Green Information Technology Strategic Plan - Departmental ...

8.3 Video Over IP
—VideoIP Meeting Rooms
OCIO, Rural Development, Forest Service, and many of
the other Agencies are equipping office locations around
the Untied States with low cost VideoIP systems. The
systems operate with a 360° or a single point camera with
a flat screen television. With the digital connection and
the proper screen size, the systems can connect to multiple
locations in an effective regional meeting.
BUSInESS CASE
VideoIP Meeting Rooms
Rural Development (RD) has reduced the Agency’s
carbon footprint by reducing the number of offices and
supporting a mobile workforce (teleworking). The Agency
has State Directors and offices to support each State’s rural
development needs. Under the old methodology, the team
would travel to Washington DC, and other locations in the
United States periodically.
The recovery of the total investment in the VideoIP system
is from the airfare of one business trip across the United
States. At a minimum, if RD State Directors reduce travel
by one trip per year, the savings would be over $208,000
per year. By reducing this travel RD employees will save the
environment 31 tons of carbon generated by airfare per year;
and 155 tons over 5 years.
Supporting Environmentally Responsible Technology at USDA
Other Benefits
—Better Collaboration
Video conferencing provides employees a better experience
in collaboration than a telephone call, email, or instant
messaging. This becomes highly effective with employees
that may have a knowledge or skill needed for a project
which is not geographically located in the area of the project
team or activity.
—Lost Assets
Each year government Agencies lose computers during
airline travel. As noted in the press, at times these computers
may contain personal or sensitive information. This is no
longer a risk after reducing required travel by implementing
the VideoIP system.
—Down time
Airline travel requires early check-in, security checks, and
30-minute boarding times prior to travel. The waits are
duplicated on the return trip. (Total employee time for
check-in, boarding, departing, and return travel with no
layover is approximately 4 hours.) VideoIP meetings are
often concluded within an hour. This would allow for four
VideoIP meetings to be accommodated within the time a
person would wait during airline travel.
—Physically and Socially Taxing
Business travel can be taxing on employees’ physical health
and social life. Executive and management employees
often complete a full workday, fly in the evening, and work
during the flight. For many people sleep outside of their
normal environment is difficult. Extensive travel is difficult
on families and social relationships. VideoIP can provide
employees with an increase in quality of life. Telework is
assisted through the use of small desktop “eyeball” cameras.
Conferencing units can effectively reduce airline travel.
—Replace Satellite Video Conferencing
VideoIP provides an inexpensive replacement to high-cost
satellite video conferencing while providing a better user
experience.
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