Schools are often looking for new and creative ways to recognize students, staff, and alumni. Artistic displays featuring logos, school colors, and mascots are effective and creative tools for schools to create excitement. Displays often feature school mission statements, values, and achievements. They often create artistic history walls to give viewers a sense of the school’s legacy, donor walls to recognize generous gifts from the community, and student recognition walls to acknowledge exceptional students and alumni.
Inspiring Donors for School Expansions
Inspiring donors to give to a school campaign can be difficult. Extra curriculum facilities are seen as a luxury and not a necessity in education. There are many ways to ask for donations and after the campaign is successful, recognition can create more donations for future projects.
Theaters, gymnasiums, aquatic centers and other facilities may not receive support from tax dollars, but require outside funding. Encouraging donors is the key to any successful campaign. Learn more about planning your donor wall for your next project. TEN TIPS TO DONOR WALL PLANNING
The use of digital signage to inspire donations is easy. Creating donor story videos and let students and faculty shine a light on the needs of the school. READ MORE Once the project is complete, the digital signage can continue to inform and recognize donors and visitors.
Recognition walls can inspire large donations or create endowments from large benefactors. Many donors want to be publicly recognized and thanked. It is easy and important to acknowledge givers. Recognition walls visually tell donors what their funds have accomplished. SEE MORE EXAMPLES
Celebrating School History and Pride
Many schools have rich histories and traditions. Digital signage and static exhibits can expand pride in a school and a community. Private schools and boarding schools need to celebrate their heritage to promote more enrollment.
School history can motivate supporters to donate to programs and motivate students. Public locations where visitors can see the display will give the strongest impact. Digital history walls can be easily updated. New information can be added with little expense or additional space planning.
School athletic programs have a tradition of promoting their athletes.
Pride in their wins can be an achievement for many students and alumni.
Trophies, ribbons, photos and other memorability are an added highlight. They add depth and interest to a school history or recognition wall. Museum or casework can be easily changed with new items as new achievements happen. A part time curator would be helpful in keeping up the display and making sure it doesn’t become dated.
Expanding a School’s Branding
Symbols, mascots and colors are an easy way to show support for school programs. Added directly to a recognition wall, it will stand for years to come.
Whether donor recognition or mission and vision statement. There are many opportunities to celebrate a school.
Best Practices for Large Content Driven Presentations
Arreya lets you create presentations without page restrictions or limits on content. However, this freedom can cause unexpected experiences when dealing with large amounts of content. A large presentation gets affected by device limitations, internet speed, storage, and processing power. Yes you can create a presentation with over 200 pages and gigabytes of content but unless optimized, this content will not be easy for devices to deal with. Much like a web site there are best setups and recommendations to create it to be highly performing.
When a presentation gets really large with content, the usability gets complicated and affects both viewing and editing. A 200 page interactive presentation needs a lot of computing power, so it may not load properly, and a computer may lack the processing power to easily edit all 200 pages at once. If your internet speed is slow or lags, the entire presentation will take a long time to load, push live, and edit.
How to Optimize Large Content Driven Presentations
The good news is, with Arreya, you can still design and create a large content driven presentation by best optimizing it for performance. This optimization is achieved in Arreya by splitting up your content into multiple presentations. So now, you can divide one extremely large presentation into many smaller and more manageable sections. This multi presentation feature in Arreya is a game changer. It makes loading and organizing content much faster, and is included with every subscription. Arreya also has no limits on the number of presentations you can add and includes options to link presentations together for a seamless experience.
Taking advantage of this Arreya feature and using our optimization recommendations below will give you the best experience with your large content driven presentation.
Planning For Splitting Up Large Presentations
Splitting up presentations doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. Understanding how to best organize your presentations is key at the beginning. The number of pages we recommend is 30 pages per presentation. But don’t be worried about having a lot less, that is even better. We have even set up some presentations with just one page linking to many sub presentations. There is no specific formula or equation to splitting up your content, but thinking about how to best divide up your content before you start will result in less reworking.
