Core Steps for Developing A Network

The process of conceiving, planning, testing, assessing and then fully rolling out a network has a long list of tasks and variables. But the abbreviated version looks roughly like this:

• Define what you are trying to do, and who needs to be involved in making it happen;
• Define what success looks like and how it will be measured;
• Define the programming model;
• Define the near and long-term scope of the project, and the resources required to manage it;
• Settle on target budgets and both a timeline and the milestones on it;
• Make initial technology and service provider decisions for a test, or pilot;
• Test, measure, tweak, and measure more;
• Assess the experiences of the test, and review the performance of the service providers and the technology choices;
• If the results were positive, plan out a full rollout, review vendors/providers (possibly in an RFP) and settle on final choices, build a budget plan and if approved, rollout.

The digital signage networks that do well are those that have clearly defined objectives, and are properly budgeted. A network’s life is only beginning when the screens turn on. The real work, and the need for appropriate budgeting and attention, really begins when the initial excitement subsides and the network becomes part of business operations.

The content must be regularly refreshed. The screens and other technology must be maintained. And the network operators must steadily pay attention to their audience and a fast, ever shifting media landscape. A network designed to keep people occupied in a waiting room made perfect sense, before text messaging, smart phones and high-speed cellular broadband. But are audiences still captive now?

Know the audience, and ensure what the network is doing is meaningful and meeting those objectives, even as the objectives and media landscape evolve.