Digital Signage January 2015 - Purdue University Signage Report.pdf · Digital Signage January 2015...

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IT Operational Oversight Committee Digital Signage January 2015 Project Title – Digital Signage Project Team – Linda Baer, Assistant Comptroller – Payroll Services, Payroll Services Mona Holdcraft, Director Financial Affairs – HHS, Business Office Health and Human Sciences Kevin Maurer*, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Assessment, Housing and Food Services George McCabe, Associate Dean and Prof of Statistics, Statistics Julie Kercher-Updike*, AVP, Teaching & Learning Technologies and IT Customer Relations, IT@P The late Joann Miller, Associate Dean of Engagement/Head of Interdisciplinary Studies/Professor of Sociology Executive Summary – The scope of this effort was to identify the opportunities, limitations, costs, and incentives to enable all digital signage in public/common areas to transmit emergency alert messages. The team also was to define and recommend action items for digital signage that is not currently on the network or running Four Winds and recommend best practices for displaying emergency alert messages on digital signage. It is our recommendation that standard guidelines (template) should be established on how emergency alerts are displayed and to display emergency alerts on all digital signage capable of doing so. For those devices that are unable to display emergency alerts require a standardized plaque be prominently displayed on the device noting “This devices does not display emergency alerts.” Further we recommend all signs adhere to this practice and that the IT purchasing process be changed to notify all new purchases of this standard practice. Alternatives Considered – The team considered requiring all 210 digital signs on campus be required to display emergency alerts however: 30 are not connected to the network (11 of these signs are dedicated to displaying instructions/specific purpose within an office) and may or may not be able to be connected to the network without significant cost (see Appendix A for details). 56 are on the network but may or may not be able to receive alerts due to the purpose the signage serves, for example specialized software running on a sign (see Appendix A for details). 119 are managed through a central content management system, CoolSign. Campus is currently in the process of migrating all CoolSign devices to a new management system, FourWinds. Emergency alerts can and will be displayed on all CoolSign/FourWind devices. There are an additional 5 devices that run Cable TV. Emergency alerts can and will be displayed on these devices.

Transcript of Digital Signage January 2015 - Purdue University Signage Report.pdf · Digital Signage January 2015...

Page 1: Digital Signage January 2015 - Purdue University Signage Report.pdf · Digital Signage January 2015 Project Title – Digital Signage Project Team – Linda Baer, Assistant Comptroller

IT Operational Oversight Committee

Digital Signage

January 2015

Project Title – Digital Signage

Project Team –

Linda Baer, Assistant Comptroller – Payroll Services, Payroll Services

Mona Holdcraft, Director Financial Affairs – HHS, Business Office Health and Human Sciences

Kevin Maurer*, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Assessment, Housing and Food Services

George McCabe, Associate Dean and Prof of Statistics, Statistics

Julie Kercher-Updike*, AVP, Teaching & Learning Technologies and IT Customer Relations, IT@P

The late Joann Miller, Associate Dean of Engagement/Head of Interdisciplinary

Studies/Professor of Sociology

Executive Summary – The scope of this effort was to identify the opportunities, limitations, costs, and incentives to enable all digital signage in public/common areas to transmit emergency alert messages. The team also was to define and recommend action items for digital signage that is not currently on the network or running Four Winds and recommend best practices for displaying emergency alert messages on digital signage. It is our recommendation that standard guidelines (template) should be established on how emergency alerts are displayed and to display emergency alerts on all digital signage capable of doing so. For those devices that are unable to display emergency alerts require a standardized plaque be prominently displayed on the device noting “This devices does not display emergency alerts.” Further we recommend all signs adhere to this practice and that the IT purchasing process be changed to notify all new purchases of this standard practice.

Alternatives Considered –

The team considered requiring all 210 digital signs on campus be required to display emergency

alerts however:

30 are not connected to the network (11 of these signs are dedicated to displaying

instructions/specific purpose within an office) and may or may not be able to be connected to

the network without significant cost (see Appendix A for details).