Split by Navigation Buttons
One way to split up your interactive content is to create a presentation for each navigation button. If there is navigation on your home page to 5 categories then a simple breakdown would be to create 5 presentations, one for each of those categories. Each button would then link to the corresponding presentation. This also helps you easily organize your content to just those pages, giving you less pages to sort through so you can quickly make edits and navigate.
Split by Categories
If you have lists or menus of content within a page then splitting off the listings into presentations would be best. This is a great solution for a donor listing that divides individuals’ content by an alphabetical list to choose from. So if your donor list had a section of names “A-D” the link would be to a new presentation, not to a page within the same presentation. The navigation on the “A-D” presentation would return back to the alphabetical listing on the previous presentation.
Now all your photos, content, and names can easily be added to the section they belong in. This is especially helpful for long listings, not only for donors, but also products or services can also be handled this way. Then, when you have new content to add, you can open the specific presentation for the category and make the change. This will take less time to navigate, load quicker, and make edits easy.
Split by Locations
If you are setting up wayfinding or directories, then the best practice is to split each area up into its own presentation. For campus mapping, you would split up the presentations to the buildings identified, then have all the details of each building in one presentation. If you have a hospital map you can set up a presentation for each floor or department.
Split by Content
Another best practice for large content driven presentations is to set up presentations based on the amount of content. Videos can have a lot of loading time for rendering. They are the largest content type to work with, so if you have a lot of videos, try to split them evenly onto presentations. 2-3 videos per presentation is a good target. If you have more make, sure to split them up. Images can also add up and need to be planned around. If you are having lots of gallery photos or slideshows, say for a yearbook or history wall, we recommend you split those off into presentations, then create navigation to return to the main presentation. 20 – 30 images per presentation is a good target. If you have more images split them off into additional presentations.
Setting up Multiple Presentations
Start by designing your home page and top level content as a presentation. After you determine your overall design, layout, and navigation, you will want to save out pages and presentations as templates. Now you can begin additional presentations by importing template pages into the layouts. This speeds up layout time so that they will look and feel seamless. When setting your navigation you will then link your presentations together under the widget options. Make sure to change which presentation is selected as the destination, then choose the page in that presentation you want to go to, and finally name the button.
Optimizing Tips In General for Presentations
Naming Pages – When you add a page to your presentation, name it in the settings. Choose the name based on what you would title a button for this page to be called. This way when you select a page as a touch point, it will automatically name the button as the page name. This saves you from typing in a name every time, which adds up over 100+ pages of design.
Video Length – The longer the video, the larger the file size. Can the video be broken up into smaller sections? If possible, we recommend using videos under 30 seconds to keep viewers engaged with your display. Arreya has a file upload limit of 2 gigabytes, and long videos may reach this limit.
Plan for Growth – If you know you will be adding sections or content for new events or areas, set up navigation and additional presentations to leave room for adding future content. This will prevent having to redesign areas or all your pages in the future. Instead you can hide these links in the initial design, and in the future, make these areas visible, and link to a new presentation you can add the new content to.
That covers many of our recommendations for optimizing large content driven presentations in Arreya. We hope you now know some best practices our designers use, and understand how to best approach a large content driven presentation. We are always here to help, and can answer additional questions.
Video walls are powerful tools for wayfinding, displaying news and updates, and presenting important real-time metrics. Government agencies, from county, to state, and federal levels, use video walls to display resource usage, upcoming events, and wayfinding for employees and citizens.
Informational Digital Signage
County, state, and federal government agencies need tools to maintain transparency and good communication. Digital signage is an excellent tool for sharing information with citizens and government employees. Digital signage is used in county and state courtrooms to display schedules,to help navigate government buildings, and to display upcoming elections and meetings. Interactive digital signage kiosks are used by citizens to fill out forms, and even to upload documents.
Government Grade Security
Chrome devices have built in security features, like verified boot, automatic updates, sandboxing,data encryption, and recovery mode. Click here to learn more about verified boot, and all of the built-in security features of Chrome devices. Chrome Enterprise Management allows digital signage with Chrome devices to lock their digital signage down in kiosk mode. Kiosk mode gives government agencies the air tight security they need. Chrome Enterprise Management allows admins to remotely reboot devices, obtain device logs, and remote desktop in addition to enabling kiosk mode. Learn more about secure government digital signage.
