Indoor Signage Use Case
Indoor signage is a great way to promote or make anyone aware of an event or something taking place at the campus. Indoor signage’s target primary audience is the students, but also for employees and the public.
To grab the attention of the view, digital signage should consist of moving animation. This will help bring the attention to the signage and help engage the viewer. Using animation can also help enhance the reinforce the message being presented.
Size and Resolution Per Media Type
Image Content
- File Type: PNG, JPEG, HEIC
- Ratio: 16x9 (Horizontal) - NOT Square or Vertical
- Displays Resolution & Dimensions
- Single Displays (Horizontal): 1920x1080 px @ 300ppi
- Video Walls (Horizontal): 3840x2160 px @ 300ppi
- Kiosks (Vertical): 1080x1920 px @ 300ppi
- Content should take up most of the screen space
- Leave space "padding" on the outer border
Video Content
- File Type: MP4
- Ratio
- Single Displays: 16x9 (Horizontal)
- Video Walls: 16x9 (Horizontal)
- Kiosks: 9x16 (Vertical)
- Full HD (1080p)
- Resolution
- Single Displays: 1920x1080 px @72ppi
- Video Walls: 3840x2160 px @ 72ppi
- Kiosks: 1080x1920 px @ 72ppi
- Less than 20 seconds - 6-10 seconds is the typical length as someone is walking by
- No Audio - Closed Captions must be used, if people are visibly talking
Standards & ADA Compliance
- College appropriate - Student/Employee/Visitor/Public Focused
- CCAC guidelines and image/branding standard
- Graphic, Brand Standard Guide
- Digital Style Guide
- Digital Signage Standards (see below)
- Include Contact information, link to webpage for more information, date and time of event
Screen Time, Words on Screen, Reading Rate
- Screen time averages between 8-10 seconds
- Keep the information clear and concise - Making Great Digital Signage Content 2.0 (wirespring.com)
- 21 words max - the average person looks at the screen for 6-10 seconds and can only ready 21 words max in 6 seconds
Font(s)
- Size: 24px or higher
- Types: Sans-serif (Arial) fonts are the easiest to read
- Filled fonts are easier to read than outlines
- Legibility and Easily Understood - Cursive/Handwritten fonts are hard to read
Closed Captioning
- Captions should have an accuracy of 99%.
- Font should be similar to Helvetica
- Use a white font color on a black background.
- Placed in the lower center of the screen but should be moved when important visual elements
- Each caption should hold 1-3 lines of text onscreen at a time, and should not exceed 3 lines.
- Background noises, or non-speech sounds, should be added in square brackets.
- Captions must be synced with the audio of the programming.
- If nothing is spoke/heard, there should be no closed captions on the screen
- Punctuation and both lower and upper case letters should be used
Color Contrast
- Contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1
- (L1 + 0.05) / (L2 + 0.05) - L1 is the relative luminance of the lighter of the colors, and L2 is the relative luminance of the darker of the colors.
- Web Accessibility Color Contrast Checker
- Understanding Contrast and Color Accessibility (WebAIM)
- Making great digital signage content: Use contrast to your advantage (wirespring.com)
QR Codes, Short Links
- 1" x 1" in Size
- On either bottom left or right of media
Creating a QR Code or Short URL
Best Practices
Because QR codes and Short URLs are the actual link, you should be using the full link to that page and not generic.
Example:
Generic: www.ccac.edu
Specific: www.ccac.edu/admissions/visit-us/event/monday-april-31st
QR Codes
What is a QR Code
A QR (Quick Response) code is a type of barcode that can be scanned with a camera. They can be used to quickly share information like URLs, contact information, or even product information. QR codes can be scanned with a variety of apps and devices, making them a versatile tool for sharing information.
When to use a QR code
If you have a sign, flyer, print out, digital signage or other physical media, or where a person can walk up and scan the QR code.
Best Practices for a QR Code
13 QR-Code Usability Guidelines (nngroup.com)
How to Create a QR Code
- Add Events, Web Page URL or Contact information
- Auto Populate Email
- Splash Pages
- CCAC Branded QR Codes, Short Links, Meta Graph Images and Data Analytics
- Contact ITS or Marketing - QR Code & Shortened URL Form Request
Short URLs
What is a Short URL
A short URL is a type of link that can be used when the URL of a webpage is too long or hard to remember. They can be used to quickly share a link to a webpage. Short URLs can be used in a variety of ways, making them a versatile tool for sharing a webpage.
When to use a Short URL
If you are sending a text message or want to put a link on a flyer or media, and the URL is too long to remember. If the link is to be posted on a webpage, email or other digital for where the link's display text can be customized, you should NOT use a short URL.
How to Create a Short URL
- Do not use Bitly / bit.ly they do not specify how long their URL is good for.
- Instead, use Free URL Shortener (rb.gy)
- CCAC Branded Short Links, Meta Graph Images and Data Analytics
- Contact ITS or Marketing - QR Code & Shortened URL Form Request
- Already created CCAC URLS
- Contact ITS or Marketing - QR Code & Shortened URL Form Request
Formats For Date, Time, Contact Info, Location, Etc.
- Date: Day Of Week, Month Day - Monday, January 3th
- Time: 10:00AM - 1:00PM
- Email Address: CapitalizeFirstWord@ccac.edu
- Phone Number: ###-###-####
- Location: Full Campus or Center Name - Wing or Building - Room Number
- Example: South Campus - Building B - Room B345
Full Example
Thursday, May 4th
8:00PM-2:00PM
Allegheny Campus
PE Building - Room 421
Locations on Signage
If content groups all locations together, it will be displayed in the college wide screens. Otherwise, if only a specific location is listed, then it be displayed on that location's displays. It is recommended to do per location rather than grouping for more display time and campus awareness.
Style and Design
Overall Style
Modern and Clean Design - It is characterized by clean lines, minimalism, and focus on the key details of the information. Using solid colors and outlines to design images and icons to reflect the message of the text.
Icons and Images
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Outlined Created out of strokes. These icons are simple and great to illustrate abstract meanings |
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Solid Filled Composed of masses of solid color and omissions of strokes. Works best to illustrate the meaning of primary subjects |
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Flat Flat icons are a variation of lineal style. This style implies different color combinations, usually “flat” ones |
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Picture or Scenes
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Tips and Other Information
- Check with someone not familiar with the information to ensure your details are getting across
- Animate your images in Canva
Best Practices for Digital Signage Video
Templates
Templates are videos or an image with editable textboxes to overlay text. This is very helpful when it comes to content that needs quickly edited or constantly updated. Note that the text is static can cannot appear later if a video is used.
Approval Process
All content goes through the same approval process. The actual display date may vary from the chosen display date depending on the approval process.
Retention of Material
Content will remain on the display's server 1 month after the end date. The design file will remain 1 year after the end date on the design server.