For several years prior to 2000, students and faculty at McMaster University rated classrooms below those at peer universities. In the case of many classrooms, the teaching environments were outdated and the technology was old. The provost determined in 2000 that they needed to make a long-term investment in their learning spaces. For sound pedagogical reasons they needed to renovate and equip their classrooms with the latest teaching technologies. They were not going to equip their rooms with expensive, cutting-edge technology just for the sake of using the technology. In this article, the authors describe how they set up a pedagogical, needs-based approach to evaluating, designing, and deploying new technology in renovated classrooms at McMaster to accomplish this goal. They applied academic criteria to the development of smart classrooms that meet the needs of faculty and students, resulting in a smart, customized podium, designed in complete consultation with faculty over a two-year period. The process included consultation, satisfaction/needs surveys, prototype development, and user evaluations prior to final deployment. The provost and an ad hoc advisory committee on learning technologies established needs that led to creation of the Learning Technologies Resource Centre (LTRC), which was established in 2000. Space allocated in an existing library was renovated with grant funding from the Royal Bank, and administrative staff were hired or transferred from existing units by the end of 2001. The creation of this body began the process of updating classroom technology on campus. The LTRC has administrative ties to the existing Centre for Leadership in Learning, under the auspices of the academic provost. (Contains 2 figures and 4 endnotes.)