SOFTWARE BUSINESS CASE

ENTERPRISE DIGITAL CONTENT SYSTEM FOR DIGITAL SIGNAGE

October 23, 2015

Rev. 07/14/15

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY......................................................................................................................................................................... 2

1. Problem Definition................................................................................................................................................................. 2

2. Addressing Problem with CWU existing tools and products (i.e. PeopleSoft)...........................................................................2

3. Organizational Impact............................................................................................................................................................ 3

4. CWU Benefits......................................................................................................................................................................... 4

5. Strategic Alignment................................................................................................................................................................ 5

6. Cost and Budget Projections................................................................................................................................................... 5

7. Alternatives (add lines as necessary)...................................................................................................................................... 6

8. Timing / Schedule (add lines as necessary)............................................................................................................................. 6

9. Technology Migration............................................................................................................................................................ 6

11. Product Life/Application Sunsetting or Decommissioning....................................................................................................7

12. References......................................................................................................................................................................... 7

13. Approvals........................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Business Case Evaluation Rubric.................................................................................................................................................... 9

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This business case proposes the University expand its investment in its ability to deliver centrally developed content to display monitors located on campus. Departments are requesting digital display, TV monitors for a wide-range of purposes from promoting the department to displaying electronic food menus. Today, content for these displays is produced one-by-one using a variety of tools, equipment and processes, with no standard look-and-feel or method for publishing. Current methods are inefficient and opportunities are being lost to leverage what is projecting to be between 60 to 70 displays around campus.

Sponsoring Department(s): Enterprise Communication Committee (ECC) with membership representing Publicity Center/SURC, Public Affairs, CWU Police Department, Facilities, Purchasing, and Information Services.

Date of Business Case Preparation: October 23, 2015

Contact Person Name/Phone: Teri Olin/963-1416, Lola Gallagher/963-2677, Greg Harvill/963-2934; ECC members.

New Product/Service See Attachment A.

Renewal of Existing Product/Service – if checked, include background information.

An existing system is in place with an annual contract; however, this business case proposes a substantial expansion beyond current capabilities. If approved, an RFP would be required and the possibility of replacing the existing system due to a more competitive product and/or its ability to meet new functional requirements. At present, the SURC pays about $1,800 per year to Visix for annual licensing.

Change to a Business Process.

1. Problem Definition

Several departments are requesting TV monitors/digital displays to be purchased and installed in public facing areas to display content for promotional and improved communication purposes. The problem is that there is no standard, common way to develop, publish and support the content for these monitors. At present, displays are installed one-off, requiring custom coding or one-off content through a thumb –drive or connected computer. If CWU had a common, enterprise solution that the monitor is connected to, then published content could easily be produced, re-used and published to a particular set of monitors from a customer’s own computer. In addition, an enterprise solution could be used to send emergency notifications to all displays at the same time warning CWU community members.

2. Addressing Problem with Existing Tools, Services and Products

The Publicity Center currently supports a system at a number of locations (SURC, Residence Life Office, Academic and Research Commons) that utilizes the centralized, digital content system Visix. The system has worked well for these entities and is cost effective. Other departments that have digital displays are using thumb drives or computers and manually updating content using PowerPoint or similar “screen-saver” style

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picture-advancing programs. In a few cases, Public Affairs’ web office has developed custom solutions for robust presentation and “Kiosk’ functionality.

The Enterprise Communication Committee (ECC), operating under the auspices of the Enterprise Facilities Committee (EFC), explored various enterprise solutions to expand digital content management and demonstration video conferences were held with four vendors: Four Winds Interactive, True Digital and Visix. It was the consensus of the group that Four Winds Interactive offers the best platform for the enterprise. Based on the current, and projected number of future digital signs throughout campus (see table below), the university will need an enterprise solution for digital content management with between 50-100 licenses within the next two years.

Dining Services: 16 SURC: 4College of Business: 2 Admissions: 1Sciences/Science II: 10 (1, 4 panel) Barge Hall: 2 (1, 4 panel)Library: 1 Welcome Center: 1Athletics: 1 Information Services: 1Institutional Effectiveness: 1 Multi-Modal: 1Samuelson: 10 Health Sciences*: 10

Total: 61

* Health Science, contingent on construction funding 2017-2019.

3. Organizational Impact

Demand for this service is driven by the multiple purchase requests for digital displays that have been received by Facilities, Purchasing and Information Services over the past year. The table above identifies the inventory of existing digital displays; it also includes new purchase requests that had been put on hold while a policy and procedure were developed (not all stakeholders have been contacted regarding this business case). The Enterprise Communication Policy (CWUP 2-10-035) and Enterprise Communication Procedure (7-10-035) were approved October 7, 2015. Each of these stakeholders must develop content for their signs.

Departments driven by RCM expect digital signage to highlight and market the programs of a given college or department and become another vehicle for recruitment and retention. Athletics and (CWU) business departments expect to utilize this service to provide information, marketing and way-finding for customers. Digital signage will also be used for emergency notification, therefore all members of the CWU community within viewing range of a monitor will be a consumer of the service.

