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Operations on a collection of digital assets requires the use of a computer application implementing digital asset management (DAM) to ensure that the owner, and possibly their delegates, can perform operations on the data files.[1]
- 1Management operations on digital assets
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Management operations on digital assets[edit]
Creation[edit]
To make a data object into a digital asset it must first be brought into the digital domain as a computer file, or digital object.
Applications implement digital asset management by importing them from the analog and/or digital domains (by encoding, scanning, optical character recognition, etc.) or by authoring them as new objects.[2]
Indexing[edit]
A primary function of a DAM system is to make assets easily available to it users by providing a searchable index that supports retrieval of assets by their content and/or metadata. The cataloging function is usually part of the ingestion process for new assets.[3]
Workflow[edit]
Digital assets will typically have a lifecycle, which may include various states such as creation, approval, live, archived and deleted. Many systems allow custom workflows to be created, modelling different asset lifecycles depending on their use within the organisation.
Version control[edit]
Often a DAM system will store earlier versions of a digital asset and allow those to be downloaded or reverted to. Therefore, a DAM system can operate as an advanced type of version control system.
Access control[edit]
Finally, a DAM system typically includes security controls ensuring relevant people have access to assets. This will often involve integration with existing directory services via a technology such as single sign-on.
Terminology[edit]
The term 'media asset management' (MAM) may be used in reference to DAM applied to the sub-set of digital objects commonly considered 'media', namely audio recordings, photos, and videos. Any editing process that involves media, especially video, can make use of a MAM to access media components to be edited together, or to be combined with a live feed, in a fluent manner. A MAM typically offers at least one searchable index of the images, audio, and videos it contains constructed from metadata harvested from the images using pattern recognition, or input manually.[4]
Categorization[edit]
Smaller DAM systems are used in a particular operational context, for instance in video production systems. The key differentiators between them are the types of input encoders used for creating digital copies of assets to bring them under management, and the output decoders and/or formatters used to make them usable as documents and/or online resources. The metadata of a content item can serve as a guide to the selection of the codec(s) needed to handle the content during processing, and may be of use when applying access control rules to enforce authorization policy.[5]
Assets that require particular technology to be used in a workflow need to have their requirements for bandwidth, latency, and access control considered in the design of the tools that create or store them, and in the architecture of the system that distributes and archives them.[6]When not being worked on assets can be held in a DAM in a variety of formats including blob (binary large object in a database) or as a file in a normal file system, that are 'cheaper' to store than the form needed during operations on them. This makes it possible to implement a large scale DAM as an assembly of high performance processing systems in a network with a high density storage solution at its centre.[7]
Media asset issues[edit]
An asset can exist in several formats and in a sequence of versions. The digital version of the original asset is generally captured in as high a resolution, colour depth, and (if applicable) frame rate as will be needed to ensure that results are of acceptable quality for the end-use. There can also be thumbnail copies of lower quality for use in visual indexing.
Metadata for an asset can include its packaging, encoding, provenance, ownership and access rights, and location of original creation. It is used to provide hints to the tools and systems used to work on, or with, the asset about how it should be handled and displayed.[8]
Types of systems[edit]
Digital asset management systems fall into these types:[9]
- Brand management system to enforce brand presentation within an organization by making the approved logos, fonts, and product images easily available.
- Library or archive for bulk storage of infrequently changing video or photo assets.
- Production management systems for handling assets being created on the fly for use in live media production or as visual effects for use in gaming applications, TV, or films.
- Streaming for on-demand delivery of digital content, like TV shows or movies, to end users on behalf of digital retailers
All of these types will include features for work-flow management, collaboration, project-management, and revision control.
See also[edit]
- Image organizer, possible presentation layer for a DAM
- Web content management system, may be a presentation layer for a DAM
References[edit]
- ^Theresa Regli (2016). Digital and Marketing Asset Management. Rosenfeld. ISBN1-933820-12-8.
- ^Blanke, Tobias (2014). Digital Asset Ecosystems: Rethinking crowds and clouds. Elsevier.
- ^Krogh, Peter (2009). The DAM Book, Second Edition. O'Reilly Media. ISBN0-596-52357-2.
- ^Jacobsen, Jens; Schlenker, Tilman; Edwards, Lisa (2005). Implementing a Digital Asset Management System: For Animation, Computer Games, and Web Development. Focal Press. ISBN0-240-80665-4.
- ^* Mauthe, Andreas; Thomas, Peter (2004). Professional Content Management Systems: Handling Digital Media Assets. Wiley. ISBN0-470-85542-8.
- ^Elizabeth Keathley (2014). Digital Asset Management: Content Architectures, Project Management, and Creating Order out of Media Chaos. APress. ISBN1430263776.
- ^Diamond, David (2012). DAM Survival Guide: Digital Asset Management Initiative Planning. DAMSurvivalGuide.com.
- ^Austerberry, David (2006). Digital Asset Management, Second Edition. Focal Press. ISBN0-240-80868-1.
- ^'Business Management Magazine no 39- Optimizing Digital Asset Management (page 86)'. Archived from the original on July 14, 2009.
Further reading[edit]
- Diamond, David (2012). DAM Survival Guide: Digital Asset Management Initiative Planning. DAMSurvivalGuide.com.
- Krogh, Peter (2009). The DAM Book, Second Edition. O'Reilly Media. ISBN0-596-52357-2.
