Scope of works: Web design, Wordpress CMS, web hosting, email server and maintenance

A brand new plumbing and construction company asked me to put together a web site.  Their initial budget for web marketing was quite tight, so the solution had to be quick to implement, and easy for them to update.

I put together the framework for the web site using Wordpress v3 hosted on my dedicated web hosting servers.  Using Wordpress meant the web site could be created quickly and All Star Plumbing Ltd could update the content themselves, they could even add new pages.

To get the most out of the theme selected, I hand code and altered portions of the theme code.  This meant the content was laid out appropriately and the branding was attuned for All Star Plumbing Ltd.

All Star Plumbing web site (click to enlarge)

Scope of works: Web development

I am always looking to expand my software development repertoire so I have delved into the wonderful, rich world of Facebook Application Development and Facebook Markup Language.

When learning a new language I always find it helpful to develop something you would find useful or interesting. With this in mind, I wanted to create a Facebook fan page for my online portfolio and have the ability to show on my website the current number of Facebook fans, and give new people the opportunity to become fans.

So, I started by creating my own Facebook fan page, unsurprisingly called www.johncove.co.uk. This is viewable by visiting http://www.facebook.com/pages/wwwjohncovecouk.

The next step was to develop a widget to show the existing fans of my Facebook page and also allow Facebook users to become fans to the page. Using Facebook Markup Language (FBML), I created the following widget:-

I have started to develop my own Facebook application, so check back soon or become a fan of my online portfolio in Facebook and receive an update as soon as the application is released.

Scope of works: Digital signage in transport, software development, web development and on-going maintenance

Cabvision is an interactive digital signage network installed in over 1000 taxi cabs across the inner and outer London areas.  The content, delivered remotely over the DAB and GPRS networks, featured are pre-recorded commercials and television shows, latest sport and news headlines, information services and a music channel where the passenger can select a track to listen to while on their journey.

During my two year permanent contract with Liquid Digital Ltd, I was responsible for developing an online administration website using LAMP, known as the Cabvision DBMS, which served the following purposes, and more:-

• Managing the fleet of 1000 plus taxi cabs, which includes cab driver details, content files playback reporting, software and content update status.
• Live reporting of content playback, duration of journeys, content and digital signage application downloads and upload statistics, DAB and GPRS status (screen shot below).
• Hardware stock control – where the stock was distributed throughout the Cabvision taxi network, including spares and repair information.
• A status screen which gave the health of the network (screen shot below).
• Managing of promotions and seasonal advertising
• Ensuring delivery of content and critial digital signage playback software files.
• Reviewing the latest news and sports XML feeds.
• Automated monthly payment receipts, emailed as PDFs directly to the taxi cab owners.

I was involved in developing state of the art software which delivered content files and automated software update packages over the GPRS and DAB technologies directly to the PC based Windows XP Embedded media player situated inside the taxi cabs.

My on-going responsibilities were monitoring the digital signage network on a daily basis, managing the monthly hard drive swapouts across all 1000 plus taxi cabs and maintaining the web servers which hosted the online administration website and the Cabvision corporate website.

I managed the bi-monthly hard drive swap outs directly with Cabvision at their headquarters in East London.

Cabvision screen

Scope of works: Project management, software development and web technologies.

The Surgery Media Systems Ltd (SMS) digital signage network consists of an interactive touchscreen kiosk , an infotainment 40″ LCD screen , an online administrative web portal and a public facing health information portal called www.myinfopoint.co.uk .  Collectively, the digital signage network is called the patient infoPoint system.

Waterside Dental, Canary Wharf

The wall mounted screen displays content customised by the practice, including instant messaging, quizzes, real time feeds via the internet and customisable slides.  The interactive kiosk contains information videos, detailed information about the practice and gives patients the opportunity to register their details with the practice and fill out a survey created by the practice.

infoManager - The Survey Manager (click to enlarge)

I developed a web-based survey manager where the practice could create and edit their own surveys, publish to their interactive kiosks and report on each survey’s results using the web-based administrative portal.

The infoManager - web based administrative portal

The administrative web portal manages ever aspect of the system.  From the web portal, the practice has direct control on content creation, content updates, survey reporting and patient registration details from the interactive kiosk and the ability to send target emails to their patients.

The public health portal - www.myinfopoint.co.uk

SMS was setup in 2008, and I was asked to join the company as project manager and developer.  My first task was to interview and short list a team of developers and designers.  Based on documentation of what the patient infoPoint system would initially become work began on developing the brand new SMS digital signage network.

I project managed the SMS digital signage network from beginning to end.  I also got heavily involved in software development, specifically the content playback and backend solution, internal and external web sites and database programming.

After 8 months of development, design work, testing and plenty of late nights, a final version of the patient infoPoint system was completed ready for launch at the BDA Dental Show, ExCel Centre in the heart of London’s Royal Docks.  It was positively received and headway made to market the SMS digital signage network to interested dental practices throughout the UK.

Screen and interactive kiosk components

The SMS digital signage network sold well and installations began.  12 months after development started, the patient infoPoint system was installed into at leats 10 dental practices.

Once the SMS digital signage network was operational, I developed a site monitoring and fault logging system using PHP and mySQL.  This reported on the  network’s health status and was checked regularly by the SMS support staff.  When an issue arose, a fault was entered into the fault logging system where I monitored progress and ensured faults were resolved.

