Essential Elements of Kiosk Solution Implementation: What Should You Know about the Deployment Process? Part I

A successful deployment starts with proper planning during the initial stages of a project. There are some very practical questions and areas of focus that need to be taken into account when pulling together a kiosk or digital merchandising project.

The overall development process, from concept to pilot, may only take 10-14 weeks, but the decisions that are made at the beginning of the process can be the most crucial. These decisions will determine how you’ll cut costs, save time, and reduce the amount of headaches you’ll have when you get to deployment.

Your deployment process should be thoroughly planned “upstream,” meaning during the manufacturing process, or by developing an easy to use installation “Wizard.”  Field installation should be swift, simple and obvious. Make sure to provide step-by-step, detailed, and specific guidelines and procedures.  The installer should not have to improvise or make decisions on your behalf.

The Kiosk is a “Toaster”

For many kiosk deployments, it is highly likely that there is no commonality among kiosks in the field. The installation process may vary. There may be different drivers, BIOS settings, and even hardware. All the units in a kiosk roll out should be identical, to the fullest extent possible. Think of them as toasters rather than remote PCs, each having the same hardware, the same wiring, the same software, etc.  Multiple field configurations can increase costs and support efforts. Additionally, it can make it more likely that you will have problems over the life of the program.

Don’t Think of Units as PC’s

Plain and simple: kiosks are not desktop environments. You don’t want people to make changes on individual units. If all the units are identical it makes troubleshooting and remote management substantially more efficient.  No one should be allowed “into” the PC to be making one-off changes. This applies to both the initial installation and ongoing management. It takes discipline, but with this philosophy there is either a problem on all the field units, or it’s a hardware problem on one specific unit. There is no in-between. If you abide by this practical advice, you will save time and money and increase your field uptime.

What to Install in the Field

Our “best practice” for deployment includes the testing of all parts and functionality of units before they are shipped. The manufacturing process should include QC, test, and setup of units before they are sent out for installation. We have witnessed many projects where final set up and testing was left to the field installer. Just think about it, if you have created a process that requires installers to assemble the units in the field, you will have increased costs and increased variability. Each installer will put things together differently, which will lead to more problems down the line.

You should have an idea in mind of what your unit is going to look like in the field and see to it that the manufacturing and installation processes makes that happen. Make sure you test the entire system prior to deployment. Test the speakers. Test the parts. Test everything!

Essential Elements of a Successful Kiosk Solution Implementation: Choosing an Ideal Fixture/Enclosure Vendor

“Content is King” is an axiom in the kiosk and digital merchandising industry. However, content is just one of the elements of the overall customer experience. If you’ve got great content, you’ll want to ensure that the rest of your enclosure looks and works equally as great. That’s where fixture/enclosure manufacturers come in. They’ll ensure that the kiosk unit is attractive, easy-to-use, and accessible for set-up and repair.

The selection of the ideal enclosure supplier is a crucial step. You’ll want to consider the goal of your program and the relative strengths and weaknesses of different providers. Many providers have a Point-of-Purchase (POP) heritage and the design of kiosk and digital merchandising enclosures are part of a larger POP display capability.

Traditional POP displays do not contain electronic components. Those who approach enclosure design strategy from a POP heritage are well-informed of the competing interests of the sponsoring brand, the retailer, and the consumer – this can be a real advantage in retail settings. Other suppliers are dedicated to a kiosk unit-centric approach and solely on projects which include electronic components. Each style of enclosure provider can deliver quality results, but you may realize that one style suits your need better than the other.

Regulation & Industry Best Practice
The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements ensure that kiosk implementations are easily accessible by all persons. ADA regulation is a fact of life in the kiosk business. Your enclosure manufacturer should be well-versed in the measurement and spec requirements for compliance.

There is a saying that’s very appropriate to kiosk design, “Professionals only focus on the details, amateurs don’t even know they exist.” Designing enclosures with large-scale electronics is a very different process than designing for standard POP fixtures. Component access, wire routing and heat are all issues that need an experienced design team to consider. Is your provider familiar with the ventilation requirements your unit will have? Will it need a fan or will it function properly with passive ventilation? A common beginner’s mistake is to design the unit without proper thought given to the risk of overheating. Successful design is all about the details.

Most kiosk units are in the field for a minimum of three years, and experienced professionals design the unit with the long-term in mind. Experts will make provisions for easy component changes and select materials that will last throughout the lifespan of the program.

Ability to Work Hand-in-Glove with Other Providers
Finally, a good fixture/enclosure manufacturer will work hand-in-glove with your software provider during the entire project. As mentioned in my earlier posts, you’ll want to find a qualified team that has experience working well together and is led by one key vendor.

When picking your providers, work with them to design your program with the end in mind. Before considering a roll-out, make sure you build a prototype and then pilot it. You will gain valuable knowledge throughout that process that you’ll apply if you choose to push out thousands of units to numerous locations.

Previous posts in this series:

Essential Elements of a Successful Kiosk Solution Implementation: What to Ask Before You Begin

Essential Elements of a Successful Kiosk Solution Implementation: What Should You Ask Your Hardware Vendors?

Essential Elements of a Successful Kiosk Solution Implementation: Aspects of Quality Software

Essential Elements of a Successful Kiosk Solution Implementation: Aspects of Quality Software

The quality of your software will determine your level of success with any kiosk solution or digital merchandising program. Software performance has two essential elements: user experience design and remote management monitoring.

User Experience
User Experience is the most important of all the kiosk elements. When designing the user experience, you’ll need to keep in mind, how and why you are interacting with your prospective customers. Today’s consumers are knowledgeable and savvy, if the value proposition of using the system isn’t great enough for them, they’ll simply walk away.

Ask yourself, what happens when they walk up to the screen? What are you offering them that other sources aren’t? Do you save them time, save them money, or make their life better? In order to be successful, your project must do at least one of these three things.

Kiosk solutions have the unique ability to provide the consumer with the product information that they need right at the point of purchase. Unlike the web, a kiosk solution can be narrowcasted for a specific audience, at a specific time, at a specific location. The software you employ must directly communicate the value you bring that wins out over other outlets where consumers can gain product information.

Remote Management
There’s no sense in creating a great user experience, only to have it not perform well out in the field. Remote management is a close second to user experience in its importance to a digital merchandising initiative or kiosk solution implementation.

A remote management program is crucial to know whether your units in the field are running and how your system is being maintained. It will tell you how the system is being used, by whom, and whether or not it’s being updated and kept current.

Find an Experienced Provider
Any experienced software provider will also know how to address and manage issues that arise. Some common needs are unit malfunction support, troubleshooting, and decision-making about field service calls. You’ll want a provider who is competent in support procedures and can demonstrate how they’ve provided these services to other clients.