Digital Signage: Efficient & Flexible Communication Solutions

Digital signage is the software and hardware used to create, schedule, distribute, and monitor digital messages. If you’ve ever seen a screen displaying the weather, news, TV, flights, calendars, menus, and advertisements, this is considered digital signage. But first, let’s go back to the basics of where digital signs stem from. Visual communication is at the core of digital signage, which is the use of visual elements used to convey ideas, such as, signs, typography, illustration, graphic design, animation, etc. Using visual aids when trying to communicate helps people absorb and retain information as it is typically more direct and attention-grabbing. As a result, visual communication aids such as digital signage are bound to be more impactful when communicating in today’s world.

Overall, digital signs are intended to enhance viewers’ experience and serve as behaviour modification devices. Recently, they have become increasingly popular communication tools within corporations, municipalities, health care, and education, as they serve consistent messaging that prompts viewers to take action. In today’s new reality, common behaviour-changing actions involve reminding people to sanitize, wear a mask, or keep a safe distance from others upon their entrance into a public space. Other digital signage solutions that help challenges in today’s rapidly changing environment include meeting room displays, donor boards, room status monitors, staff information boards, digital access control displays, contactless interactive kiosks, on-demand emergency presentations, live streaming, and mobile phone engagement.

Countless benefits stem from the use of digital signage, which all stem from the technology’s scalability, efficiency, and flexibility. More specific benefits that have the potential to optimize your organization include: 

• Clear, convenient group messaging in real-time
• Schedule content in advance so messaging can update automatically
• Keeps people informed with calendars, schedules and upcoming events 
• Automated data feeds to display real-time internal and external information 
• Integrated and automated into daily standard procedures 
• Ability to overcome spatial limitations by fitting more content onto one sign
• Provide directions and interactive wayfinding options for people in large facilities 
• Improved safety and emergency notifications in real-time

Working behind the scenes of any successful digital signage is a strong content management system (CMS). While the display is the most visible aspect of a digital signage system, the CMS is essential in creating, importing, and distributing the desired content. The management system also controls who gets delivered what messaging and when. For instance, in a workplace setting, there is often a need to provide staff with important information that is not necessarily meant for public view. The right CMS can display more detailed internal information in employee-only areas to keep staff informed, while simultaneously displaying more high-level information in public spaces. Authority delegation and reporting capabilities are also valuable components that enable a strong interface. 

To help you decide what digital signage CMS is best for your use, here are some considerations: 

• What types of content will you be using?
• Who will be supplying the content?
• How often will it need to be refreshed?
• Will the same content be displayed on all screens?
• Will there be levels of management required?
• Will reporting be required and in what format?
• Do I need the CMS to monitor my network “health”?
• Is SaaS or on-premise the desired format?
• What level of complexity can you tolerate?
• What level of support will be necessary?