I will be honest and admit that there have been a few times where I have needed a quick sanity check – a “peer review”, if you will, just to make sure I got everything right. These are the moments when you need it most, during the eleventh hour of programming on site and something just is not quite right, and you have about pulled all your hair out. Even the most seasoned programmers take these opportunities to turn to other Q-SYS users for a sanity check.
The current Q-SYS user community is more than just an installation nightmare support group; it has grown to be an online community of knowledgeable professionals that seek to contribute to the success of every AV project. There is a lot more to it than just Q&A; we see discussions about overcoming technical challenges, opinion surveys of equipment and techniques – the list goes on! Perhaps the most spectacular part has always been the direct interaction with the QSC product management and Application Engineering Team. There have even been new features added to Q-SYS based on the discussions generated within these groups.
As a solutions provider, I find the community insightful for following evolving industry trends and best practices. The wide range of users also give insight as to the overall market spread of AV projects, whether it is for corporate projects, cinema, themed entertainment, house of worship, and even residential.
I have enjoyed playing an active role in the social media-based Q-SYS groups, having been either a moderator or an admin of the three Q-SYS related Facebook groups. In the beginning, social media allowed for quick organization of thought leaders, especially in the professional work force and in the AV markets. However, our community has reached a critical mass and as a result, managing the sheer number of questions and conversations using simple social media tools has become unyielding. It is exciting now to be a part of the launch of a dedicated home for developers, designers, and users on “QSC Communities for Developers”, QSC’s dedicated developer social platform.
My favorite part of “QSC Communities” are the Groups. Rather than relying on one giant chat room on social media with little organization, we will now be able to have focused discussion topics where users can more closely associate with areas within their expertise and ask questions in places that are more likely to be answered by individuals more suited for the topic.
As social media has become a bit of a wild west in terms of questions and topics, the Q-SYS user base will surely find a home within “QSC Communities for Developers”.