LEED Certification
The LEED rating system scores organizations based on their environmental stewardship. LEED certified buildings are efficient; they use less resources like natural gas, electricity, and water. Video walls display up to date metrics on water, electricity, and natural gas usage. Transparency is key when it comes to earning and maintaining LEED certification. Video walls make the positive environment impact of LEED certified buildings more visible and easy to track. For more information on LEED certification, click here.
Improve Citizens’ Experiences
Most of us are not looking forward to visiting our local DMVs or courthouses to renew drivers licenses, vehicle registrations, or for some other documents or reasons. There are often long wait times at government offices, either due to low staff or high volume. Lobby video walls help reduce wait times by navigating people to the right places. Digital signage displays queues as well, so at least people know how long they need to wait. Government kiosks allow users to service themselves, reducing the need for staff, and wait times. Learn more about using digital signage in government buildings.
Versatile Digital Communications
Video walls and digital signage software are excellent tools for government buildings because they are extremely adaptable. The versatility of digital signage software allows government agencies to tailor their digital communications however they see fit.
Some agencies only use digital signage for internal communications, whereas others only use it externally. While government buildings may use video walls to play a set of videos on repeat, they can be as creative as they want with the content on screen. They schedule videos or slideshows to play at certain times throughout the day, and they create interactive content. Citizens can interact with kiosks via touchscreens, keyboards and mice, or from their mobile devices.
Government agencies are using digital signage to communicate more effectively and efficiently, both internally, and with the public. Strict compliance standards are in place for government devices to protect sensitive data. Unfortunately, government agencies will always be a high value target for cyber attackers. It’s crucial that government digital signage is secure and constantly updated to prevent potential vulnerabilities.
Secure Digital Signage Hardware
Any hardware the government uses needs to be 100% locked down. Chrome devices are state-of-the-art for government digital signage use, because they allow users to lock them into kiosk mode. Kiosk mode prevents changes from being made to content displayed on digital signage, and it also prevents access to sensitive data. Compared to Android and Windows devices which don’t have kiosk mode or an equivalent, which makes them a target for hackers.
While it’s a powerful tool for government agencies to communicate internally, digital signage benefits the public too. Waiting in line for a driver’s license or government issued ID can be both boring and time consuming. Digital signage is improving the process, allowing citizens to:
• Upload documents • Check in • Track their place in line • View infotainment content like news • Navigate the building
Data is encrypted, protecting the most vulnerable information, like social security numbers, from falling into the wrong hands.
Flexibility in Deploying Content
When we think of government digital signage, large buildings with hundreds of screens may come to mind. While digital signage software is capable of displaying content to thousands of screens simultaneously, it can also be scaled for local governments. It’s extremely easy to add new screens as needed, so local government organizations can scale digital signage as their needs grow.
LEARN MORE about the scalability of government digital signage.
In Case of Emergency
Government agencies are expected to handle security threats and protect citizens. They need to be organized, and a plan must be in place for each and every scenario. Digital signage is a powerful tool for streamlining communication and alerting people to danger immediately. Through integrations with emergency alert software like ALERTUS, digital signage proactively warns government agencies of impending danger. Doppler radar and live weather alerts are automatically deployed, and emergency plans are displayed across thousands of screens simultaneously.
Using government issued mobile devices, digital signage extends to cell phones, displaying emergency messaging to any location with an internet connection.
Government Wayfinding
Government buildings can be difficult to navigate, and certain areas are likely restricted.
Digital signage provides wayfinding for citizens in courthouses, department of transportation buildings, and police stations. Meeting times and attendees are displayed outside of conference rooms. Maps clearly display where citizens need to go, and where access is restricted. Updates happen instantaneously, and content is scheduled in advance. Scheduling allows government agencies to tailor content to specific times, buildings, and days as needed.