56 are on the network but may or may not be able to receive alerts due to the purpose the

signage serves, for example specialized software running on a sign (see Appendix A for details).

119 are managed through a central content management system, CoolSign. Campus is currently

in the process of migrating all CoolSign devices to a new management system, FourWinds.

Emergency alerts can and will be displayed on all CoolSign/FourWind devices. There are an

additional 5 devices that run Cable TV. Emergency alerts can and will be displayed on these

devices.

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Not all signs are able to run FourWinds software without additional/change in hardware

configuration.

Not all functionality needed for digital signage can be facilitated through FourWinds.

Recommendation(s) –

Identify guidelines and best practices for digital signage as it relates to emergency alert

messages:

o All alerts will be transmitted from the RAVE emergency response system, i.e. text

messages pushed to RAVE will be what is displayed on digital signs

o Develop and share a template/display for broadcasting emergency alerts to include size

of font, color scheme, time to stay on screen, display over the entire screen, etc. for

signs not on Four Winds in order to ensure consistency of alert messages

o Test the alert system once a semester as part of the regular campus emergency

preparedness

Encourage those display owners not using CoolSign/FourWinds to convert. The current rate to

run the FourWinds service is $2,010 annually for each participating unit (college, department as

long as the technical support and design is centralized). As many signs as needed may be

managed for this annual rate. If a department is already participating in CoolSign/FourWinds no

additional charge will be incurred.

Encourage those owners not able to convert to CoolSign/FourWinds to display emergency alerts

via an RSS feed (must adhere to template/standard message display guidelines.)

For those owners not able to display emergency alerts, require a label/plaque (approximate cost

$12-$15/plaque) noting: “This display does not broadcast emergency messages”

Keep all signage compliant with the guidelines by adding a requirement to the digital signage

purchasing process such that upon approval of the sign, the owner agrees to display Emergency

Alerts by using FourWinds, an RSS feed (must adhere to template/standard message display

guidelines), or display a label/plaque (purchaser assumes the plaque cost) noting: “This display

does not broadcast emergency messages.”

Impact Assessment (if known)

Key stakeholders – Faculty, Staff, Students, Visitors

Impact on stakeholders – Ability to use digital signage on campus to view emergency alerts

Identify assumptions – There are many mechanisms for faculty, staff, and students to be made aware of emergency alerts therefore our assumption is that having the alerts displayed on a digital sign is a nice to have option as opposed to a requirement.

o No legal requirements were identified for displaying emergency alerts on digital signage. o Classroom computers receive emergency alerts. o Faculty, Staff and Students are all encouraged to sign up to receive the RAVE emergency

response notifications on their cell phones.

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Risks associated with the recommendation – To better help assess the risk the team developed

and sent out survey questions to our Big Ten peer institutions. Compiled benchmark results can

be found attached as Appendix B.

Identify organizational units responsible for implementation – ITaP, Safety & Security, and Marketing & Media.

Timeline – Spring 2015 .

Cost Savings – No cost savings identified.

Resource Requirements – A project team should be organized with representation from ITaP, Safety & Security, and Marketing & Media. The CoolSign/FourWinds coordinator should take ownership.

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Appendix A: Digital Sign Locations (Not Running Coolsign/FourWinds/Broadcast TV)

Investigate Further

Not on the

Netwk N/A

On the

Netwk Totals

AG

2 11 3 16

KAN 681

1 1

AGAD hall, 1st floor

1

1

BCHM

1 1

KRAN 6th

1 1

LILY

1

1

N/A

11

11

CLA

2

2 4

BRNG 1st floor hall

1 1

BRNG First Floor Hall

1 1

PAO Hall

1

1

SC

1

1

EDU

1 1

BRNG North Lobby

1 1

HHS

7

6 13

JNSN

2 2

LAMB

2

2

LYLE

4

4

MTHW

1

1

PRCE

1 1

PSYC

3 3

PHRM

1 1

RHPH Front Lobby

1 1

SCI

1

8 9

HAMP 2169 hall

2 2

HOCK Lobby

2 2

Lily 1100 Hall

1 1

Lily Lobby

1 1

LWSN 2nd floor hall

1

1

LWSN Commons

1 1

LWSN entrance

1 1

VET

1 1

LYNN - Main floor, east entrance, on the south side

1 1

ECN/TECH 1 3

32 36

ARMS 1264

1 1

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ARMS 3rd (Dunville Room)

