subsequent workflows, all design decisions should be guided by the KISS Principle: Keep It Simple, Stupid.
To make this happen, “the designer and client should take a look at each process the system is fulfilling and ask themselves, ‘How can I reduce the number of pieces required to make this process work?’ and ‘How can I reduce the number of steps or button pushes required to make the system do this one particular thing?’" states Chris Kusek, director of engineering at All Pro Integrated Systems in Pensacola, Fla. “Certainly, providing a complex system design is easier than paring a design back to the essential parts, but it’s necessary to truly do the right thing for the customer.”
3-Use presets and password protection
To simplify operations for HOW volunteers without compromising production quality, designers should select AV equipment that support programmable preset functions.
“System presets – like a preset on your car radio – can be programmed to set all the controls and levels where they need to be as a starting point, requiring only basic tweaks during live music, speaking, or recorded content,” explains Brian Atkinson. “A professional can create new programs, or change existing ones as time passes.”
At the same time, it is wise to password-protect these presets, so that they don’t get messed up by well-meaning amateurs. “Limiting access for the average volunteer helps to keep the system simple, yet consistent,” Atkinson says. “We’ve all known the enthusiastic volunteer who may wish to express themselves artistically, and needs some guardrails.”
4-Employ signage and guides
The average HOW volunteer can find it difficult to keep AV production routines in their heads, Volunteers may also panic if they push the wrong button during a live service and things go inexplicably wrong.
This is where instructional signage inside the AV room can make a difference. “Having quick refreshers printed out and laminated in the tech booth can be helpful,” reports Ware. “Typically I recommend a ‘Start-up’ and ‘Shut-down’ procedure for the tech booth, as well as a simple troubleshooting guide for ‘Getting slides on the screen’ or ‘How to turn on a microphone.'"
“I recommend churches develop a style guide governing what the end result should look or sound like." Chris Kusek, Director of Engineering, All Pro Integrated Systems, Pensacola, FL
It also helps to put printed procedures inside a binder in the AV room, and post this information on the web. As well, “I recommend churches develop a style guide governing what the end result should look or sound like,” says Kusek. “A well-trained volunteer should be able to use their equipment knowledge to achieve these end goals.”
Note: All signs and guides should be updated on a regular basis; to keep up with changes in the HOW’s production process and updates by the room’s equipment vendors.
5-Create instructional videos
Church volunteers (and staff) can be a transitory bunch, with trained personnel leaving the church and their knowledge being lost over time.
To keep this from happening, be sure to shoot instructional videos to explain the AV room’s procedures; using experts from the church, the designer/integrator, and equipment vendors. (Such videos can be shot during AV training sessions.) Then make these videos available for everyone to watch, as needed.
Church volunteers (and staff) can be a transitory bunch, with trained personnel leaving the church and their knowledge being lost over time.
“Personally, I use YouTube for a variety of DIY projects around the house,” says Atkinson. “Running the AV system should be just as accessible to new volunteers.”
6-Check the acoustics
The above fixes may not help AV volunteers if their church’s poor acoustic qualities make it difficult to achieve a good sound mix.
“There isn’t a technical system that can fix poor room acoustics.” Brian Atkinson, Client Development Manager, ABD Engineering & Design, Grand Rapids, MI
“I’ve been in countless church auditoriums, multi-purpose rooms, and sanctuaries over the years, and the common thread of getting a system to behave, avoid feedback, and help your team feel better about what they’re doing starts with the way the room handles sound,” Atkinson notes. “There isn’t a technical system that can fix poor room acoustics.”
This is why church designers and integrators should consult qualified acoustical engineers who will model the worship space’s acoustics prior to the design stage, and offer ideas on fixing problem areas and buying sound reinforcement equipment that best suits the space.
“Conveniently, that modelling is what helps the speaker design provide the right coverage for the audience or congregation,” Atkinson says. In turn, this will reduce possible problems for AV volunteers during live service productions.