Law Enforcement and Public Safety
Law enforcement agencies need to communicate as quickly and efficiently as possible to apprehend criminals and keep the public safe. Digital signage is an excellent tool for keeping government and law enforcement agencies up to date on missing persons and wanted criminals. Digital signage also displays current road conditions. Law enforcement agencies use the road conditions displayed on digital signage to decide which routes to take when responding to calls. Picking the best route could result in lives saved, so additional information on road conditions is critical.
Modernizing Courtrooms
Courtrooms are one of the best use cases for government digital signage. Screens display wayfinding and are still equipped with emergency alerts, but they are tailored to the court system. Many attorneys use video and digital images as evidence in proving cases. It is easier for jurors to understand visual cues that go along with testimony. You can also displays case numbers, courtroom numbers, and what times individuals need to appear in court. Infotainment content like news and sports are often displayed on digital signage in waiting rooms throughout the court house.
Strengthening the Military
There are many military applications for digital signage since it is secure, updates instantaneously, and informs massive groups of people. Military branches like the U.S. Navy and Air Force use digital signage for training, announcements, and even entertainment. Sports scores and Twitter feeds are displayed along with cafeteria menus. Training, classroom, and weightlifting schedules are also published so personnel know exactly where they need to be at any given time. The military runs on efficiency, which is exactly why digital signage is such a valuable tool for military branches.
Effective Government Communications
Digital signage is an excellent tool for government agencies because it saves time, money, and resources. Government agencies are using Chrome devices to lock signage down into kiosk mode, making displays tamper proof and secure. Showing current road conditions, training schedules, and emergency alerts.
Federal, state or local governments using digital signage software to display vital information helps inform government agents in real-time, so they can make better decisions during critical moments.
The AOpen Ace Mini is the latest offering in AOpen’s line of commercial grade media players. AOpen is a division of Acer, and a reliable hardware provider. The way the Ace Mini deviates from the previous Chrome offerings, is that it supports multiple operating systems, and is certified by Google to work with ChromeOS Flex. ChromeOS Flex brings all of the great benefits of ChromeOS and Chrome Enterprise Management to almost any device.
The AOpen Ace Mini is a great entry level media player that is perfect for single screen signage or simple interactive kiosks. Like the previous commercial grade devices from AOpen, the Ace Mini comes with a fanless enclosure that’s easy to mount for kiosks and enclosures.
The reliable, fanless AOpen Ace Mini paired with ChromeOS Flex and Google Chrome Enterprise management is the perfect combination for reliable digital signage installations that are easy to manage and will last.
We vigorously test all new products before recommending them to clients. The AOpen Ace Mini is no exception. Each time we test a device, we leave the device running for multiple weeks, 24/7, and perform multiple stress tests. Testing includes benchmarks that max out the GPU and CPU on the device to ensure clients won’t receive devices that die right out of the box.
The second battery of tests includes testing in real scenarios, using the same displays and touch screens that we recommend to our clients. This includes testing responsiveness on top of basic compatibility tests. These tests are performed to ensure that clients get the performance and reliability they need out of every device we recommend.
The form factor of the AOpen Ace Mini makes it a good choice for an installation with limited space. Arreya always recommends fanless devices because the reality is, nobody is going to clean the fans once the device is installed. The fanless design and the reliability of this device is perfect for kiosks or any situation where device access is difficult.
The AOpen Ace Mini is a perfect addition to AOpen’s line of commercial grade devices. The features and capabilities of the device fill the needs of our clients on multiple levels. Even though it is an entry level device, the Ace Mini is capable, and it meets Arreya’s strict requirements for client recommendation.
Everytime someone interacts with your business, you want them to have the best experience possible. You want to leave them feeling relieved and thankful that they chose to work with you. That’s why the customer experience needs to be as convenient and stress free as possible. There are simple tactics for improving customer experiences with digital signage.
The COVID 19 pandemic accelerated the need and desire to work or make purchases from home. Businesses have had to adapt to make themselves present digitally. Digital signage has played a huge role in improving customer experiences. Making it more enjoyable to engage with a business whether in person, from home, or anywhere with an internet connection.
