If you are interested in Digital Asset Management (DAM), there are few places where you will find the user and administrator perspective discussed openly. This is why I:
The main thing in common between DAM and these communication channels (blog, eBook, podcast) is sharing information. Then, learning how to articulate what Digital Asset Management can do for your organization.
A version is defined as a particular form or variant of something. In the case of Digital Asset Management (DAM), versions apply to digital assets and their respective metadata. Versioning can involve updating, editing or changing assets and/or metadata safely. A version often involves a correction or an improvement by editing.
Versions in a DAM are important to maintain control over edits. We should be able to have full control of versions and accountability of the version history so we can save/restore older versions if an error is made. Older versions can remain available as needed.
There is rarely one true “final” asset, but rather multiple assets with variations, depending on the use or situation, which may be used in different places. It is highly possible to have different versions of the same asset. We may also need different renditions of an asset which may have different file types (different file extensions) of similar content.
A version is not a child asset either. If we want to start talking about parent-child relationships between assets, that will be another rabbit hole we can tumble down in the future.
No version control needed here?
Don’t think you need version control nor version history in a DAM? Then you must not make any mistakes nor does anyone else. Ever. Good for you! Some of us wish we could live in your world.
Now back to reality…
When we start accumulating assets for projects, we are bound to have corrections.
Without version control or version history, changes are more permanent (like an overwrite) which can yield more work if the last change (or changes) were an error. Without version control, there is no going back even if we need to. There is little record as to what was done to reach this point without version history. The lack of version control does not help job security either. At some point, a version will be selected and it may be the latest version.
If we do not have/use version control in the DAM, we are left with few options to add a new version by overwriting an existing asset, by deleting an asset or by uploading the asset again as a new asset. These are bad ideas either way.Why?
First, these are very poor workflows with near term repercussions. These are also archaic options.
Second, if we overwrite asset on top of asset, we are bound by failure on top of failure with no recourse except for more failure (and it still equals fail).
If we have version history without full version control, that is simply having the ability to watch disasters after they happen, but yet again have no ability to fix them.
If we upload a new asset followed by uploading more edits of this asset (as separate, new assets) with a occasional “final edited” new asset upload, we are creating digital dump ground of more incorrect assets and this will likely confuse most users on which happens to be the correct asset to use, since there is no version history nor version control.
Referencing backups are possible, but how often are backups done and which backup is relevant to your need?
No ‘single source of truth’ can exist without proper version control in the long term. That goes for brand consistency or any consistency as well.
Metadata versions for assets
There are plenty of reasons to edit an asset, but what about the respective metadata of that asset? Whether the metadata is embedded or associated, version control may still be needed. There are DAM systems with full version control for assets and metadata, even down to a single character change within the metadata. You either have full version control or you do not have full control of versions for assets and metadata. Test the DAM and see for yourself.
When selecting a DAM system…
When reviewing DAM systems for the one that best suits your business needs, be sure to check:
Can the DAM support version control?
How does the DAM handle version control and to what degree?
How does the DAM display version history to users?
How does the DAM represent versions?
How does the DAM handle an asset version?
How does the DAM handle a metadata version? (yes, metadata sometimes needs to change even if the asset does not)
How can DAM users see the version history of an asset and/or its metadata?
If the DAM can handle both asset versions and metadata versions, are these handled as one version jointly or separately?
Can we edit the metadata of an asset to only version the metadata (a credit for example)? Or does a version affect the asset and metadata combined? Which is edited more often?
By testing with common assets and metadata, which need full version control?
What happens to UIDs when versions occur in the DAM?
Can the version in the DAM be handled in a programmatic way or by human users (one asset at a time) only? Yes, versioning can sometimes be automated, but can the DAM handle this automation? Or is that handled manually?
Auditing is not just for taxes or financial information. Whether you have a Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution today or not, you can audit your digital assets.
Why audit your digital assets?
Some people fear the idea of an audit because of what it may uncover. I recommend embracing the idea of an audit as a good practice in the long term so issues get resolved instead of brushing them under the carpet. An audit can bring clarity about assets and around collections of digital assets to help make informed decisions about them. It also helps establish process, policy and precedence around managing digital assets. Too often, digital assets just sit there as they remain:
undervalued (or not valued as true assets should be)
poorly used (used only once or remain unused)
unknown to many users who may need/want them
not found upon search
What are we auditing?
Start by deciding which perspective are you taking:
What format are they in? Do they need to be re-formatted?
Are these usable?
Are these assets:
A need
A want
A nice-to-have
Unusable
To be archived only
How many assets? (volume)
How big? (file size/storage needs/user needs)
What type of assets?
How to do an internal audit of the metadata for these digital assets
Track down any documentation available (make the connection between digital assets and (often) separate information about these assets is often a challenge for many organizations)
Rights attributes (can I use/reuse/repurpose the asset?)
If the digital asset was acquired externally:
Where from?
Are these licensed or owned?
If the digital asset was created internally:
Who requested it
Who created it
For which project?
Is all this metadata searchable?
How to do an internal audit of search for these digital assets
Survey your users
Are they finding what they need? Why not?
