ISE unleashes the great digital badge debate of 2022

Members of the #AVintheAM Twitter community have given their verdict on ISE 2022, including a spirited discussion of the policy of using digital rather than physical badges for attendees.

#AVintheAM is a thriving Twitter community founded and curated by Chris Neto, market development manager at Starin, and this week’s discussion of ISE 2022 was particularly vibrant, with many but not all of those taking part having attended the show.

Among those backing physical badges over digital badges was David Danto, director of UC strategy and research at Poly, who said: “Not having a physical badge so people could be easily identified was a complete fail. As I said before I understood the “touchless” motivation for it, but it needs to be logged as a failure and not done again. We need to know at a glance who others are and where they work.”

On a more nuanced note, Dan Lee, managing director at Hewshott International, said: “I like the printed badge for reminders on names but I do not like people leaping out and scanning me when I haven’t interacted with them!”

Commenting from the US, Mark Coxon, business development director, XTG, at AVI-SPL, added: “I’m team badge on this one. It helps connect faces to names, especially when some of you all have profile pics that don’t match your faces in real life.”

In addition, James King, assistant director of AV services at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, said: “The problem with digital is we already know phone batteries die at trade shows. Now they will go quicker with all the ‘show me your ID’. Also, privacy as what does the digital app ‘see’ on my phone.”

In response to negative sentiment about digital badges, Joe Way, director of learning environments at USC and chair of the Higher Education Technology Managers Association (HETMA), said: “Most people (including me) didn’t like the digital badge thing, but remember Spain only relaxed Covid restrictions a few weeks ago. Six months ago, when there was no idea what Covid would be like, I’m sure it sounded like a great idea to help people feel safe.”

Jenny Hicks, group head of technology at Midwich Group, added: “At the show I felt naked without a badge, almost like I was there unregistered or as an imposter. Now I’m not so sure. I’m reading the arguments for and against and I see both sides but if Infocomm 22 have badges I’ll be wearing one.”

Also in the mixed opinions camp was Kev Talbot, director of technical services at Involve Visual Collaboration, who said: “I like the idea of no badge so I can be anonymous. Badges do help however save me from saying, “Hello mate” a lot when I’ve completely forgotten a name, or even put a face to a name I’ve not met in the real life.”

In a similar vein, Graeme Bagley, teaching space designer and product owner at Nottingham Trent University, added: “I liked it as an attendee. It was one less thing to carry around and remember to pack. There were no assumptions based on labels but I also felt the pain of not remembering names.”

Strongly backing digital badges, however, was Justin Dawson, learning technologist and senior technical officer at Dublin City University, who said: “It’s 100 times better as digital. If someone wants to sell me something they should spend the time with the person and get to know their needs and create a solution. Some sales people have concentrated on the private sector more than higher ed end-users at these events.”

It was however possible to print out badges at ISE 2022. Iffat Chaudhry, bid manager at Involve Visual Collaboration, founder of DIET AV and the Whatiff? podcast, said: “It took two minutes to collect, unlike previous shows which were chaos! If folk choose not to wear a badge, ask them who they are, and apologise if you can’t recognise them.”

Likewise, Sadie Groom, founder and CEO of the Bubble Agency, added: “I went and got a badge as I definitely prefer it. All of our exhibiting clients wanted visitors with badges too!”

Also with a badge was Ronny Forgione, principal at MM Technologies, who said: “I was an attendee at the show and decided to wear one. Most exhibitors thanked me and asked where we got it. By the third day, I saw more and more wearing one. So yes, I believe it is important to wear a badge at an international show. It makes it easier for exhibitors.”

A further question about whether using a digital badge might support or hinder bias, provoked even more wide-ranging debate.

Tom Milner, managing director at Service & Support Ltd, commented: “I think all this badge/no badge debate has equal opposing points of view and both are valid, but it does show up how fickle and shallow the industry is when everyone turns up to parties with no badges and does fine but in the show it must be different. It doesn’t make sense to me!”

In response, James King, said: “That’s a good point but also I feel the environments are different which helps at parties. At shows people ‘need to be on’ but at a party they can let their mask down and just be themselves (although they should be like at that shows).”

Joe Way added: “From a business perspective, the badges are necessary to ensure the right people are talking to the right people. Booth workers shouldn’t have to guess, and attendees should be easily ushered to the right reps. It’s not about bias. It’s business.”

However, Mike Brown-Cestero, managing director at Cavlo, said: “The flip side of ‘ushered to the right rep’ is ‘blown off mid-sentence the moment someone from AVI-SPL walks past the rep.”

James King added: “Us higher ed folks used to get kicked to the side at shows. Now, as Joe Way said, we get rushed into the hush room. This isn’t right as everyone should be treated well.”

Joe Way responded: “Everyone should not get the hush room treatment. Everyone should be treated well, but there’s a level of professionalism and business intelligence to be demonstrated before getting ‘special’ treatment. HE is still early, but we’re getting there.”

Mark Coxon, added: “A lot of the bias and bad behaviour stems from BS metrics that companies put on the show. Some companies focus more on immediate leads and badge scan metrics than they do real connections and aha moments. That attitude drives the behaviour of employees. It’s leadership.”

Iffat Chaudhry said: “All you need in my opinion is your name and organisation. People will make judgements unfortunately regardless, because that’s what humans do! Badge or not, we do that even when we know names and titles so in many it ways it leans towards a level playing field – be nice to everyone!”

Jack Wilders, channel account manager at Sharp NEC Display Solutions Europe, said: “I always ask what someone does as a title isn’t always clear, especially nowadays. A ‘Head Of Workplace Strategy’ could be many things but again visitors often put different job titles too for various reasons. I think cognitive bias will always exist.”

However, not having a badge may not help with bias. Mike Pedersen, audiovisual experience manager at Iowa State University, added: “My fear is that underrepresented populations would face even more bias – that woman CEO is just a “booth babe” or the Dual-Cert CTS-D/I BIPOC is considered a low-level employee (or worse). They face enough bias, but having a title/cert visible at least helps some in my humble opinion.”

David Danto added: “The best solution to save time and the environment is to let people print their own badges at home and bring them, using any old badge holders we still have. (I have dozens.) Anyone who doesn’t have one can purchase one at the show with the proceeds to help the environment.”

George Puthenkulam, a partner at Branch AV, concluded: “Displaying your name is being respectful when you greet someone who doesn’t recognise you at first, especially in a trade show where you’re always with someone. Titles don’t matter. Being respectful does!”