Students benefit from clear, modern signage in Dining Service areas to enhance the experience and have better information on dietary choices. Students in departments with digital signs will be able to receive information in this format, one in which they are very familiar, and may otherwise miss in print media, e-mail, web, or other on-line publications. Students will continue to benefit in the congregating areas in the SURC where digital signage is in use today, but this service will provide a much richer experience while still including advertisement revenue (Note: The proposed system will allow every stakeholder to control their own content and do not have to run advertising originating from another user).

Dining Services, Publicity Center, Public Affairs, Campus Police and Parking Services, Facilities and Information Services have directly contributed to product specifications/requirements. The College of the Science and College of Business have provided requirements through their requests via Public Affairs and Athletics has provided requirements through Facilities and Information Services.

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Any department that wishes to install a digital sign will be required to complete a digital sign plan. The plan will designate a content provider (staff member) who will use the enterprise content system. The content provider will work with Public Affairs to develop and maintain the digital content. This process is outlined CWUR 7-10-035. Training will be required and provided initially by the vendor and ongoing by Public Affairs.

The proposed service is “cloud-based” and the expected changes to existing IS systems includes network and firewall changes. Computers, monitors, software, and internal network connections are supported by existing standards and processes.

RFP Requirements Contributors

Department Name

Publicity Center Lola Gallagher

Dining Services Jim Matheny

Public Affairs Olga Mayer

Police & Parking Services Mike Luvera

Facilities Keith Jones

Information Services Greg Harvill

4. CWU Benefits

Having a centralized, standard, enterprise system that delivers the ability to quickly develop content and publish it on any digital sign/display monitor on campus. Having this capability would consolidate multi, custom, and “re-invent the wheel” processes when a new digital sign is purchased and installed.

Having a standard system will streamline training and provide the university with a standard set of skills as employees move professionally among departments. The system will permit a “shared tenant” model whereby a department that controls a certain number of monitors will control the content that is displayed.

Technical benefits are gained through a “cloud-based” service where server compute and storage is hosted and the services being considered offer rich and robust sets of capabilities in a routine manner.

Finally, there is a safety benefit: If all digital displays are connected, an emergency message can be sent to all at one time, providing another method to alert the CWU community in the event of natural or human caused disaster.

5. Strategic Alignment

This business case supports several CWU Strategic Plan Core Themes and objectives, specifically:

Objective 1.1: Enhance student success by continually improving the curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular programs. Supports student’s academic success by telling about curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular opportunities and activities.

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Objective 2.1: Enhance the environment of inclusiveness for faculty, staff, and students. By telling stories of opportunities it enhances the environment of inclusiveness.

Objective 3.1: Increase the emphasis on, and the opportunities for, students, faculty and staff to participate in research, scholarship, and creative expression activities. By telling CWU stories of research, scholarship, and creative expression, it makes everyone more aware of opportunities.

Objective 4.1: Enhance the commitment and the level of collaboration between the university and external communities. By telling stories of collaboration, it enhances the level of community commitment to partnerships and collaboration.

Objective 5.1: Maximize the financial resources to the university, and assure the efficient and effective operations of the University through financial stewardship.

Objective 5.4: Provide the facility and technology infrastructure and services appropriate to meet the university objectives, while maximizing sustainability and stewardship.

6. Cost and Budget Projections

Source of Funding (Speedtype) and Description of the Source of Funding.There are two alternatives for funding this service: 1) Each tenant/participant using the system will pay the licensing cost for each digital monitors/display they control or 2) the university will provide base budget allocation to procure and maintain the service (presumably to Public Affairs or Information Services).

Model 1: “Multi-Tenant” PurchaseInitially, each participant would pay for the initial license amount and then annually, their portion of the annual maintenance. For “cloud services” it is found that this amount is the same each year.

When a “new” tenant is brought on, they would pay for the number of initial licenses and then subsequent maintenance. Public Affairs or Information Services would pay the initial and annual “bills” and then charge/credit the participating tenants.

Model 2: “Enterprise Purchase”Either Public Affairs or Information Services would pay the initial license amount and the annual maintenance. These costs would be covered by new revenue added to the budget. When a new tenant is brought on, the new tenant would pay the one-time cost of the number of licenses requested and Public Affairs or Information Services would then request, as needed, incremental funding for on-going annual maintenance as needed.

Note: Model 1 is in use today with a few technology services with “tenants,” e.g., the video surveillance system is supported by 5 tenants.

Cost Breakdown The Annual, per license cost for a 50 license, cloud-based service is:

$17,000* to 31,000 annually or $340 to $620 per digital display per year.

*Note: Visix has an initial one-time cost of $58,000 and then $17,000 annually.

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7. Alternatives

Alternative Reasons For Not Selecting Alternative

Stand-alone, one-off systems (current state).