Does your solution have useable, user friendly search capability?
Is search powered by usable metadata in a usable format?
When you search, are the search results finite enough?
Can you filter the results?
How long will this audit take?
The time to conduct an audit will vary depending on the:
Plan of how and why the audit will be conducted
Amount of specific analysis and testing needed
Locations of your digital assets (Do you know where they are all hiding? Is it accessible)
Volume of digital asset (asset count, anyone?)
Format of digital assets (Is it usable and not an obsolete format, as mentioned by Linda Tadic)
Provenance of digital assets (What is the history of the asset?)
How much manual fixing (vs programmatic fixing) is needed (in case you have a digital dumping ground)
Let us know when you are ready for some vendor neutral consulting on Digital Asset Management and assistance with conducting a digital asset audit within your company.
When was the last time you audited your digital assets?
We can explore the skills the job market is commonly asking for now as well as other skills to consider (even if not yet realizing it).
Learn the Basics
I would encourage everyone to continue growing your knowledge and skills of how to work smarter with:
Spreadsheets because they are a necessary evil. Live it, learn it and love it once you understand how to make data format and flow properly through the fine art of filtering, sorting, pivot tables, vlookups and using other formulas rather than creating basic, monolithic data entry tables with little purpose and lacking smart automation. Character validation for metadata is also possible here.
Word processing because you can do more thanwrite letters and resumes with it. Explore the awesome world of macros to empower you and text.
Presentation software because you may need to give a few presentations and sometimes even make them for others. If you want your points understood by anyone, think more visual and less bullets. Since presenting is a well-known fear which some considered worse than death, I recommend facing your fear (presentations, not death). Learn from the masters and practice presenting regularly.
Collaborative software tools because it allows people to share information as group, discuss it and make decisions together. You might not be working in proximity with some people now or in the near future (such as people working remotely or even globally), but that does not mean you can not share ideas, discuss topics and decide as a group by referring to other people for their experiences, ideas, insights and perspectives.
Social skills
Meet with real people (not just friends, co-workers and family). Not just online. Not just at parties or because there are drinks available. When you meet someone new who you want/need to continue the conversation with, connect with them online professionally and follow up on the conversation. This is called networking. Real relationships are a give and take (not just one way). Remove your blinders regularly and meet other people around you who may have different interests and perspectives. You may be surprised what you can continually learn by meeting other people. Relevant communication is key.
Project Management
Whichever project management methodology you happen to study (Agile, PRINCE2, Waterfall), these are invaluable business skills to keep projects:
on time
on budget
within specifications/scope
Learn the principles and key skills such as:
Business analysis techniques
Work breakdown structures
Program sequencing techniques
Risk management methods
Coding Languages
A working knowledge of the following coding languages can be very helpful:
You can grow your skills further by learning the full LAMP stack.
Learn to create regularly
Everyone should practice an art of creating something regularly. It does not have to be fine art, but learn to:
write
take photographs
record sound
shoot video
create something on your own (or as a group) that can be shared
digitize it if it is a physical creation
Learn to edit
Learn to edit so you can do something constructive with what you create. Learn to see how you can improve things by sharing it with others who will give you constructive feedback. Learn what can be done about issues before they are created (and sometimes how to fix them afterward). Improve your skills as you learn to edit various media which you may be managing at some point as DAM professional. You will literally see and hear the results.
Text editing is a very useful skill. Sometimes it is easier to edit someone else’s text than your own.
Photo editing is process like any other. You can start with editing and managing your family/friend/sports/pet photography as it grows over time. The key is to learn how to manage your photography for the long term (think years) beyond simply the week the images were captured. This can be the beginning of learning the process of digital asset management using photography assets (which have value to you) along with related metadata (so you can search for them easily) and understanding the efforts involved.
Video editing is another set of skills to learn how to piece multiple types of components together with some continuity in order to tell a story.
Learn how to use metadata
Once you have created and edited digital files over time, you will want to search for these. Not just visually search because that does not scale over time. This often requires metadata.
Why apply metadata (to search and find assets based on common fields and values applied)
Rights Management
When it comes to managing whether an organization has the licenses and permissions necessary to legally use, reuse and re-purpose any digital asset acquired from external parties, this requires a dive into the field of rights management. While this is often a forgotten liability for many organizations, external vendors are pursuing copyright violations more than ever to recover their lost revenue through image recognition technology among other technologies. Having the skills to understand the rights, communicate the media needs, license media properly for usage and limit liability is a plus for any organization.
Stress management
Stress does not automagically go away by itself. Learn to deal with stress in a health way. Do not attempt to work all 168 hours per week. The work will still be there if you go home. Avoid procrastination, but take short breaks as needed. Keep in mind that worrying about something does not resolve anything. Do something about it. Focus your energy on either communicating the specific issues with recommended solutions or resolving the issues after weighing the possible solutions.
Time Management
Learn to manage your time and your tasks wisely by prioritizing. Learn how to prioritize anything. Time management can be applied to all aspects of your work and life, especially if you thrive on accomplishment. Keep in mind that tasks are not successfully completed without the necessary time to accomplish them.
What specific skills should Digital Asset Management professionals have today?
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