flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

8 things to consider before using digital media to communicate with employees

Architects

8 things to consider before using digital media to communicate with employees

The Marlin Company, a visual communications and digital signage provider, published a guide that outlines eight basic questions, along with some advice, about workplace digital signage.


By John Caulfield, Senior Editor | April 4, 2018
Inside 200 Clarendon Street tower in Boston

Inside Boston Properties’ 200 Clarendon Street tower in Boston, a 70-foot-long sculpture translates words from people’s text to corresponding colors that light up its pendants for 10 minutes. Sosolimited.

When companies decide to use digital media as part of their corporate communications program, they might be entering a world of technology and content that is new and confusing to them. To guide their decisions, The Marlin Company, a visual communications and digital signage provider, published a guide that outlines eight basic questions, along with some advice, about workplace digital signage:

1] Why are you doing this? The biggest mistake companies make is to focus on the technology first, when it’s far more important to define their communications objectives and desired outcomes.

2] What do you want to say? Are you using digital media to build a safe culture, or to get employees on the same page? What about improving performance, or announcing company news? Have a clear idea of what you want to tell employees.

3] Who are you talking to? Are you trying to reach everyone in the company, or just select groups? How do you convey your message to employees who don’t always work in the office? You need to consider what each employee group needs to know, and then tailor your message accordingly.

4] What’s your strategy? It’s important that your content ties back to your objectives and goals. Marlin recommends five steps: assess your current mode of communication to determine what’s working and what digital signage can replace; set up an editorial and delivery calendar; assemble a content team; identify sources that can be ongoing sources of information; and determine your review and quality control processes.

5] How do you make your content sing? Vary the content you deliver to keep it fresh. Add visuals, like photos and videos and graphics, whenever possible. Call out professional milestones, like anniversaries and birthdays. Make the content fun.

6] How do you sustain your message? Nurture sources. Stick to your editorial calendar. Add self-updating content. Keep your IT people in the loop and involved. Plan for expanding your digital messaging. And, when necessary, call on outside experts for help.

7] How will you know it’s working? Solicit feedback often, especially when you’re trying to measure the quality of your messaging, such as whether it’s leading to productivity improvements or higher employee morale.

8] What technology should you use? There are three main components in digital signage: monitors, media players, and content management software. The last is the most important, so choose what enables you to post content easily to any format, schedule posts, and manage users. Monitors, especially those that will be running 24/7, need to be commercial-grade. Determine how many you will need, what size, what image quality, what’s the surrounding environment, and who will install and maintain them. Media players are the “brains” of digital signage, and generally you’ll need one per screen.

Related Stories

| Jul 3, 2014

Gehry edits Canadian skyscraper plan to be 'more Toronto'

After being criticized for the original tower complex, architect Frank Gehry unveils a new design that is more subtle, and "more Toronto."

| Jul 2, 2014

First Look: Qatar World Cup stadium design references nomadic heritage

Organizers of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, recently unveiled designs for the second stadium.

| Jul 2, 2014

SHoP designs what would be Brooklyn's tallest building

JDS Development partners with SHoP to construct a 70-story building at 775-feet tall, unprecedented for downtown Brooklyn.

| Jul 2, 2014

The doctor is in the firehouse: New clinic to be built in California fire station

Designed by WRNS Studio, the Firehouse Clinic will encourage local residents with limited healthcare access to consider them as an alternative to the emergency room, especially for preventive care. 

| Jul 2, 2014

Emerging trends in commercial flooring

Rectangular tiles, digital graphic applications, the resurgence of terrazzo, and product transparency headline today’s commercial flooring trends.

| Jul 2, 2014

Grimshaw's 'kit of parts' design scheme selected for Qatar sports facilities program

The series of projects, called the Al Farjan Recreational Sports Facilities, have been designed in such a way that the same basic design can be adapted to the specific requirements of each site.

| Jul 1, 2014

Peter Zumthor's LA art museum plan modified with bridge-like section across main thoroughfare

After his design drew concerns about potential damage to LA's La Brea Tar Pits, Peter Zumthor has dramatically revised his concept for the Los Angeles Museum of Art.

| Jul 1, 2014

China's wild circular skyscraper opens in Guangzhou [slideshow]

The 33-story Guanghzou Circle takes the shape of a giant ribbon spool, with the floor space housed in a series of boxes suspended between two massive "wheels." 

| Jul 1, 2014

Hyper-speed rendering: How Gensler turns BIM models into beauty shots in seconds

In search of a fast rendering solution, Gensler looked to the gaming and moviemaking industries for the next breakthrough tool: Octane Render.

| Jul 1, 2014

Sochi's 'kinetic façade' may steal the show at the Winter Olympics

The temporary pavilion for Russian telecom operator MegaFon will be wrapped with a massive digital "pin screen" that will morph into the shape of any face.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




Museums

The Tampa Museum of Art will soon undergo a $110 million expansion

In Tampa, Fla., the Tampa Museum of Art will soon undergo a 77,904-sf Centennial Expansion project. The museum plans to reach its $110 million fundraising goal by late 2024 or early 2025 and then break ground. Designed by Weiss/Manfredi, and with construction manager The Beck Group, the expansion will redefine the museum’s surrounding site.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021