On the 14th of November 2025, Cinos and the Government Property Agency (GPA) hosted a one-day conference in Quay House, Peterborough. Designed to keep clients at the forefront of GPA’s technology strategies, the event featured keynote sessions from both organisations alongside valuable audience participation.
Introductions from Ed Wiliamson of the GPA and Karl Deady from Cinos provided context for the day and set the tone for the sessions ahead. Cinos’ Tom Bailey outlined the journey of the partnership, from its beginnings in 2020 to its formal establishment in 2022 when Cinos were recognised as the GPA’s strategic AV partner. He went on to explain the joint development and rollout of AV Standards Version 3, a meeting room solution built on principles of simplicity, interoperability, and sustainability, with deployment set to reach over 600 government meeting rooms by April 2026.
Interactivity played a central role throughout the event, giving Cinos and the GPA meaningful feedback from the people who use government meeting rooms every day. Breakout sessions offered attendees the chance to experience Standards Version 3 first-hand, while a ‘build your own meeting room’ activity revealed valuable perspectives on what users expect from their spaces. The collaborative discussions, Q&As, and fireside chat that followed helped deepen this understanding, adding further clarity to the insights gathered.
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User experience emerged as a central theme with attendees describing their ideal government meeting room as simple, seamless, and easy to use. A clear majority also chose user experience, standardisation, and consistency as key drivers for future investment in meeting spaces.
These themes reflected the emphasis placed by GPA’s Kevin Hodge on the importance of user research in guiding meeting room strategies. Matt Stradling from Cinos illustrated how these insights helped shape AV Standards Version 3, influencing both its guiding principles and practical design decisions.
This user-centred approach naturally extended into discussions of interoperability, a key topic in Al Gardner’s GPA strategy session, reinforcing the overarching theme of seamless user experiences. In buildings shared across multiple government departments, he explained how interoperable technology ensures every user can work efficiently and effectively, underlining its importance in delivering consistently positive experiences.
With Standards Version 3 currently being rolled out across the GPA estate, it was encouraging to hear how closely attendees’ priorities aligned with the principles underpinning the standard. Ed Williamson’s explainer video expanded on these foundations, illustrating how the single universal cable reduces clutter and enables users to start meetings straight away. Attendees also saw how support is readily available via the digital user guide on the meeting room screen and gained further insight into the sustainability and security principles that sit at the heart of Standards Version 3.
Although technology featured prominently throughout the day, it became evident that it is only one component of a well-designed meeting room, a theme reinforced by Al Gardner and reflected across the interactive sessions and fireside chat. Accessibility was also a prominent thread, with discussions highlighting the importance of creating intuitive, comfortable, and inclusive spaces, supported by clear layouts, accessible controls, and visual or auditory cues that help everyone feel confident and supported within the space.
We would like to thank all attendees and organisers from the GPA and Cinos for making this a highly engaging and productive event. The day provided valuable feedback which underscored the importance of user experience and the many factors, beyond technology, that contribute to a well-designed meeting space. These insights, alongside future events, and ongoing investment in user research, will continue to inform Cinos’ and the GPA’s strategies, ensuring that meeting room standards evolve in line with the needs of those using them.
