Understand the staffing and product needs of a digital signage project from install to years later.
By Perry Goldstein
August 08, 2012
As with any project, teamwork is the key to a successful digital signage initiative. One important point to make is that digital signage is a process, not a project. The operation of the system will continue after the initial install.Content creation, additions to the system and maintenance will continue.Those tasks need to be addressed and planned for in headcount and cost. They can add up to as much as the initial install cost within three years of the “turn on” point.
That costs will continue should shape your project at its inception. Digital signage done right becomes an area for growth as goals are met. Understanding what those goals are — education, customer service, monetization — will help you design a success metric. How will you know your project is a success? One area not to be forgotten is if the process itself is smooth and well-thought out both at the start and throughout its life cycle. A project that waste time and man-hours cannot be considered a success. To reach that positive return, you have to start with your people.
The Top of the Pyramid
Oddly enough, I rarely see a single point person who puts the whole system together. In many cases, pieces of the system such as electrical are assigned out to other parties, especially in a new build situation. For instance, a wiring diagram for the system will be included in the master blue prints of the building, but the system integrator may not be directly involved in the wiring. This presents a challenge, as the wiring may not meet the specified needs of the digital signage system. I have seen this happen numerous times. This will create a problem, and may be unavoidable.
Assign a “Digital Signage Czar.” Again, depending on the size of the system, this may become a full time, in-house position. If this is the case, that person should be hired on before
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