1 1

Birck Clean Room Bay N

2 2

BRK 2156 cleanroom

1 1

BRK 2164 cleanroom

1 1

DLR 1st floor hall

1 1

ECEBO

2 2

EE 139

1 1

FRNY GH05

1 1

GRIS 1__ (GRIS 1st floor)

1 1

GRIS 235 (GRIS 2nd floor)

1 1

HAMP 1122

2 2

HAMP 1141

1

1

HAMP 1144

1

1

HAMP Commons

1 1

HAMP G110

2 2

HAMP G157

1

1

HAMP G212

1 1

HGR6 118

1 1

HGR6 122

1 1

HOVD 3rd floor opposite the reception desk

1 1

KNOY 1st floor hall

1 1

KNOY 346

1 1

MSEE 104F

1 1

NUCL

1 1

POTR 127

1 1

STEW 93

1 1

Wang 1

1

YONG 360

1 1

YONG 3rd floor by conference room

1 1

YONG 3rd floor by elevator

1 1

YONG 3rd floor by south stairwell

1 1

Office of Intercollegiate Athletics 1

1

Mackey Concourse and Arena plaza 1

1

Office of the Provost 1 1

2

STEW 1 1

2

Office of the Vice President for Information Technology

1 1

STEW G65 & G68

1 1

Office of the Vice President for Public Affairs

1 1

PMU

1 1

Grand Total 3 16 11 56 86

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Appendix B – Digital Display Benchmark Responses Last Modified: 12/29/2014

1. Which university do you represent? Text Response University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Ohio State

Indiana University

University of Illinois

Michigan State University

University of Michigan

UW-Madison

Statistic Value Total Responses 7

2. Do you have digital signage on your campus? # Answer

Response % 1 Yes

6 86%

2 No

1 14%

Total 7 100%

<NO SKIPS TO THE OPEN ENDED LAST QUESTION>

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3. Approximately how many digital signs do you have on your

campus? # Answer

Response % 1 1-50

1 17%

2 51-100

1 17%

3 101-150

1 17%

4 151-200

1 17%

5 201-250

0 0%

6 251-300

1 17%

7 More Than 300

0 0%

8 Not Sure

1 17%

Total 6 100%

4. How are your digital signs managed? # Answer

Response % 1 Centrally

0 0%

2 By Department/Area Responsible for the Signage

1 17%

3 Combination of Both

5 83%

Total 6 100%

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5. What factors have lead to the shared/split management of digital

signage on your campus?

<ONLY THOSE WHO ANSWERED COMBINATION OF BOTH ON #4> Text Response We set a partnership that shares the cost: for more information: http://its.unl.edu/desktop/digital-signage

The software for managing the signs is an enterprise solution for all signs on all IU campuses. However, the hardware and maintaining content on a day to day basis is the responsibility of the department who owns the signs.

Decentralized management processes

No overarching policy to address the issue.

With such diverse needs across the different units on campus, it was necessary to distribute content management to each unit. Our group provides the software and infrastructure, as well as some basic content (templates, images, etc.), but it's up to each unit to design and maintain their own signage.

Statistic Value Total Responses 5

6. Do you manage your campus displays with a digital signage

program? # Answer

Response % 1 Yes - A single program

2 33%

2 Yes - Multiple programs

1 17%

3 No

3 50%

Total 6 100%

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7. How are your digital signs managed/controlled?

<ONLY THOSE WHO ANSWERED NO ON #6> Text Response Each department is responsible for their own signs. They manage and control them based on departmental needs/interests.

Centrally and within a department

By individual departments that provide us some access to broad cast to.

8. What program is utilized? Do you have any plans to change to a

different signage program? If so, when and why?

