Lessons from 5000+ AV Projects Across APAC: What Makes a Great AV Design?

Aashmitha Hira
Jun 19
3 min read

Updated: Jun 23

With over years of AV projects completed across APAC, ESCO & COLCOM has become synonymous with expertise in audio-visual design and system integration. From corporate boardrooms in Mumbai and Bengaluru to smart classrooms in Bhopal and Delhi, our journey has provided us with deep insights into what truly makes an AV design exceptional.

Conference rooms with screens showing data, people collaborating, text overlay: "5000+ Projects Across APAC. One Lesson: Exceptional AV Design."

If you’re a business, university, or government agency looking to upgrade your audio-visual systems, here’s what we’ve learned — and how it can help you avoid common pitfalls while achieving a world-class experience.

1. Understanding End-User Needs: One Size Doesn't Fit All

A great AV design starts with listening.

In a Mumbai-based finance client’s office, 24/7 usage required systems with zero downtime.
In contrast, educational institutes in Bhopal needed flexible hybrid classroom tech with simple controls for faculty.

Lesson: Customization based on workflow and user profile is non-negotiable.

2. Infrastructure-AV Sync: Civil Coordination is Key

In our project for a multinational insurance corporation, civil work and AV installations were done in parallel — a major challenge.

Misaligned floor boxes.
Last-minute cable rerouting.

Lesson: Coordination between AV designers and civil contractors during the early stages saves both time and cost.

Office setup with tables, open boxes, and exposed cables. Text highlights "Floor box misalignment" and "Late cable rerouting." Message: "Avoid rework with early collaboration."

3. Audio Is Everything (And Often Overlooked)

A visually stunning system fails if users can’t hear clearly.

In our town hall setup for a global technology and engineering company in Chennai, covering 350 people, proper speaker placement and mic zoning were critical.
We used Bose FOH speakers and Sennheiser for clarity in large, echo-prone spaces.

Lesson: Don’t compromise on audio. Treat it with equal (if not more) priority than video.

4. Smart Control Systems Simplify Complexity

Whether it's a 14-seater circular room in Chennai or a training hall with mergeable VC rooms, users want simple control.

We deployed Extron, iPad-based, or Crestron button panels — customized to control multiple displays, projectors, audio, and VC from a single interface.

Lesson: Smart control ≠ expensive control. A simple, intuitive interface is the goal.

5. Testing, Training & Handover: The Final Stretch That Matters

For our Finance & Banking project (74 rooms, 12 floors, 24x7 ops), the key to success wasn’t just the installation — it was thorough training.

Every department received a demo.
AV SOP documents were handed over.
Users tested live VC scenarios before going live.

Lesson: A project is only complete when users are confident using the system.

6. Regional Know-How: One India, Many AV Needs

From Wi-Fi strength in Tier-2 towns to preferred platforms (Zoom, Webex, Teams) in different corporate hubs, COLCOM has learned to adapt.

In Gujarat, power backup and offline teaching modules were crucial.
In Hyderabad, codec-based VC was prioritized over BYOD due to the client's IT policy.

Lesson: Regional context impacts hardware choice, design layout, and even tech brand preference.