Not selected because: 1) Increased labor costs to develop and publish

content; 2) Every system looks different and uses different

method to publish content.3) Opportunity is lost to maximize base investment in

the monitor, mounting, cabling, and computer that all need for basic service.

8. Timing / Schedule Timeline is based on task durations moving forward from start date

Task Target Date

Requirements Finalization 2 weeks

RFP 8 weeks

Selection 2 weeks

Implementation 1 week

Initial Template Development 3 weeks

Train Content Providers 3 weeks

Deploy Per Department

9. Technology Migration

If an enterprise solution is selected, the optimal route will be to develop a new set of branded, standard templates. If Visix is the selected option, it is likely a new set of templates will preclude a direct import of existing data. “Cut and paste” will be available and speed development. Departments ought to consider time to manually convert. To aid in the transition, existing systems can continue running while new, updated content is developed.

10. Project Resource Identification/Ongoing Ownership of Product

Resource Identification Customer: Each department with a digital monitor or monitors will identify, through their digital sign plan, a staff member who will be responsible for developing and maintaining their content.

Facilities: Installation of Monitors, power, mounts and on-going maintenance.

Public Affairs: Overall content system administration and provisioning. Responsible for providing standard templates, branding and training content providers on use.

Police & Parking Services: Developing and delivering emergency notifications.

IS staff: Standards for monitors and PC’s, data cable installation, network connectivity, to install computer monitors that will connect to the displays.

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Ongoing Support/Ownership of the product

11. Product

Life/Application Sun-Setting or DecommissioningThis service would be maintained in year-to-year renewals until such time the university decided to retire or replace this system. Existing investment in purchased display monitors, mounts, PC’s, and cabling would remain.

12. ReferencesWashington State University, Eastern Washington University, the University of Washington, Oregon State University, University of Oregon and University of Idaho were either contacted or referenced by venders to having some level of centralized, enterprise content system. These universities have either Visix or Four Winds except EWU which uses a CISCO service.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------13.Approvals

Business Case shared with Security Services for compliance and audit review information Business Case shared with IS Network and Operations Business Case shared with IS Enterprise Applications

The following actions have been taken by the appropriate Sub-Council (ATAC or BTAC) and Enterprise Information System Committee (EISC):

Date Action By

Upon secured funding and approval by the Enterprise Information System Committee (EISC), Enterprise Facilities Committee, or one of the two Sub-Councils (Academic or Business) CWU procurement policies and procedures will be used to initiate a purchase.

CRITERIA RUBRIC VALUES1, 4, 7, 10

Project Values

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Upon Completion of the Project the following will apply: Resource(s) Department

Data Owner Appointing Authority

Data Steward Department Head/Content Provider

Ongoing Costs(licensing, etc.)

$350 to $600 per display per year

Administrator for the Product/Software(High-level development, training, system administrator, maintenance, etc.)

Public Affairs

Emergency Notifications Police & Parking Services

Installation of Monitors, Mounting Brackets, PC’s, Electrical cabling. Facilities

PC support, Network support, Monitor Standards, PC Standards, Data Cabling Information Services

Full Disclosure of Costs Includes implementation and maintenance

costs.1: lots of unknown or hidden costs4: some costs are known7 : many costs are known10: all costs, direct & indirect, are known and tabulated

Strategic Alignment Aligns with Strategic Plan

1: no alignment4: low7: medium10: high

Value/Benefit to "Customer"Customers are consumers or users ofthe product or service could be students, staff, faculty, other campuses, external partners and even other services

1: little value/benefit to the customer(s)4: some value/benefit7: a lot of value/benefit to customer10: essential/critical to customer(s)

Importance to Risk MitigationWould the campus or customer be exposed to a risk or impact if the product or service is not offered?

1: little risk to campus or customer if not offered4: some risk to campus or customer if not offered7: much risk to campus or customer if not offered10: high risk to the campus or customer if not offered

Leverage PotentialMultiplier effect: product or service canbe leveraged for other users/customers on campus or within CWU system; and/or adds value for external partners

1: little leverage potential, isolated service4: some leverage7: much leverage10: service could be leveraged by many

Client ServiceCan this project be completed in the time frame requested? If yes, how much will additional resources be needed?

1: highly questionable4: partial completion – substantial additional resources required7: substantial completion – some additional resources required10: complete – no additional resources required

Required System/ServiceLegal compliance requirement. Potential impact to core University services. Other services/projects depend on it.

1: does not affect other services4: other services/projects depend on it7: other services/projects depend on it and potential impact to core

University services10: other services/projects depend on it, and/or

potential impact to core University services, and/or legal compliance requirement.

Organizational Impact to Users/Customer Base 1: low impact, low number of users

4: low impact, high number of users7: high impact, low number of users10: high impact, high number of users

NAME OF PROJECT: RUBRIC TOTAL:

Business Case Evaluation Rubric

Name: Date:

Revision Date: 5/4/2015

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Attachment A: Sample Vendor Estimate/Contract

Four Winds Interactive Estimate for 50 Display Annual Licensing:

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