Timelines and information kiosks · For office managers, executive directors and communications staff
A touchscreen information kiosk that tells visitors who you are
Visitors in a lobby want to know what this place is, who runs it and what it does. A touchscreen information kiosk answers those questions with short stories and photos they can tap through while they wait.
No account needed to start. Free to use. No payment details required.
What should a touchscreen information kiosk include?
A touchscreen information kiosk in a lobby should answer what visitors wonder while they wait: who you are, who works here, what you offer and how it started. HistoryShowcase organizes those answers as collections of stories with photos, so visitors tap to browse, search by name or word, and read at their own pace.
Updated
- Made for
- Office managers, executive directors and communications staff
- Where it goes
- Reception area, Next to the directory board, Community room entrance
- Layouts
- Portrait gallery, Profiles, Timeline, Honors ledger
- Visitors can filter by
- Topic, Year
- Cost
- Free to use. No payment details required.
A directory tells visitors where. Not who or why.
Most lobbies have a directory board, and it does its job: names, departments, room numbers. What it can’t do is tell a first-time visitor what the organization actually does, who the people behind it are, or why it was started. So that information sits in a brochure rack or on a website nobody opens while they wait.
A touchscreen information kiosk fills that gap. Give the home screen four or five doors, such as about us, people, programs and history, and put short stories with photos behind each one. Keep your directory board for directions; the kiosk is where visitors learn who you are.
How does a touchscreen information kiosk compare with a static directory board?
| What matters | Static directory board | HistoryShowcase |
|---|---|---|
| Finding a room or office | Quick and clear | Not built for maps or directions |
| Who people are | A name and a room number | Profiles with a photo and a write-up |
| What you do | Usually not covered | A collection for each program or service |
| Keeping it current | Order new letter strips or panels | Edit online and the live site updates |
| Reading comfort | One fixed text size | Larger text and reduced motion settings |
What to put on an information kiosk
About us
A few short stories: what you do, who you serve and what a visitor can expect today.
Staff and board
Portraits with a line about each person’s role, so visitors recognize who they’re meeting.
Programs and services
One story per program with photos and a plain description of who it’s for.
How it started
A short timeline from founding to now, for visitors who ask how long you’ve been here.
Recognition
Awards, partners or volunteers of the year in an honors ledger.
Recent news
A handful of recent stories, so the kiosk reads as current.
How to organize an information kiosk
Visitors are standing and often waiting, so keep the home screen to four or five clear choices.
Your siteWelcome
- Our peoplePortrait gallery
Staff and board portraits, each with a profile.
- Our programsProfiles
One story per program, with photos and who it serves.
- Our historyTimeline
Milestones from founding to today.
- RecognitionHonors ledger
Awards and volunteers of the year with their years.
Visitors can narrow it by
- Topic
- Year
How do you set up a touchscreen information kiosk?
Write down what visitors ask
Ask the front desk for the questions they hear most, and make each one a story or a collection.
Build it and check in Preview
Add stories and photos, then use Preview to see the kiosk exactly as visitors will.
Pair the kiosk
Pair the touchscreen from the editor with a one-time pairing code or a reusable display code, and save the start address as the browser’s start page.
Where should an information kiosk stand?
- Reception areaVisitors waiting to be called have a few minutes and a question.
- Next to the directory boardThe board shows where to go; the kiosk explains who you are.
- Community room entranceGuests arriving for events learn about the organization hosting them.
Touchscreen information kiosk questions
Can it show a building map or directions?
No. HistoryShowcase doesn’t do maps or wayfinding. Keep your directory board or signs for directions and use the kiosk for who you are and what you do.
Can visitors look up a staff member?
Yes. Visitors can search by name or word, so a profile for each staff member makes them easy to find.
What if the lobby Wi-Fi is unreliable?
Running full screen or as an installed app, the kiosk saves the live site for offline use. If an update fails partway, it keeps the last complete version.
Why does setup ask for a school name?
HistoryShowcase was built for schools. Any organization can enter its own name and colors there and use the same layouts, editor and kiosk setup.