- Austerberry, David (2006). Digital Asset Management, Second Edition. Focal Press. ISBN0-240-80868-1.
- Jacobsen, Jens; Schlenker, Tilman; Edwards, Lisa (2005). Implementing a Digital Asset Management System: For Animation, Computer Games, and Web Development. Focal Press. ISBN0-240-80665-4.
- Mauthe, Andreas; Thomas, Peter (2004). Professional Content Management Systems: Handling Digital Media Assets. Wiley. ISBN0-470-85542-8.
- Theresa Regli (2016). Digital and Marketing Asset Management. Rosenfeld. ISBN1-933820-12-8.
- Elizabeth Keathley (2014). Digital Asset Management: Content Architectures, Project Management, and Creating Order out of Media Chaos. APress. ISBN1430263776.
External links[edit]
- Digital Asset Management and Museums Digital Asset Management and Museums An Introduction.
- List of Digital Asset Management Vendors Comprehensive list of DAM vendors.
- DAM Directory Actively maintained directory of DAM-related resources.
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Digital_asset_management&oldid=899162310'
More customers, more data, more touchpoints, more assets, right? For brands dealing with unprecedented amounts of documentation, imagery, product descriptions, videos, podcast episodes and everything in between, digital asset management systems are as relevant as ever. In fact, according to a study by Research and Markets, the global digital asset management market is expected to be worth $5.21 billion in 2020. A significant leap from the $1.2 billion valuation in 2014.
Related Article: 5 Good Reasons to Avoid DAM Software
What is Enterprise Digital Asset Management?
Enterprise digital asset management allows organizations that deal with media-rich content to create, manage, archive, repurpose and manipulate digital media assets such as images, videos and documents. It organizes digital assets by assigning metadata, that contains a unique description to each asset, making it more searchable, filterable and manageable.
DAM has played a significant role in brand management by ensuring teams have access to correct brand materials which helps to facilitate brand consistency across the organization and across external touchpoints. In addition, a DAM can help an organization to keep their digital assets secure, safe, organized and instantly accessible to workers from around the world.
In this article, we take a look at 19 enterprise DAM solutions that tops Gartner's Market Guide.
1. Adobe Experience Manager Assets
Adobe’s DAM enables you to manage all content and digital assets on a single platform. Adobe also works to streamline collaborative processes, which will allow marketers and creatives to work together more effectively. It also comes equipped with AI capabilities and feature is a hybrid application made specifically for creatives to collaborate on work-in-progress assets simultaneously.
11. Northplains
Northplains provides their DAM platform as either a cloud-based solution (NEXT) or an on-premise solution (Xinet). Their on-premise solution can integrate with existing workflows via their Adobe CC plugin and mounted drives. Both solutions come with CLM (Content Lifecycle Management) which enables you to manage each step from creation, collaboration, decision, distribution and measurement.
12. Nuxeo
Nuxeo integrates with legacy ECM so you can access your organization’s digital assets without changing the location of the assets. The AI-powered auto-tagging features enable users to quickly find content despite where it has been created. Also, Nuxeo comes with a pay-as-you-go video transcoding tool and a low-code workflow management feature.
13. OpenText
OpenText can integrate with various stakeholders and departments including marketing, the digital supply chain, eCommerce, etc. It also provides you with the digital tools to create a “media-enabled” organization. OpenText can also automate repetitive tasks and streamline the review and approval process. OpenText have recently redesigned the user experience on their OpenText Media Management (OTMM) platform to allow users to find assets easily.
14. Picturepark
Picturepark comes with 'Adaptive Metadata' that provides a content-focused approach to managing digital assets. Adaptive Metadata is different to single metadata schemes (which categorizes content by type and purpose) since it can group metadata information into layers and only displays metadata that is relevant to the user. Thus, improving user experience on the DAM platform.
15. QBank
The publishing engine that comes with QBank gives you control over how your content is exposed across different channels. This can include social media, print, web and display advertising. QBank is catered towards enterprises that operate in multiple markets and have a proactive communication strategy.
16. Stylelabs
Stylelabs’ configurable domain and data model, that comprises of a mature Hypermedia RESTful-API and pub/sub bus, can integrate into your enterprise technology landscape. And besides being a DAM solution, you also gain access to Stylelabs’ 'Marketing Portal' that provides a direct dialog with your marketing community.
17. Webdam (Acquired By Bynder)
Webdam — which was recently acquired by Bynder for $49.1M, another DAM solution mentioned on this list — comes in 11 languages, which according to Webdam’s website, is the highest number of available languages compared to any other DAM platform. The multi-language feature enables teams across the globe to work in their preferred language. Webdam also assists in populating metadata by automated suggested keywords.
According to TechCrunch, both companies will operate as usual, but the plan is to roll out a combined product offering over the course of the next year.
18. Wedia
Wedia have developed their DAM to be as user-friendly to allow users to find assets quickly and conveniently. It comes with automated rendition features that enable you to produce numerous versions from a single master copy. This DAM solution also gives users full control over published content through tracking and recording.
19. Widen
Widen have been providing marketing services since 1948. Widen’s DAM platform comes with automatic file conversion and enterprise governance control. The ‘Collective’ feature allows users to curate groups of assets for different teams and provides a self-serve access to finalized content.