Troubleshooting Digital Asset Management (DAM) Initiatives
If you have commenced a Digital Asset Management initiative in the past, but the solution is not delivering the ROI you hoped it would, we have a range of services we can provide to help get it back on track.
User Adoption
Finding out what is causing a DAM solution to fail to be adopted by users can be a demanding problem to solve. It is particularly difficult for those who originally commissioned the system or who actively use it on a daily basis because they might not always be able to fully appreciate the issues that less frequent users are encountering.
We have a methodology for reviewing DAM initiatives that uses quantitative studies, user feedback and focus groups to help find out why your DAM is not being taken up by users as widely as you would like.
We use an evidence-based approach derived from the results of our studies where we develop a change management plan which will address the issues you face. This might be involve a combination of changes to the DAM system, user training/education initiatives, internal communications programmes or upstream adjustments to the type of material entering the DAM.
Each modification is applied incrementally so the impact can be assessed. We use a rational and efficient approach to ensure that expenditure is minimised and any changes achieve the maximum benefit with minimum risk.
For more information on some of the methods we use, read: DAM Vital Signs – Performance Review Techniques To Enhance ROI
Findability
Findability issues in DAM solutions can have multiple causes. Many DAM users incorrectly assume that the software is faulty or has been misconfigured when they cannot find digital assets, but equally likely is the way the cataloguing (tagging) has been carried out.
The search terms that users employ to find assets can change over time and also are context-sensitive depending on who is searching. These factors also can impact the kind of results that users get.
We conduct a series of tests of the search capabilities of your DAM and carry out cataloguing of some example digital assets. The results of these studies should help isolate the root cause of any findability problems. We can then propose either adjustments to the software, re-cataloguing of some of your digital assets and/or training of those staff responsible for ingestion.
Troubleshooting DAMs
From technical glitches to performance problems, there can be a whole host of different reasons why DAM systems are not delivering for end users. If you believe your DAM has issues, we can review it for you and conduct a series of tests to help identify whether there really are problems with your DAM solution or not.
We have an extensive DAM software testing procedure that runs through numerous different permutations to try and isolate the cause of any problems. We can also liaise with your vendor and their technical personnel to communicate where we think the issues are presenting themselves and what might be causing them.
Integrating DAMs
Integration is now an essential feature of modern Digital Asset Supply Chain solutions, however, a variety of factors can make integration sometimes more difficult to achieve than might be expected. Not all of these are technical in nature; sometimes a lack of vendor or internal resources can pose problems also.
We analyse the integration requirement, then we look at what options are available to connect the DAM solution with the counterparty. As well as custom API scripting, we can also use more low-level methods like batch data imports or potentially direct manipulation of the database used by one of the systems. We can either implement the integration for you, alternatively we can brief the DAM vendor or an in-house team. We are very flexible in the way we can work with you and we can adapt to help you achieve the optimal integration solution whatever the circumstances or the integration requirement.
Read our dedicated integration section for more details.
Data Security & Safety
Data safety and security is becoming an increasingly important issue for organisations. We can carry out some testing of the DAM solution to identify if your data is more at risk than it should be. As part of this review, we can also investigate issues like whether or not your system is GDPR compliant and if the backups and data management policies are sufficiently robust.