Importance of Metadata in Digital Asset Management

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1 Importance of Metadata in Digital Asset Management It doesn t matter if you already have a Digital Asset Management (DAM) system or are considering one; the data you put in will determine what you get out. So let s discuss the data or Metadata and who is going to add it. Metadata is data about data; it is all the information about the asset. It can include any attribute that helps define or describe the asset. Metadata is a critical part of DAM because it is the key to helping you and your team: Find the files they are looking for by using keywords Understand the content of the files through descriptions Use the files correctly via rights management And it can be classified into many different categories, for example: Administrative Information: creator s name, licensing information, creation date, etc. Descriptive Information: boys playing baseball; file type: i.e., text, sound, image; etc. So where does it come from? Fortunately a great deal of metadata is already provided. For example your computer operating system already tracks filenames, file size, date created and date modified which most DAM systems can automatically catalog. Your devices automatically record metadata as well. For example your digital camera records the data taken and, via GPS, the location where the image was taken. You may recognize the screen shots below if you have ever explored your itunes library. Source: MacWorld Article itunes Tagging Basics

2 Even your suppliers can provide data. For example purchased photos and purchased music come with embedded metadata. Your vendors are already tracking information like part numbers, their description, size, etc. Request that that information come with their files. Now that we have the free metadata how do you get the rest? And, how are you going to organize it? Realizing the Benefits of your DAM Digital assets are all of your company s stored information, all the knowledge, all the assets everything from the obvious images, graphics, videos, documents, spreadsheets, sales presentations to extensive technical documents, contracts and proprietary materials. Successful management of these assets requires the establishment of a system of governance over the capture, utilization, creation, organization and access to them. Taxonomy is the solution that will enable you to reap the benefits of your DAM system. Taxonomy is a framework from which all your content will hang. The center of the framework, the information associated with the items, is the metadata. Without such a structure, even the best DAM will fail because your information has no way of interconnecting. Once in place many benefits will be apparent with one being very obvious: better and quicker access to your information. Taxonomy, in our use here, is the science or practice of classification to provide a conceptual framework for information retrieval. Taxonomy is different from metadata. Taxonomy helps you classify or organize your content into a categorized or hierarchical relationship. This assists the user when searching by providing a broader range of topics when browsing or searching for a file you not exactly sure exists. For example someone in operations may be looking for a file in legal having a controlled hierarchy, with a common vocabulary will create a reference point between the two systems and will provide quicker access to the needed information. 2

3 Assets exist in every part of your organization however many remain hidden and therefore, underutilized because they are not seen by anyone outside of their particular department. Taxonomy creates a consistent contextual relationship between that information and the way it is categorized. It establishes a common vocabulary assuring the term used by legal is the same as the term used by operations, marketing, sales, and all divisions. Next Steps Begin by defining your taxonomy, asses what information exists, what is needed, who needs it and where they are within your organization. It is also beneficial to determine in what context your employees, vendors, and partners will seek that information. Once the taxonomy is defined, you will need a process to manage and amend your metadata methodology to continually meet business needs. With an existing structure, consistent work and a little discipline your metadata management process will grow and increase the value and successful use of your DAM. This process is metadata tagging the practice of assigning information about a file to the asset. If the file is not tagged with metadata it cannot be located or categorized. So, to be useable as assets in your DAM, all files require identification. Many organizations struggle with this process. The people generally closest to the asset when it is created, are usually unenthusiastic about tagging the asset. And, if metadata is not consistently applied and maintained, the file will be difficult and may even be impossible to find. Your DAM system can generate some new metadata based on what is already provided and the content of the document however; to be truly successful, implementing DAM is much more than implementing the technology. DAM requires leadership that will not only oversee the technical integration but will also manage the governance, user adoption and cultural change critical to its success. You have many options for the implementation, management and on going maintenance of your DAM. You may have someone within your organization that can grow into the role however, to assure the quickest ROI, outside resources are the most beneficial. This will also allow your 3

4 internal team members to develop the skills needed, under the guidance of an expert, while still functioning in their primary role within your company. Bringing in experienced DAM content expertise will: Improve the consistency of tagging through automation Tagging all your assets, regardless of age, with current and relevant tags matching how users will search today Reduce the cycle time for content creators on the tedious tagging needed for content enrichment Improve the discoverability of content on websites and through syndication Better serve your audience with targeted content Increase syndication value by providing laser focused content and enabling you to charge more for it Create new products through discovery because all content is now related in ways unseen before tagging Implementing any new technology brings frustration and headaches. Bringing in DAM content expertise will help you avoid the stress and assure a quicker ROI and companywide adoption. The Skills Needed To assure success the outside expertise should provide the following in their service portfolio: Creation to assure the development of the optimum structure: o An analysis and review of all your archival data and assets o A dialogue regarding your future content direction o Determination regarding if you have a rich archive that can be repurposed for new revenue generating projects o Improving findability of your content to reach new and fresh audiences Implementation whether pre existing taxonomy or brand new: o Adjusting your editorial and content creation workflow to embed the created taxonomies into practice o Providing a focused attention to proper implementation o Administering the required training needed to ensure success Maintenance by providing a periodic tune up to: o Maintain the relevance of both your taxonomy and your tagging as industry and demographics trends change your business and your audience o Optimize the foundational structure of your content and assets 4

5 Summary Digital Asset Management systems need more than just system integration. They need time and effort to work properly, improve productivity and provide an ROI. Bringing in expertise during the implementation and launch will assure your DAM is properly configured, integrated, and customized for your organization. Superior Media Solutions, SMS, understands more than just DAM technology; we understand your business challenges and goals because we have lived them ourselves. Our core value is to help you enrich your content to better engage your audience. Based on your specific requirements, we will work together with you to design the optimum solution to add value to what you bring your audience. SMS clients hire us for our experience and expertise in providing the right solutions that address their challenges. Using our solutions, our clients reduce their costs and increase their revenue opportunities. 5