<ONLY THOSE WHO ANSWERED YES-SINGLE PROGRAM ON #6> Text Response Four WInds Interactive

Four Winds Interactive is our enterprise solution for Digital sign management. However, if a department chooses to manage their content through our WCMS - Web Content management Solution, they can make that choice too manage their sign content as well. Both work for the Emergency Alerts.

9. What programs are utilized? Who determines which program to

use? Do you have any plans to change to a single or different signage

program? If so, when and why?

<ONLY THOSE WHO ANSWERED YES-MULTIPLE PROGRAMS ON #6> Text Response The ITS Digital Signage service uses Four Winds Interactive software, and we manage a Windows 7 environment. There are other areas on campus using their own instance of Four Winds, and also other software, like Drupal and Visix. There are currently no plans to consolidate the different programs at this time.

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10. Are the displays connected to your campus network?

<ONLY THOSE WHO ANSWERED YES-SINGLE PROGRAM or YES-

MULTIPLE PROGRAMS ON #6> # Answer

Response % 1 Yes

3 100%

2 No

0 0%

3 It Depends

0 0%

Total 3 100%

11. Are your displays required to connected to a private subnet?

<ONLY THOSE WHO ANSWERED YES ON #10> # Answer

Response % 1 Yes

2 67%

2 No

1 33%

Total 3 100%

12. What factors determine whether a display is connected to the

campus network? Does that also impact whether a display is required

to be on a private subnet? <ONLY THOSE WHO ANSWERED ITS

DEPENDS ON #10 WHICH WAS NO ONE> Text Response

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13. Are you able to display emergency messages (sever weather

information, campus warnings, etc.)? # Answer

Response % 1 Yes

5 83%

2 No

1 17%

3 It Depends

0 0%

Total 6 100%

14. What factors determine which or whether emergency messages

are displayed? Did you have to "grandfather" in older

displays/content management systems? <ONLY THOSE WHO

ANSWERED ITS DEPENDS ON #13 WHICH WAS NO ONE> Text Response

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15. Are you able to display emergency messages on all of your digital

signage? If not, what are the factors that led to that disparity?

<ONLY THOSE WHO ANSWERED YES ON #13> Text Response Yes - each sign is connected to display digital alerts.

All signs that are listening for emergency alerts display emergency alerts. If they are using WCMS or Four Winds to manage their signs, they will get alerts. The incentive for everyone to convert their signs is a bulk deal with CDGW for the hardware, but we don't force people to use it. Most have converted or are planning on it, but not all signs have converted.

No....only the centralized digital signs

Some not granting us direct permission to do so. So not all.

Yes, the capability exists to display the emergency messages on all of our signs. However, the signs must be configured to point to the RSS feed that is managed by the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security. If a unit has not properly configured their sign, or there is some other issue (technical or functional) with their sign, the emergency message will not display.

16. Are there any concerns on campus about not being able to display

emergency messages?

<ONLY THOSE WHO ANSWERED NO ON #13> Text Response Yes. We have been attempting to work with our student union leaders to conduct a pilot program with their signs but this is a slow process

<NO SKIPS TO THE OPEN ENDED LAST QUESTION>

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17. Do you have any best practices that you would recommend with

respect to displaying emergency alert messages on your signage? Text Response Explain up front that digital alerts are part of being on the digital signage network.

Use the content of the text message alert, not the email content because it has proven to be too long to display well on all signs. We also color code the background: Orange = Emergency(active shooter, etc), Yellow = Advisory(winter closings).

Have them synced to the emergency notification messages

Consistency in the message with other devices. And central management of this function.

We force using a test feed to ensure that the displays are configured properly, and require a specific background color, font color, font size, etc. Here's a link to the instructions we provide to our customers: http://www.itcs.umich.edu/itcsdocs/s4412/ We also work with the UM DPSS to conduct regular tests of the emergency alert software/process.

