Yes, you heard me…THE SQUISHY ZONE.

With too many variables, too many consideration sets, too many client types, multiple vertical markets, and myriad commitments to content development, support, and maintenance - how can anyone possibly definitively define what comprises the digital screenmedia market? In addition, layer that with the many players selling hardware, software and services and it becomes increasingly difficult to get a clear measure of the true ROI of digital screenmedia (specifically traditional digital signage and interactive touchscreens). And then add in networks that integrate vertical specific IT solutions and emerging technologies, including RFID, mobile, multi-channel ordering, and social media integrations, and anyone who makes a blanket statement regarding the effectiveness of digital screenmedia for a specific market is at best stretching the truth.

In seeking ROI measurement the only truly effective model would be for an organization to come to grips with the fact that the world is forever changing, and at an accelerated pace, and that to succeed in business continuous adoption of new technology is required to survive, much less thrive. I watched a presentation by Microsoft that stated that in 2013 GenY will represent the entire 18-to 35-year-old market and that this group has grown up with technology and expects it to work, period.

So if you, your client, and the agencies you work with decide to engage in digital media and bridge it with other emerging technologies, ROI needs to be based on your current situation, as well as your anticipated future needs. Benchmarking zero state, current state and future/technology based state will allow you to get a clearer picture as to the monetary measurement side of your investment – the tangible. The intangible side is all about your customer and their needs, wants, desires, and expectations. Wondering what they are? Just ask them.

As new technologies enter and integrate with digital media, interest is peaked on how to best capture and utilize data for analysis and intelligence. 

Understanding business trends and building out predictive modeling thresholds, such as “what if” and “if then” scenarios, by vertical will be commonplace in the future. 

So should the industry be proactive and offer up best practices for digital media data analytics and integration analytics?

Based on collective knowledge and experience, minimum standard measurements are needed for select integration modeling between POS, receipt printers, digital video surveillance, inventory software, security software, and others. This collection would assist customers in understanding the power within the data they already have - if only they knew how to tap into it.

Best practices standards would assist customers in knowing what to watch for in software and service partners, and educate them on the how to read the data once collected.  Deployers/end-users need to take a step back from working “in” their business in order to work “on” their business…to think clearly about what actions should take place either onscreen or within the environment based on the data provided. Going past day-part programming and turning data into knowledge, setting thresholds to automate promotions, events, and so on based on real-time information being collected through a variety of solutions.

As the digital media industry ecosystem evolves, the hardware, software and service companies should look past standalone offerings and build out apps that will integrate easily within the larger IT ecosystem. Some type of measurable guidelines would help.