Acquiring your library card
We'll warn you, however, entry into the digital asset management market is not easy for integrators. There's a big learning curve, and the practice requires the command of a wide range of skill sets.
The primary requirement for success, and this may sound like a given, is experience managing digital content. DAM products only automate the tasks of managing the content; it's the integrator/project leader who will play a key role in deciding the standards, the nomenclature, and the process to get creators and consumers of content to talk to each other. Just as with the proverbial library card catalog, the metadata that describes the digital assets has to mean the same thing to the creator of the content as to the distributor. Having someone on staff with a degree in library science would be a good idea.
While many of the DAM solutions require different skills, having a staff with expertise in databases, Java and XML will go a long way, as will knowledge of Solaris, AIX and Windows NT/2000, depending on the application.
The best client will be any company that has many types of digital assets, or analog assets that can be digitised. The real value-add for a DAM solution is the management of nontext, or rich, media. While these solutions can manage text and documents, there are other products (such as Documentum) that are better suited for that task.
You must know the culture of the client's organisation intimately to pull off a successful DAM integration, as well as the business case for justifying the integration.
Don't get fined
A subtle but important issue is the task of converting all of a client's existing analog assets to digital format. Don't kid yourself; it can be a monumental undertaking, but once it's done, the maintenance of the digital content will fall into place, provided the process for creating, naming and indexing the assets from this point forward is a good one. Half of the effort is in laying the groundwork.
While doing the conversion and planning the standards, it's important to pick the right file formats. One large media corporation executive with whom we spoke says it's better to pick a format that will last, rather than the most efficient one. As an example, just look at what happened to Sony's Betamax videotape and media. Beta tapes are still around, but do you know where a machine can be found to play a Beta tape? A file that can be read 20 years into the future sure beats one that can't be read at all.
The client's network needs to be able to handle a digital asset management solution. Going all digital requires a significant bandwidth increase, especially when transferring video files. Anticipate the same opportunity for storage capacity.
At the Checkout Desk The success in integrating DAM with other parts of the digital-content infrastructure will make or break the entire contract.
As long as you have competent XML and Java programmers and database experts, the mechanics of the integration should go reasonably well. What's key, though, is knowing what type of content should integrate with what type of technology, and that all depends on the needs of your customer.
To integrate DAM, your staff must have adequate training. Artesia even requires that its resellers go through its training program to learn both its API and how to deploy a DAM solution. And, to be sure, all of these solutions require integration.
It may be difficult to convince your client of the need for a digital asset management solution; however, more and more content is being created digitally every day. Getting a leg up now will put you at the front desk with the right book, while everyone else is still searching through the stacks.
