There is definitely more to digital asset management than meets the eye. That became very apparent during yesterday’s #CXMChat in which we dissected Digital Assets & the Customer Experience.
To discuss digital asset management with a host of enterprise thought leaders, digital marketing professionals, self-described technology geeks, web developers and leading digital asset vendors is like peeling back the layers of an onion -- it’s so complex, it stings your eyes to think about it all. Fortunately, we’re here to sift through the skins to make sense of it all.
Let’s start with a definition:
Q1: Given how digital we are, what is your current definition of DAM?
its about creating rich media, finding, sharing and publishing it everywhere. making the unsearchable manageable
— Deb Louison Lavoy (@deb_lavoy)
For @AutonomyCorp, DAM is about finding/leveraging right digital asset across all channels & also creating intelligent assets.
— Annie Weinberger (@annerstweets)
DAM is centralization of images, video, and audio for improved discoverability and rightful distribution
— David Hillis (@davidhillis)
Set of processes and technology for the management, distribution and delivery of rich media assets
— Jody Vandergriff (@jodyvandergriff)
DAM for Digital Marketers is the hub of brand strategy and multi-channel brand experience
— Greg Klebus (@gklebus)
Q1 DAM = Facilitates creation, management and distribution of digital media #CXMChat
— Jake Athey (@DrDAM)
def. of DAM in digital world hasn't changed, the tactics and strategies have. it's still all about managing rich media wisely
— Irina Guseva (@irina_guseva)
There was a general consensus that DAM involves the distribution of rich media and digital assets across marketing channels. It was determined that digital assets include anything you can make digital: audio, video, images, 3D, CAD but also docs, PDFs, PPTs, among others. As for defining channels, they could be defined as "not just Web flavors but call centers, social, print, email, mobile, broadcast, video, audio."
Q2: What are the core elements of a DAM strategy?
DAM=3 P’s of DAM -- Platforms, Processes and People.
— Jake Athey (@DrDAM)
Context-based search is core to #DAM. You can't monetize what you can't find, more importantly what you can't understand
— Annie Weinberger (@annerstweets)
DAM is not restricted to a piece of software or technology. Involves reviews of business processes & change management
— Jan Dejosse (@goegejosd)
Meta Data management. Assets do not have full-text. Need Meta Data to search and FIND
— David Hillis (@davidhillis)
core elements of a DAM strategy- metadata is the engine that drives the DAM vehicle
— John Horodyski (@jhorodyski)
Q2 DAM strategy needs big picture - executive vision & champion; focus on people, governance; a strong DAM solution
— @gklebus
Sounds simple but governance: most orgs we speak with just set up and leave in maintenance mode. Huge problems down the line
— @AYakkundi
Q2: core elements of a DAM strategy - findability, reusability, optimization, social, mobile #cxmchat
— @irina_guseva
Agree RT @rselvey: DAM is not just about technology. DAM is technology + best practices + amazing support + processes #cxmchat [via Twitter]
— @KimberlyEdwards
Q2: Define statement/goals, needs analysis, system/process design, implementation, training, user nurturing, analytics. #CXMChat
— @jodyvandergriff
Q2 Avoid silo thinking. DAM as a standalone solution won't bring the expected benefits #CXMChat
— @goegejosd
Q2 The key to a good DAM strategy is to start with a good metadata strategy - and to have an object-based model for genuine reuse #CXMChat [via Twitter]
— @CoreMedia_News
As you can see, search and meta data were popular themes when it came to discussing the core elements of digital asset management. As it turns out, digital assets are only as good as the methods used to find them. Other elements mentioned included workflow, usability, rights management and un-siloed activity.
Q3: What 3 things make a DAM solution successful?
AYakkundi: @gklebus @AdobeWEM Q3. True! I amend my statement: DAM needs to bridge the gap b/w creative teams, marketing, and IT #CXMchat [via Twitter]
— Anjali Yakkundi (@AYakkundi)
Intuitive interface, flexibility and great customer service.
