Analyze and plan a Workfront DAM strategy
Before you begin setting up Workfront DAM for your organization, it is critical that you establish an organizational strategy and metadata/keyword strategy.
Analyze your workflow processes carefully so you can achieve your DAM goals. Organized and well-annotated assets are the key to Workfront DAM usability, user adoption, and your overall success with Workfront DAM.
Workfront suggests you review the following:
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Identify your goals—Your organization needs to know what it wants to achieve with Workfront DAM for setups to be done properly and user adoption to be successful. Look at your current processes and identify what steps are still needed and what needs to change.
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Folder structure—The folder structure is how your assets in DAM will be organized. Will your folders be organized by project, department, year, or some other categorization? Folders are how users are given access to assets, so it’s important to keep that in mind. A well-organized folder structure also can make it easier to find assets.
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Metadata schema—The schema is a set of metadata fields that are utilized on assets in Workfront DAM. These fields can include copyright, creator, and location. If you are using third-party applications to add metadata, consider how you would like these fields mapped into Workfront DAM.
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Keyword taxonomy—Keywords are descriptive words about an asset. A taxonomy is a pre-defined list of terms that users can select from to add keywords to assets. A taxonomy is key to maintaining control and consistency in your keyword efforts.
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Workflow processes—Another key step in successful use of Workfront DAM is establishing workflow processes for your organization. This extends beyond just who uploads assets. Some things to consider (this list is not inclusive):
- Which folders should assets be uploaded to?
- Which metadata fields are required for each asset?
- Is metadata added before or after upload?
- Who can upload assets?
- Who can add metadata?
- Is use of a keyword taxonomy required? Or can users add additional keywords?
- What are best practices for adding metadata? How are dates formatted? Do you put in company name or client name?
- How do new users obtain a Workfront DAM login?
For long-term success, it is critical to plan—plan the system structure before beginning setups, plan the metadata schema, plan end-user training, and plan ongoing maintenance.