How to Keep Digital Signage Simple in Large Projects

If you are in charge of sourcing a digital signage network in your workplace consisting of dozens

or hundreds of locations, you really need to think about the complexity involved before you

pull the trigger.

Setting up a large digital signage network requires many different considerations that you may not have thought about. Let’s take a look at a few:

#1 - Large networks = complexity

Installing a few screens is a piece of cake, relatively speaking.

…But once you get beyond 5 or 10, it gets complicated pretty quickly.

Consider the logistics of handling the hardware. If you’re planning a 150-unit install for example, you can’t walk in to Best Buy and get the equipment.

You have to have solid relationships with distributors, installer teams and people who can configure and coordinate it all. To do this quickly and on time is a huge learning curve

where experience really counts.

#2 - Managing zones and groups

By definition, large installations have different content requirements for different groups. For example, a company may have separate communication requirements for their East

and West coast teams, or their manufacturing and distribution locations.

They may even need sub-grouping, like all the cafeterias at just the manufacturing sites. So the digital signage software must be able to parse the right content out to the correct

places, while allowing universal content flow to all locations.

#3 - Which locations get what content?

You likely have your own, company-specific content such as KPIs and personnel notices

that you need to distribute.

However, you’ll also want to communicate the standard issues like morale, teamwork, customer service and safety.

Sure, you can generate all that content too, but you should consider buying it as part of your digital signage system. That will save a LOT of time, allowing you to concentrate on

the in-house content that only your staff can produce.

#4 - Who administers what?

With all these locations and groups, you’re

going to have a bunch of different people

administering them.

That can be relatively straightforward, for example, one administrator to one group, or more complex, where under certain conditions one administrator needs

to be in charge of a group of groups.

And then you’ll probably want some “super admins” who can

post content everywhere or almost everywhere.

#5 - What happens when location

relationships change?

Let’s say your company does an internal restructuring…

necessitating a regrouping of your digital

signage

…where all the reporting

relationships change,

In other words, the locations don’t physically change, but that Nashville location is now part of the Midwest group instead of the Southern group. You’re going to want to

be able to change that relationship quickly and reassign admins if required.

So how do you…

Don’t try to do it yourself. You have to find an expert digital signage supplier that does this day-in and day-out, because when you

combine all those factors together, it’s completely overwhelming for

inexperienced players.

When executed correctly, it IS simple because someone else is in charge of all the coordination and details.

http://www.themarlincompany.com | P: 800.344.5901 | E: [email protected]

Good luck!