— Buffy Miller (@buffym)
Ease of on-boarding assets, meta data to make assets findable, variations and version for multi-channel #CXMChat [via Twitter]
—@davidhillis
Scalability to grow or shrink with users, applications and locations #CXMChat
—@goegejosd
A scalable solution that handles all asset and interaction types (video, augmented reality, audio, flash, print, compound docs)
— @annerstweets
1. Focus on high level goals first 2. Ensure governance and team alignment with goals 3. Choose & *leverage* a good DAM system #CXMChat
—@gklebus
Need to see end to end process: from creation to delivery & implement in phases. Need to have right people. Good guidance. #CXMChat
— @jduhl
DAM= (3) Providers - Support, Stability, Roadmap, ROI #CXMChat
— @DrDAM
Meeting the requirements of the Customer, Usability, Quick Adoption
— Ron Selvey (@rselvey)
To be successful DAMs have to be better than personal collections of usable images & videos. That is a surprisingly high bar.
—@billycripe
@gklebus No - It means that DAM can serve so many different needs that is becomes impossible to define success in generic terms.
—@jodyvandergriff
a DAM solution is successful when it fits the purpose, and facilitates people+process flow
— Irina Guseva (@irina_guseva)
Though search and meta are core elements of digital asset management, when it comes to making it a successful solution, the focus shifts to usability, flexibility and customer service.
Making sure it’s the right fit for those that are expected to use it is essential to getting it to work. That being said, others highlighted a need for interoperability, clear goals and vision, and the need to get both IT and marketing working together to facilitate activity.
Q4: How do DAM and CXM/WEM currently relate?
if people cannot find the assets, or the process/technology is too complex, you've failed. people won't adopt
— Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet)
DAM cannot deliver content / not *aware* of content delivery. Not a CXM tool until it has analytics
— David Hillis (@davidhillis)
#WEM is 1 of the ways to get value out of a #DAM solution. A little easier to tie to ROI, when used to facilitate conversions. #cxmchat [via Twitter]
— @rlunka
DAM provides opportunity to enable contextual relevance in assets served to the web -- thus improving the customer experience.
— Ron Selvey (@rselvey)
RT @davidhillis: Q4. DAM helps the management part of CXM, not the delivery and analytics part of hte story
— AYakkundi
DAM is the only technology platform supporting digital AND print; could be cornerstone of CxM
— @goegejosd
Coming from the digital consumer, it's what consumers are demanding -- immersive, rich media experiences on any device
— @DrDAM:
Digital assets are managed so that they can be more easily discovered, accessed and experienced by a targeted audience
— @CoreMedia_News
Rich media drives engagement and customer experience. DAM provides the controls to maximize this engagement across channels.
— Jody Vandergriff (@jodyvandergriff)
#CXMChat Q4 duh! WCM-digital assets want to engage customers? DAM is do or die.
— @OT_JP
CXM=DAM's future- Surprised few DAM vendors have embraced this mantra. Time to break out of the traditional DAM frame of mind #CXMChat
— @AYakkundi
DAM is grossly overlooked, underutilized under the current CXM/WEM umbrella, huge area for biz opportunity and maturity
— Irina Guseva (@irina_guseva)
If DAM, like a lot of customer experience management solutions, is about people and processes, it's not surprising that in order to make it user friendly, it's important to focus on the people who are using it and the processes that are needed to make it work effectively.
However, as the participants reminded us it's also about making DAM a part of something bigger and integrating it into larger workflows so that it doesn't become another siloed station.
Q5: What is the single biggest DAM opportunity in 2012?
Irina Guseva's comment struck a nerve with many of the participants and they were able to articulate some great opportunities to which the enterprise should be exploring in 2012.