18. How are the costs for digital signage management

budgeted/allocated? Is it the same for older vs. new/planned

displays? Text Response Details of the MOU are here: http://its.unl.edu/desktop/forms/memorandum-understanding

You can see our digital sign details at digitalsignage.iu.edu. Enterprise package deals with CDGW. University paid for the Four Winds Interactive and WCMS software tools as enterprise solutions.

No idea

By department.

For our customers, we charge $200/year, billed monthly ($16.66/month). These funds cover licensing, infrastructure maintenance and support personnel. We are currently piloting a "design as a service" program, which will generate additional income, but at this time, there is no set pricing structure in place. It's the same charge for old and new signs.

19. If not addressed in your best practices recommendations, do you

run periodic tests of your emergency alert system? How often? How

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do you determine how often and for how long a message is

displayed? Does it depend on the type of message? Text Response Emergency Alerts are tested on the signs at minimum of once a semester. The message is provided by an RSS feed from UNL Alert. Length of display depends on the nature of the emergency.

We run 2 annual tests: 1. Operation Stormy Weather during the State's Tornado Siren tests, 2. A few weeks into the start of the Fall Semester (this test will be skipped based on each campuses use of the system throughout the year). We also test signs at individual campuses any time there is a complaint that the Emergency Alert didn't display. It does depend on the alert: if it's a school closing, we leave it up as long as the campus administration wants it to display and since we cancel the content manually(we've never been able to get the expiration date and time to do anything), we can leave it up for a short time or a long time. Tornado warnings - set to be removed after 15 minutes or when the next tornado warning comes in. School closing may stay up for 2 hours.

Drills every three months. The message is displayed for as long as the emergency exists

Yes, each semester.

Yes, we conduct tests of the emergency alert software and process. Since the feed for these events is managed by the DPSS group, we rely on them to determine when the tests will take place. We had been conducting tests on a monthly basis, but going forward, it will be less frequent, as we believe that we've resolved any issues that had been occurring since we implemented new emergency alert software about a year ago. The emergency message contents, frequency and duration are determined by DPSS.

20. Who makes the decisions about what and when to display

emergency messages? Text Response UNL Police Department. All UNL Alerts take over the entire digital sign. The messages are removed by sending a clear message to the signs.

Emergency messages are displayed on all digital signs when any alert is sent to all modalities we deliver to, so I guess I'm saying, if a decision to send an alert is made, it goes on the signs.

Police department

Chief of Police

Division of Public Safety and Security

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21. Do you have any additional thoughts you would like to share with

respect to digital signage? <EVERYONE> Text Response On the outside, it sounds like a fantastic opportunity to communicate with visitors/others. I will be interested to hear about others experiences and, hopefully, use this benchmarking to jumpstart my own attempts to implement a similar program.

Make sure whatever ENS vendor you use or digital signage content management software you use allows for expiration of the alerts. We struggle with that issue at IU. we have to send an alert to set the conditions back to "normal" for both our web page and digital sign alerts. That doesn't always happen, so the alerts stay up longer than we or the customer/owner of the sign wants them to.

No

Keep in mind that in addition to establishing a software vendor, you will want to establish a reliable hardware vendor for touch screen interfaces. We have found that since our infrastructure is managed centrally for our service, we need to be able to obtain and work with any associated touch screen drivers. In addition, careful consideration must be made for ADA/Accessibility requirements. We have outlined our best practices here: http://www.itcs.umich.edu/digital-signage/content-best-practices.php

There is a project that is beginning on campus relating to smart signage. I am not part of the committee, but Lt. Ruth Ewing in our Field Services Division is. Her phone number is 608-265-6362.

22. Are you willing to discuss your answers further if needed? # Answer

Response % 1 Yes

7 100%

2 No

0 0%

Total 7 100%

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23. Contact Information: Name E-mail Phone Mark Robertson [email protected] 402-472-7632

Bob Armstrong [email protected] 614-247-4276

Marge Abels [email protected] 8128556609

Todd Short [email protected] 217-244-4877

Penny Fischer [email protected] 5174326333

Mandy Grabowski [email protected] 734-764-3041

Tamara Kowalski [email protected] 608-265-4852