Page 13 - College Planning & Management, January 2018

signage can play a huge role in the equa- tion, and it complements the many proven and well-executed content delivery plans put into place by a university Communica- tions department.
The growth trajectory for Digital Out- Of-Home signage, both in terms of screens in place and revenue generated, is directly connected to the value placed on digital as an asset in most all walks of life. So, if the in- dustry sectors of healthcare, transportation, government, corporate communications, and retail are absorbing all of this growth, so will education (and especially higher educa- tion) need to remain on a similar trajectory to best satisfy the needs and expectations of students, staff, faculty, and visitors.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES. The distribution of information on a college or university campus is continuously aided and augmented by digital signage. Whether it is for events such as projecting a commencement speaker for a stadium full of attendees or informing donors of the benefits of their contributions at a reception, or everyday information sharing such as weather updates, wayfinding, dining hall menu options, parking availability, and more, advances in the design and use of digital signage are improving campus life.
The Goal at Georgia Tech
The Georgia Institute of Technol-
ogy, also known as Georgia Tech, is a top-ranked public college and one of the leading research universities in the U.S. We provide a technologically focused educa- tion to more than 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students in fields ranging from engineering, computing, and sci- ences, to business, design, and liberal arts.
The goal for our Department of Digital Signage Technology here at Georgia Tech is to deliver a communicative experience that results in our community feeling engaged, protected, informed, and con- nected. Big and broad descriptive words, yes; and all uniquely valuable, forming
a guiding blueprint in terms of content decisions, screen type and location, investment models, and so on.
While each institution will have its own appetite towards limitations and opportu- nities in this area, the focus here at Tech is on taking digital signage to much higher levels of technological innovation—as well as higher levels of efficient service and delivery to the on-campus customer base.
As costs come down barriers also come down, allowing installation of tasteful, dynamic, and centrally connected indoor and outdoor networks of screens, which is our ultimate goal.
What is today a somewhat connected, well-run network of 200+ screens and players located in about 50 buildings (housing colleges or departments), it can eventually grow into a massively more valuable communications platform. Plans are broad and include potential expansion into the remaining 150 +/- buildings that house departments or colleges.
The most aggressive part of the plan is to expand beyond the existing network of indoor, mounted digital screens to develop an array of exciting leading-edge new screen types and sizes to impact the entire 530-acre campus instantly and without interruption. Plans for expansion include: • On board our fleet of buses and trolleys; • large-scale outdoor LED in our modern
building corridors;
• street furniture around campus to in-
clude dwell-time locations like bus stops, charging stations, benches, and more;
WHAT IS DIGITAL OUT-OF-HOME SIGNAGE?
When speaking of dynamic media installations, Digital Out-of-Home (or DOOH) refers to digital media used
for marketing purposes in locations outside of the home. By definition it excludes television and radio advertis- ing, but includes digital signage. The term “Digital Out-of-Home” is usually used in relation to advertising-based networks. The installations routinely appear in locations including, but not limited to cafés, bars, restaurants, health clubs, colleges/universities, arenas, gas stations, convenience stores, and other public spaces. DOOH can be defined by two major platforms: digital place-based networks (DPN) and digital billboards and signage (DBB).
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