CXM! single largest opportunity,and this means tight integration with other CXM solutions is crucial
— Anjali Yakkundi (@AYakkundi)
I think that #cloud technologies will finally be secure and mature enough to attract enterprise DAM implementations #CXMChat
— @CoreMedia_News
#1 DAM oppty for '12: becoming the asset/content hub in integrated CXM solutions with WCM, eComm, mobile #mindsetchange #CXMChat
— @gklebus
DAM 2012 Opportunity – DAM as a practice and profession is maturing - we need best practices and standards to help DAM mature #CXMChat
— @jhorodyski
#NoSQL and semantic Web technology will significantly change the way digital media assets are managed, discovered and delivered #CXMChat
— @CoreMedia_News
So DAM is the new hard disk? RT @DrDAM: Q5 DAM= Every company needs it, every comp. is a publisher, every comp. is creating content
— @gklebus
#CXMChat Enterprise! aggregate departmental DAM islands. Enterprise video. Analytics. Needed in all verticals. Not merely mktg solution
— @OT_JP
DAM+PIMS (Product Info Mgmt)+Mobile/tablet enabler for E-shopping user experience #CXMChat
— @goegejosd
Q5 - Opportunities in DAM will be in extending its impact to more of the asset lifecycle; web publishing, social functions, etc. #CXMchat
— @WidenEnterprise
Brand loyalty. We need to think of DAM as more than just management of assets
— Annie Weinberger (@annerstweets)
single biggest DAM opportunity in 2012: integrations to fulfill the #CXM promise
— Irina Guseva (@irina_guseva)
Increased cloud adoption will provide opportunity for best in breed ECM/CXM/DAM solutions to work together to enhance user exp
— Jody Vandergriff (@jodyvandergriff)
it will be interesting to see how DAM vendors use the cloud to reduce costs and complexity
— Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet)
As others have mentioned -- DAM + social media will lead to more media-rich and data-intensive customer experiences online
— CoreMedia (@CoreMedia_News)
single biggest DAM opportunity in 2012 ? You mean now that instagram is gone?
— billycripe (@billycripe)
DAM's reach within the enterprise is considerably vast, especially when you think about where we started. Rich media can provide valuable customer experiences both internally and externally, provided that media, once created, is easy to find and manage.
Storage issues will continue to abound, making cloud platforms particularly attractive. And yet, like so many enterprise solutions, getting IT, marketing and creatives to work together is a big part of whether or not it will be a success.
Bonus: Who Should Own the DAM Process
Bonus Q: #CXMChat The actual budget holder will depend on the org, but everyone has a stake in DAM these days
— @AYakkundi
@cmswire Bonus - also depends on where the talent is. Sometimes the right DAM "owners" come from different/unexpected places. #cxmchat [via Twitter]
— @WidenEnterprise
Creative and Marketing need to get together RT @cmswire: who should own the DAM platform? creatives? IT? Marketing? #cxmchat [via Twitter]
— @deb_lavoy
Bonus Q: DAM platform should be easy and fun to use so that users actually want to own it. Marketing + Creative #CreativeDAM #CXMChat [via Twitter]
— @gklebus
Bonus - DAM doesn't need to be "owned" by creatives but they are the ones who will make it or break it for you organization #CXMChat [via Twitter]
— @CoreMedia_News
great bonus question. My personal thought is.......drum roll please.....END USERS #cxmchat [via Twitter]
— @rselvey
Bonus Q: Depends on the need but with more system-wide integrations, this is likely to move towards IT #CXMChat [via Twitter]
— @jodyvandergriff
bonus Q: DAM should be part of the DNA of any org, owned by all and everyone #cxmchat [via Twitter]
— @irina_guseva
completely agree! RT @rselvey: great bonus question. My personal thought is.......drum roll please.....END USERS #cxmchat [via Twitter]
— @leighledford
Thanks to everyone who joined us during the chat -- we always learn so much and hope you do to. We hope to see you next month! For a complete list of #cxmchat participants, you can follow our list.
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