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Southern Alberta Institute of Technology’s SAITVIEW digital signage system
Posted on Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology’s SAITVIEW digital signage system

 

SAIT Polytechnic students share creative content over Omnivex digital signage platform

 


Customer Overview

The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT Polytechnic) has maintained close association with business and industry to ensure graduate success since 1916. As Canada’s premier polytechnic, Calgary-based SAIT is renowned for its training expertise spanning the trades through to applied degrees. SAIT offers 68 certificate, diploma, and applied degree programs, as well as 33 apprenticeship programs, 300 distance education courses, and 1,800 continuing education and customized corporate training courses. It also offers training in 27 countries around the world, and has 75,000 course and program registrants each year.


Scope

Engaging students in support resources and ‘campus life’ is widely recognized as vital to the retention, success and satisfaction of students at any post-secondary institution.

As one of Canada’s top technical institutes, Calgary’s SAIT Polytechnic has invested significantly in those resources for its 12,000 full-time students, but realizing the full benefit of those services is largely dependent upon the institute’s effectiveness in making students aware of the resources at the right time and through a medium they prefer.
 
That was the vision of Guy Mallabone, SAIT’s Vice President of External Relations, when the emerging application of digital signage first came to his attention in 2006.   Today SAIT boasts perhaps the most vibrant digital signage network at any campus in Canada.   Twenty-five large screen plasma or LCD monitors are now stationed in 18 high pedestrian-traffic areas throughout the campus.  In April, the network – branded as SAITVIEW – will also appear as the default channel in all rooms in the institution’s two residences, housing nearly 1,200 students.

Dan Allen, SAIT’s Director of Communications and the person who developed the plan for SAITVIEW, says the goal of the network was to support the institution’s strategic objectives of learner/employee satisfaction, institutional positioning and safety & security.  Students were the obvious target audience, but the network was to also serve staff and visitors – which includes prospective students and supporters.

“We were absolutely driven to develop a product that would increase awareness of support, resources and activities contributing to the success and experience of students,” says Allen.  “But we also wanted to enhance perceptions of SAIT as a high-tech, dynamic environment; increase the sense of community; showcase and celebrate student and institutional successes; recognize supporters; improve our emergency response capacity; and sell our continuing education programming to visitors.”  


Doing all of that can be especially challenging in the unique environment of an institution at which most full-time programs are completed in two years, rather than four.  About 49% of SAIT students already have either some post-secondary experience or have obtained certificates, diplomas or degrees.  About 65% have already been in the labour force and about half are employed while attending SAIT.

“They are a focused, no-nonsense audience,” says Allen. “They (literally) don’t have much time or patience for anything that isn’t immediately relevant to them.  That’s why we sought a vehicle that could best deliver messages when it might matter most, such as: where to go for help in sorting out issues with your calendar; where to find assistance to prepare for exams; or what resources are available when feeling stressed or depressed.”     

Prior to selecting a solution, SAIT established a team that traveled to other campuses around North America to identify best practices in five areas: content, operation, technical capabilities, security and measurement.  Through systems integrator APEX AVSI, SAIT built a digital signage platform using Omnivex software. The deployment includes use of TTUFF PCs in 16 locations within six buildings, one of which is in the office of the Executive Vice President and another in Executive Reception. The signage donning the administrative offices, in particular, helps university officials keep a pulse on campus life.
 
Omnivex Solution


SAIT turned to Omnivex for a digital signage platform that could provide real-time information, troubleshoot itself and attract an audience, as Omnivex is renown for its strength and capabilities related to data acquisition and remote hardware monitoring. The software manages all aspects of SAIT’s digital signage network, including content creation and management, real-time data acquisition and distribution, and remote device monitoring and management. Omnivex was judged by SAIT to be the top platform in addressing those criteria.

Omnivex software allows the system to function in real time.  Current campus news headlines, sports scores, weather and time are displayed throughout the facility. The system, functioning in real time, is also being developed as another important asset in the campus’ crisis and emergency notification plans.  In one case, there had been a number of laptop computers stolen around campus. The operator of the digital signage system was notified about the problem by campus security, and within minutes, content was created with a message to alert and caution students about the problem.  A rash of car prowling also generated an immediate warning to students to take precautions.  

To ensure the ongoing vibrancy and relevance of SAITVIEW, SAIT hired a full-time content manager very early in the process.  The content coordinator serves as a clearinghouse and designer for contributions that are submitted from across campus through SAIT’s intranet using simple web-based request forms.  The process allows contributors to create unique content, request posting times and locations, and select from a set of background templates – or upload associated media files and request professional design. The content coordinator maintains control on the overall look and feel of the submission, providing consistency and editorial control.  Increased profile is given to content submitted that recognizes the work and successes of students – including newscasts produced by SAIT’s broadcast students.

All of the hardware associated with SAIT’s digital signage system is monitored by Omnivex Control software. The software is able to alert the operator as to exactly which hardware is failing, which results in a time and cost savings to the client. If a screen or PC somewhere on campus is experiencing difficulties, Omnivex Control automatically rectifies the problem (e.g. reboots the PC, turns the screen back on, etc.) and logs the incident for future reference.  

“We selected Omnivex to run SAIT’s digital signage platform because of its strength on the data acquisition side and for its management of the displays,” said Angelo Kosmidis, APEX AVSI Director of Digital Signage.  “If a screen has a problem, for example, Omnivex notifies the digital signage operator.  There are also tremendous cost savings.  Because Omnivex can troubleshoot problems from a central location, SAIT doesn’t have to continuously check individual screens on campus.”
 

“The great thing about Omnivex software is its ability to provide real-time