New Research Reveals the Importance of IT Involvement in Digital Signage Implementation at Manufacturers
A study from Google ChromeOS and ScreenCloud highlights a significant oversight in the digital signage deployment process: the underrepresentation of IT departments
New research demonstrates that neglecting IT involvement from the outset of deployment at manufacturing organizations can lead to ongoing operational challenges, affecting the efficacy and integration capabilities of digital signage solutions.
The research, which was developed by ScreenCloud and Google ChromeOS, sought to discover insights on how enterprise organisations, particularly those with a largely deskless workforce, are leveraging digital displays to achieve business outcomes. Deskless workers represent 80% of the global workforce and are defined as employees who do not have a designated office or work environment, meaning they are often digitally detached.
Despite their crucial contributions across industries, these workers frequently face challenges in staying connected and engaged with their employers. The research looked into how digital signage reaches these individuals, as well as how current implementations can be optimized.
Drawing on insights from 2,400 decision makers and employees across manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and supply chain, the research reveals that only 20% of companies reported that the suggestion to adopt digital signage came from their IT department. This figure increases to 24% among manufacturing businesses, where IT leaders are most likely to suggest screen implementation originally. Overall, however, This means that other departments are more likely to lead initiatives of procuring the necessary hardware and software for digital signage.
Despite this initial oversight, IT expertise becomes crucial post-implementation. The research found that when developing a screen strategy — including the determination of the number and positioning of screens to maximize digital signage impact—the expertise of IT leaders (34%) and digital transformation leads (33%) is most sought after. This is echoed in the manufacturing sector specifically, which is the most likely to rely on IT and Digital Transformation leads, at 34% and 35%, respectively.
Moreover, IT’s involvement typically begins late in the process at the requirements-building stage, with 29% of total respondents indicating this phase as the point of entry for IT discussions, followed by problem identification (25%), solution exploration (24%), and supplier selection (22%). Alongside the transportation sector, over a quarter of manufacturers (26%) bring in IT expertise at the solution exploration stage, or in other words, when asking, “What’s out there to solve our problem?” – The most likely to do so. Despite this, however, under half (49%) still wait until at least the requirement building stage to bring in the tech experts.
For IT leaders, this presents an opportunity to become the champions of digital signage within their organizations. By spearheading these initiatives from the start, they can ensure that digital signage surpasses its role as a mere communication tool, becoming a strategic asset that enhances worker engagement, fosters a sense of belonging, and supports on-the-job learning across the enterprise.
Post-implementation, many organizations continue to face significant challenges, with 25% of respondents highlighting ongoing issues integrating digital signage with existing systems. This finding accentuates the need for early and comprehensive IT involvement to avoid such integration hurdles.
Mark McDermott, CEO of ScreenCloud, emphasizes the significance of these findings: “This research clearly illustrates the indispensable role of IT in the successful deployment and operation of digital signage solutions. Having evolved from its initial role that primarily focused on connecting content to screens, digital signage is now a comprehensive and mature ‘last mile’ communications solution.
“This evolution reflects a shift towards more integrated, sophisticated systems capable of delivering targeted, dynamic content across a variety of settings. Early and thorough involvement of IT professionals not only ensures a smoother implementation process but also mitigates future integration challenges, maximizing the value and impact of digital signage investments.”
ScreenCloud’s research serves as a crucial reminder for tech decision-makers of the importance of incorporating IT expertise from the very beginning of digital transformation projects. By doing so, businesses can enhance the effectiveness of their technology deployments and achieve seamless technological integration within their operational ecosystem.
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