During my time at SMS my responsibilities have included the following:-

• Ensuring key project targets were met and on time.
• Preparing, testing and setting up equipment for exhibitions and demos.
• Technical and operations point of contact.
• Continued web site development of the various SMS websites and web portals.
• Interviewing and hiring new members of staff, appraisals, staff holiday and absenteeism.
• Holding regular staff and operations meetings.
• Liaising with clients, suppliers, Directors, shareholders and business partners.
• Technical documentation writing and monthly company technical and operational reports for board meetings.
• Organising and presenting project demos to prospective new clients and dealers.
• Software and hardware testing and repairing.
• Project managing site installations.

In Jan 2009, as the Project Management concentration ended my role changed to Operations Manager.

New responsibilities also included:-

• Sourcing new screen content and arranging usage permission with the various government agencies.
• Ensuring the digital signage network is healthy.
• Ensuring all sites were operational and repairing faults or failures.
• Bug fixes and improvements in the digital signage software and SMS websites as they arise.
• Liaising with suppliers, sourcing improved hardware and reducing the price of the existing digital signage solution.
• Programming new and updating content using Scala Designer.
• Management of the technical, sales and content staff and departments.
• Holding training days.

The infoManager - Survey results

Here is the official Surgery Media Systems Ltd marketing brochure.

Client Testimonials

“We find the patient infoPoint system a valuable asset as it keeps our patients informed on what we have to offer as well as the news and things of interest showing on the screen has helped nervous patients and children to keep occupied while waiting to go in to the surgery for treatment.  Thank you very much for a fantastic aid to the surgery.”
Sue McVey, Broadfield Dental Care

“We certainly found it very useful in improving the efficiency in the service we provide to our patients.  Using the reports we can see patients feedback on the service we provide.  We have a system where our patients can freely give us feedback without feeling pressured to do so as they willingly want to use the infoTouch.”
Dr. Binamin, Widney Dental Care

Scope of work: Programming and Software development 

After development and deployment of a digital signage network, maintenance and monitoring is paramount.  To improve remote media player health monitoring, I wrote an application in Visual Basic.NET that takes a current screen grab, collates health information such as CPU temperature, free hard drive space, critical errors etc and uploads this vital information to a central ftp and web server. 

Once this information has been uploaded it can be used to form part of an administrative web site to monitor the health and status of a digital signage network in real time.  If there is an issue to resolve, it is good practice to install remote access software to gain control of the media player as if you were standing infront of it.

Below is a screen shot of a web site I wrote using ASP which displays the vital digital signage network information on a single web page that automatically refreshes with the latest information every 5 minutes.  If there is a potential problem with a media player, the monitoring staff will know about it within 5 minutes.  It is also an effective way of ensuring the correct screen content is playing and the digital signage software is running correctly.

Remote media player monitor (click to enlarge)

Scope of work: Programming and Software development

Most digital signage networks utilise some kind of XML feed containing anything from latest news to weather.  But how do you get this information onto your digital signage?

XML is a data delivery language that stands for “Extensible Markup Language” and allows users to define their own elements for sharing structured data.

Sports news feed as it appears on the infoScreen

Below is a single markup and content item extracted from a typical XML feed.  In this case, it is used to produce the newsfeed item in the above screen shot taken from the infoScreen, which forms part of the patient infoPoint system I developed for Surgery Media Systems.


<Heading>
Inter 2-1 Chelsea
</Heading>

XML feed parsed into a database - click to enlarge

Now that the XML newsfeed markup and content items are contained in an industry standard database, the information can be directly accessed by digital signage software, third party applications and web sites with the help of standard database access object code.

It is then possible to develop additional functionality. In this case a news story item approval procedure using a basic web site, as below:-

News approval web site - click to enlarge

The same information can also be used to populate stories and headlines on a web site, as below:-

The public health portal - click to enlarge

Like anything, once the basics have been mastered, the possibilities are endless!

Scope of works: Digital signage, web technologies, software development, maintenance

During my four year permanent contract at MEI Digital Ltd, I worked on the WHSmith Travel and Retail digital signage network.  The network consisted of over 200 LCD and plasma screens, rack mounted media players, web browsers, interactive playtables for kids, exterior digital signposts, live train timetables and in-store dump-bin screens.

The network spanned over 60 stores in all major airports and railways stations throughout the UK, including Selfridges and AXA, and all major USA airports. It is worth mentioning that WHSmith is the longest running digital signage network in the world and continues to expand to this day.

Back in 2002, WHSmith was my first experience in digital signage.  I used my previous IT experience and knowledge to undertake all tasks that came with my role and, with this, my potential was soon noticed where I was asked to take on further responsibilities.  Being a small company, it meant everyone, including me, got involved in all aspects of the business, which at the ripe age of 24 was excellent experience and steered me well on my way into the digital signage marketplace and multi-talented evolutionary IT and management skills.

On a daily basis, I supported the entire digital signage network.  The level of support I was involved with ranged from hardware swap out to project managing a brand new site installation.

While at MEI Digital Ltd, I feel my main achievements included:-

• Development of playback, delivery, monitoring and reporting software for the WHSmith digital signage network.
• Development of corporate and Intranet web sites.
• Project management and installation of in-store digital signage networks.  This included anything up to 8 screens in one store, media players, backup power supplies, sound systems, queueing system integration, live train timetable integration etc.
• General internal IT support.  I was the main point of call for anyone with a computer issue or technical query.
• Involvement in new project brain storming sessions.
• Software development that included the playback reporting of all screen content throughout the network. This was utilised by the digital signage management team within WHSmith and the third party advertising agencies.
• I developed automated watchdog software that monitored abnormal system activity on the media players and automatically rebooted the system when a fatal error occured or restarted the content playback software where appropriate.

In-store digital signage media player installation

Stansted interactive kids play table

WHSmith Book.co interactive web browser

Heathrow dump bin promotions

Victoria Station re-fit in 2007

WHSmith Stansted Airport