Make Waiting Less Painful
We all have to wait in lines, and some of us can tolerate it better than others. As a business owner, whenever you have the opportunity to reduce wait time for your customers, you try your best to seize that opportunity. Digital signage can ease waiting.
One great way to reduce wait times is to get customers the information they need without having to find someone to ask. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) pages are a great way to achieve this goal. You simply compile a list of common questions and answer them on your site. You can use digital signage software to display these answers along with directions, or any other information that might speed things up for you and your customers. Another way you can save time is by displaying current inventory with your signs. This gives customers the ability to see what’s available without having to physically check throughout the store.
For many businesses, wait times are unavoidable, at least to some extent. While business owners and staff have already done everything they can to make processes as efficient as possible, customers will still need to be patient and wait their turns. Why not give them something interesting to look at while they wait? You can add YouTube videos to your displays, news, weather, and live feeds to your social media. The signs can be used to update customers on upcoming sales or events as well. This is an opportunity with a captive audience, so if possible, display something that can strengthen brand reputation. You can show testimonials, past projects, or just some information about your staff to make things more personal and relatable for the customer.
Increase Customer Engagement
Interactive digital signs are an awesome way for customers to interact with businesses, and there are so many different ways to use them. Customers can use touchscreens to navigate through a timeline or a slideshow about company history and values. This is a great method to tell customers your story. It allows them to connect with your brand on a much deeper level. You can display Twitter feeds and customers can see what they tweet using your hashtag, and you can allow them to post reviews from their phone right to your signs in real time.
Digital signage software can also be used to place orders, or hold a customer’s place in line. They can tap the screen to check in, and see an estimated amount of time remaining before it’s their turn. All of these are great options for building value with your customers. These tools are great for managing customer expectations, and they give customers increased control over their experiences.
Intuitive Wayfinding
Being lost is the worst, and many customers will prefer not to find someone to ask where to go. Businesses are using digital signage software to solve this problem, saving customers time, but also saving their employees from constantly directing traffic. Signs can be used to display maps and hours of operation, and when using touchscreen displays, customers can tap on the map to see where they need to go. They can navigate through the maps provided to different buildings or floors, and the maps can be updated as needed. Updates can be pushed out instantaneously, and it’s easy to make the changes. CLICK HERE for more information on how digital signage can be used for wayfinding.
Keeping Everyone Safe
It’s so critical for businesses to have a plan in place to keep everyone safe, especially in the event of an emergency. Of course every business is required to have fire alarms and illuminated exit signs, but some of them have complicated buildings that can be hard to navigate.
Digital signage software can eliminate confusion with clear displays on how to get out of the building, or where to go if there is impending dangerous weather or a security breach. The signs can be used to display weather forecasts and breaking news as well, so if something dangerous happens nearby, everyone can be made aware as soon as possible.
Rebirth of QR Codes
There is a time and place for business cards and brochures, but a lot of customers end up throwing them away as soon as they walk out the door, even if the information is pertinent. Using QR codes allows businesses to share exactly what they want with customers without adding another business card to their overfilled wallets.
Many restaurants have adopted the usage of QR codes instead of paper menus because of the COVID 19 pandemic. This was done to reduce the spread of germs primarily, but it also made things a lot more convenient. Customers simply scan the QR code and get the menu, url, image, video, or whatever content they need right on their phone, no paper needed. Updates are made to menus or other content as needed with no additional cost or waste. LEARN MORE about the impact QR codes are having on commerce globally.
A Vital Part of Business
It’s vital that businesses focus on what their customers are experiencing and what pain points exist. If possible, we want to remove or mitigate those pain points. Digital signage software can save time and headaches, like displaying live inventory, showing customer’s their place in line, and providing them with QR codes so they can get information they need on their own devices.
Digital signage can be used to build brand awareness and entertain customers while they wait. These are all great tools for businesses that want to increase engagement and make the customer experience more enjoyable, convenient, and interactive.
