With the rise of cloud-based software improving working practices across the world a number of new buzz words have become increasingly prevalent in the digital sphere. These can leave many people mildly bewildered, asking questions like: What is Digital Asset Management? What do UX designers do? or Who on earth are disruptors? If you find yourself wondering the same things then we’re here to help and we’ll start by tackling the first of those questions, which concerns one of the most relevant changes that cloud computing has brought to project management.
What is Digital Asset Management (DAM)?
Digital Asset Management describes the storing of all digitized content in one, cloud-based location, rather than being spread over a variety of single-location servers, including people’s individual computers, laptops or phones. The types of content generally held on DAM systems varies but is most commonly:
- Training documents
- Client information databases
- Advertising artwork
- Photo libraries
- Video material
- Press kits
The Advantages of Digital Asset Management
- Consistency of processes and messaging across the organization
One of the main reasons why organizations will use Digital Asset Management services is to ensure that every employee has access to, and is working from, the same page. For example, if your product has a three-minute client introduction video, this can easily be accessed by contractors or resellers whether they be in San Francisco, Singapore or Stockholm. This helps to guarantee the same level of quality and consistency of message no matter who is representing you. It also means that innovations or content investments can be utilized across the full breadth of the organization.
- Ease of access
With one centralized holding location for all of the digital assets of the organization, every team member can access all of the material from anywhere as long as they are online, with the same going for the uploading or editing of assets. This means that individual employees or teams don’t have to ask around to find the material they need but can just search the DAM system directly.
- Automatically scalable
Cloud-based software is powered by massive warehouses full of servers with virtually unlimited amounts of storage space. This means that cloud operators can very easily offer packages that grow at the same rate as your organization requires, with no loss of speed or service.
- Better management control
In a hierarchical management structure, it makes sense that people in senior positions have final say on major decisions. In a very segmented working environment this can be difficult, due to obstacles such as time and logistics, so responsibility must be delegated to individual team members or smaller groups. With an easily accessible digital asset management portal however, management can quickly review and approve all materials that are being utilized, putting the responsibility for making big decisions in the hands of the people who are paid to do so.
Higher transfer speeds available
Uploading and downloading files from email can be extremely time-consuming between normal devices. Digital Asset Management systems however are specifically designed to allow for higher transfer speeds, so that collaborating with other employees becomes almost instantaneous.
