1. Formalising the integrator

I think most would agree with me in saying that our industry has very much matured, but we’re still not a formally recognised trade. However, the wheels are in motion to have Integrator formalised as a professional trade in residential technologies, (hopefully) complete with an apprenticeship pathway.

That’s the plan, and I think 2023 will be a great catalyst year towards this goal. But it takes a village, with certifications (like CEDIA CIT and IST) and advocacy efforts being key to influencing policymakers in demonstrating the level of qualification and professionalism in our industry. So, if you haven’t already, please get certified in 2023 and let’s see if we can show the rest of the world how it’s done!

2. Outcomes, not products

The recent CEDIA white paper The Integrator of 2027 proposes that integrators will need to be user-centric instead of product-centric. That is, instead of being sales focused and saying: “I’m a brand x, y, &/or z dealer”, the focus will shift to client outcomes and hyper-personalised experiences.

A diversity of tech will of course remain a crucial pillar in this, but it becomes a means to an end and best results can be attained by keeping procurement options as open as possible. Some integrators have already necessitated diversification due to supply chain issues, but this is different again; it’s a fundamental shift that will further differentiate us from big/online retail and giant-tech DIY, firming up the role of the integrator.

The leaders in this transition have already started but it will gain momentum in 2023.

3. Tech nomads change the boundaries

We’re all very familiar with the huge shift to work-from-home that was necessitated by the pandemic responses, and we’re hearing that it’s taking some permanent hold. A study from the Melbourne Institute found that as of January 2022, 89% of workers wanted to permanently work at least part of their job remotely. This might be at home, but it could really be anywhere — a coffee shop, library, co-working spaces, or even holiday locations, hence the term “tech nomad”.

As such, residential tech can’t stop at the front gate, and integrators are important enablers in providing connectivity, access and security. With pandemic declarations finally winding down, 2023 will be year 1 of the new normal.

4. Power Up

Power is an ongoing challenge with talk internationally of ageing power grids and the need for sustainability. Some of this is economic, some political, and much of course largely climate driven.

But during one of several excellent cinema room demos at CEDIA Expo in Dallas, I was reminded again of the crazy juxtaposition we face — one jaw-dropping system had 20kW of amplification for the subs alone, so how can this possibly be sustained in a so-called net-zero home?

This issue will get even louder (excusing the pun) in 2023, along with how to generate, monitor and manage power usage.

5. Interpretating Gobbledygook… as always

Tech terms will continue to buzz and all too often not mean anything.

In 2023 “digital” will still mean anything connected and/or cloud based even though alternatives are also often digital; all things “smart” often don’t make their users feel that way; AI will still be artificial but ironically unintelligent; crypto will still be cryptic to many; and according to CEDIA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Mitch Klein, the Internet-of-Things doesn’t necessarily require the Internet and is not always Things, so that leaves us, simply, with ‘of’!

So, it’s your job to stay on top of whatever new terms come along and know how to interpret them when relating to your clients. I wish you every success in 2023!