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Improved Communication and Information Flow in Mölndal City
From USB Sticks to Unified Screens: Mölndal City’s Journey with PLAYipp
Mölndal City has significantly improved its communication through the implementation of digital screens. By using digital information screens, they have been able to ensure that accurate and consistent information reaches both students and employees in a simple and effective manner.
Results:
- Uniform and updated information
- Simplified content updates
- Increased citizen engagement and awareness
- Improved internal communication
- Ability to quickly disseminate information during emergencies
Mölndal City improves its communication with PLAYipp
A report with Kristian Matic, Technical IT Architect at Mölndal City.
Today, PLAYipp is used in about a dozen public facilities such as Åby Swimming Hall and various libraries. The largest use today is in schools throughout the municipality. There are currently about twenty screen solutions in schools around Mölndal City. The majority of solutions are used to target information to students, but Kristian estimates that about every fifth screen is located in different staff areas, targeting employees of the city.
At the beginning of the project, there were some other challenges. They were already using screens as one of the channels to communicate with citizens. They used USB sticks on screens locally, for example, at the library and other public information screens. The problem with this type of handling was that it resulted in different layouts and designs. It also depended on the right person being physically present so that the information on the screens wouldn’t be outdated. With this in mind, Kristian and his colleagues entered the project with a specification requirement for a good solution that could streamline and scale the information.
The IT department later added other technical requirements in the procurement, and it needed to be easy to order more screen solutions and expand over time. A package of hardware, software, and installation was necessary. The IT department had a good dialogue with Atea, the city’s supplier, who set up exactly what they needed.
“We started looking at cobbling together our own solution like a kind of website that would just be mirrored directly onto the screens,” continues Kristian, “But we realized quite quickly that it was too complicated to handle. We needed something that anyone could update information in.”
With PLAYipp’s digital information screens, Mölndal City can maintain a consistent thread in its communication and ensure that the right information is delivered on time and in the right place, and also looks good!
Simplicity and Functionality: Keys to Success
“With PLAYipp we found it was easy to create our own layouts and flows. I would definitely recommend PLAYipp because it’s simple.” Kristian continues. He adds: “It has become a very good complement to the other channels that the communications department uses, such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.”
Mölndal City has a clear communication policy that was important to uphold even with information on digital information screens. Today, several employees publish in PLAYipp, but initially, there were many automatic flows that were published, e.g., from the website, Västtrafik, social media, etc. Now, there is a responsible person at each school, called an ICT coordinator. (ICT stands for Information, Communication & Technology)
The Benefits of Digital Screens for Mölndal City
When I finally ask in what ways PLAYipp has affected the communication for Mölndal City, he answers with energy in his voice that they have, for one, become more unified, it “breathes” Mölndal City no matter which school or public facility you are at. “And,” he says, adding, and I almost hear him smile over the phone, “it doesn’t breathe old 90s website.”
He also refers to a survey conducted afterward when they had been using PLAYipp for a while. An intern was tasked with asking citizens what they had read, seen, and noticed on the screens. They simply wanted to find out: Was PLAYipp worth it? He concludes: “Yes, it has worked. We have achieved what we aimed for!”
TIPS FROM MÖLNDAL CITY
- Establish who or which department owns the project at an early stage.
- The communications department should be responsible for the actual communication in collaboration with the IT department.
- Follow a clear communication policy to ensure the information is perceived as reliable, steady, and current.
- Use the same design language as the organization’s website for consistency.
- Prioritize security and the ability to quickly inform about emergency events, such as why an alarm has gone off.