Introduction
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is the government department responsible for protecting the UK from the impact of infectious diseases and all other health threats. Sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the UKHSA is an executive agency that replaced Public Health England and encompasses NHS Test and Trace and the Joint Biosecurity Centre.
The agency consists of a team of dedicated scientists, clinicians and project leaders who provide intellectual, scientific and operational leadership at national and local level, as well as on the global stage.
The Requirement
Since the pandemic, the UKHSA has successfully implemented a hybrid working strategy, adopting Microsoft Teams as its default communication platform. With its existing Skype for Business solution reaching end of life, the UKHSA team wanted to extend the Teams experience into its office meeting spaces and carry out a product refresh before their incumbent solution became obsolete.
Initially, the UKHSA was headquartered in Westminster at Nobel House, a Grade II listed building that the agency shared with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Set across five floors, the UKHSA workspace was made up of various sized meeting spaces and open desk areas.
To foster collaboration and promote meeting equity by creating a consistent user experience from laptop to meeting room, the UKHSA required advanced audio visual solutions across 53 meeting rooms. Furthermore, to deliver high definition digital signage and IPTV to 34 screens across the five floors, an on-premise, centrally managed digital signage solution was requested.
The Solution
Following site surveys and discussions with the UKHSA team, Cinos set about defining the different meeting room types and tailoring each solution to meet the operational requirements of the space.
The equipment in each meeting space was selected to optimise the user experience for both in-room participants and those joining remotely. In the smaller huddle rooms for two – three participants, Cinos installed 43” Samsung displays alongside Poly Microsoft Teams Room systems consisting of Studio P15 video bars, Teams PCs, paired with the GC8 touch panels for system control. In the medium meeting rooms, Cinos installed 65” – 75” Samsung displays, complete with Poly Studio premium USB video bars, Teams PCs and Poly GC8 touch panels.
The larger rooms and boardrooms for ten people or more, featured the same Teams PCs and Poly GC8 touch panels to provide a consistent and familiar user experience. However, due to the building’s age, solid floors and high vaulted ceilings, single or dual Poly Trio C60 conference phones were installed to amplify participants’ conversations, benefitting from Poly’s NoiseBlockAI technology to deliver crystal clear audio. These rooms also featured dual 75” – 85” Samsung displays and a Poly E70 Speaker Tracking Camera to ensure that everyone in the room can be seen in sharp detail.
As part of its technology refresh, the UKHSA wanted to standardise on an IPTV and digital signage solution capable of delivering high-definition content across all five floors. Cinos installed Appspace digital signage and IPTV displays across the UKHSA’s workspaces in Nobel House. These consisted of Appspace certified Samsung 32”, 43” and 55” displays that were either wall or ceiling mounted. An on-premise version of Appspace was selected to deliver the digital signage content, with IPTV channels provided by an Exterity TV Gateway available via the Appspace platform.
The Benefits
From start to finish the project took three months to complete. The UKHSA team also received support from an onsite Cinos engineer for the first three months following the deployment, to assist with user adoption and provide training in a live environment.
Cinos designed each space around Poly Teams solutions to guarantee users encountered the same intuitive experience when joining and running meetings. This ensured the UKHSA staff were presented with a familiar interface in every space and with the Poly GC8 touch panels they could now effortlessly present content from their laptops.
The high-quality AV solutions from Poly ensure that all attendees, whether they are in the larger meeting spaces at full capacity or in a smaller space on a one-on-one call, feel included. Each all-in-one video conferencing bar features a 4K video camera and optimised acoustics for rich, clean audio. This facilitates effective communication and collaboration between all participants, regardless of their physical location.
With a mixture of Appspace and IPTV channels, the UKHSA now has a robust toolset for managing content and distributing important announcements, information and wayfinding to the various displays located in Nobel House.
Moving On
After 18-months heavy usage of the technology, the UKHSA relocated to 10 South Colonnade, a government hub for civil servants in Canary Wharf. Cinos decommissioned the Nobel House systems and fitted-out the meeting spaces in the new head office.
The design of the Colonnade space was developed around the same key requirements for meeting equity and utilising best-in-class video conferencing solutions which facilitate hybrid working, reduce travel and contribute toward environmentally friendly working practices. The new office environment is made up of a variety of collaboration and meeting spaces including:
Divisible Boardroom
This multifunctional space provides the UKHSA with a number of different configurations. When divided it comprises of three large meeting rooms or one large meeting room and a smaller space. Alternatively, it can be opened up and used to host events, training sessions or as a public viewing gallery. The space features the same Poly Teams solutions that the UKHSA utilised at Nobel House. A Q-SYS system provides audio processing, AV over IP signal transport and IP PTZ cameras throughout the environment with Sennheiser ceiling microphones and a 4×2 video wall controlled using a Cyviz control system. To maximise the value of the space, Cinos also installed three 75” Avocor interactive 4K displays throughout the divisible boardroom to allow users to connect, engage and collaborate with others.
Six- or Twelve-Person Meeting Rooms
Across the remaining 13 medium meeting spaces, Cinos reinstalled the UKHSA’s existing Samsung displays with Teams PCs, Poly Studio Conferencing Bars and Poly GC8 touch panels to provide the consistency and familiarity staff had become accustomed to.
Small Collaboration Pods
Additional meeting zones were designed with flexible collaboration in mind. A series of eight one or two-person meeting pods provide simple breakout areas for staff. Cinos installed Poly Studio R30 conferencing bars and laptop connections to enable staff to easily connect their own devices.
Digital Signage
The Appspace digital signage and IPTV network was introduced into 10 South Colonnade to stream information, announcements and wayfinding for staff and visitors throughout the office area.
Future Projects
Cinos is also carrying out installations and upgrades for many of the agency’s regional sites. To standardise the user experience across the nationwide estate, Cinos will be repurposing equipment from Nobel House and installing Poly Teams Rooms Systems and supporting AV equipment across the UKHSA’s sites in:
Ashford, Bristol, Cambridge, Chilton, Fareham, Harlow, Horsham, Leeds, Liverpool, Mildenhall, Newcastle, Porton Down, Torquay.
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The team at Cinos took on board our requirements and created a solution that provides a seamless user experience across our estate and supports our hybrid working strategy. Knowledgeable, responsive and strategic in their approach, Cinos has gone the extra mile throughout to deliver value and cultivate a successful partnership. |
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| George McNamara
People Delivery Unit Director, Ways of Working Programme
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Poly-Based
Microsoft Teams Collaboration
By installing Poly-based Microsoft Teams rooms solutions across the UKHSA’s meeting spaces, Cinos have ensured a consistent and intuitive user experience when joining and running meetings. From single-person collaboration pods to large meeting spaces, the high-quality AV solutions from Poly ensure that all attendees, whether they are in the larger meeting spaces at full capacity or in a smaller space on a one-on-one call, feel included.
