On the 14th of November 2025, Cinos and the Government Property Agency (GPA) hosted a one-day conference in Quay House, Peterborough, to keep clients at the forefront of the GPA’s technology strategies. The event featured keynote sessions from both organisations alongside audience participation.
Introductions from Ed Williamson, the GPA’s Senior Technical Architect, 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 was awarded a supply contract with the GPA. He went on to explain the joint development and rollout of AV Standards Version 3 (SV3), a meeting room solution built on the 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. Breakout sessions offered attendees the chance to experience SV3 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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This was a highly engaging event that reinforced the importance of putting users at the centre of meeting room design. It gave clients clear visibility of our shared approach with the GPA, while also creating an open forum to hear directly from those using government meeting spaces every day. The perspectives gathered throughout the day play a vital role in shaping how we think about experience, consistency and accessibility across the estate.
I would like to thank all attendees for their thoughtful contributions and active participation, which were central to the success of the event. We look forward to continuing to host collaborative sessions like this, ensuring our strategies remain closely aligned with user needs and future technology requirements across the civil service. |
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| Karl Deady
Executive Director, Cinos
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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 Kevin Hodge, User Researcher, on the importance of user research in guiding meeting room strategies. Matt Stradling from Cinos illustrated how these insights helped shape SV3, influencing both its guiding principles and practical design decisions.
This user-centred approach naturally extended into discussions of interoperability, a key topic in the strategy session hosted by Al Gardner, the GPA’s Head of Technology, reinforcing the overarching theme of seamless user experiences. He explained how interoperable technology can ensure every user in buildings shared across multiple government departments is able to work efficiently and effectively, underlining its importance as a solution in delivering consistently positive experiences.
Ed Williamson’s explainer video expanded on SV3 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 the standard.
Although featuring prominently throughout, it was highlighted that technology 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 framing 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.
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.
