3 Requirements for a Next-Generation DAM

Digital asset management requirements

There is a long list of requirements for a digital asset management system. While this guide will cover the top three next-generation DAM requirements, it is important to be aware of all the requirements that a business should consider when choosing a DAM system.

Here are the requirements in short:

• Scalability of the DAM system.
• Compatibility of the DAM system with the current digital asset management system.
• Customizability of the DAM system.
• Onboarding and support that comes with the system
• Remote accessibility of the system.
• Security of the DAM system.

While all of these factors are a must-consider, the next sections will cover the top three next-generation DAM requirements that you should look out for.

DAM requirements: What are they?

Digital Asset Management software requirements are not clear cut. The DAM system should work according to the business model and management processes. For instance, if a business has different departments for manufacturing, marketing, and sales, the security of the DAM system will be a top business priority. On the other hand, if an eCommerce business wants to utilize a DAM system to manage its product data, the scalability of the system will be the top requirement.

Before you select a DAM system, it is important to take note of the business process and what are the priorities. It is then that the business can draw up a digital asset management requirements document and search for a next-generation DAM system that closely matches these requirements.

Digital asset management requirements

While the top 3 digital asset management requirements are security, distribution, and trackability, there is much more to a DAM system, especially if you’re looking for a comprehensive DAM that does more than just act like a cloud-based storage system for documents.

There are typically four types of next-DAM requirements that any business should consider while listing the final set of requirements:

1. Digital asset management system requirements: The compatibility of your hardware and work processes with the DAM system.
2. DAM business requirements: The number of users that will use the DAM system. Compliance and data governance issues.
3. DAM maintenance requirements: How often would you need to maintain your DAM system? What is the downtime for the DAM system maintenance?
4. DAM security requirements: If multiple people will use the DAM system, how will it tackle information misuse and other security concerns?

The next section will cover the DAM functional requirements in detail to help you understand exactly what you should expect from a next-generation DAM system and how you can choose the right DAM system for your business.

Digital asset management business requirements

Now that you know what the functional requirements of the DAM system are, let’s get on to how you can list down your requirements based on your business requirements for digital asset management.

Workflows: Consider what kind of workflows you need. If your business has multiple departments handling the assets, do they have access to all of the data?

Governance: If you have a distributed workforce, are the DAM system requirements enough for you to keep your data secure?

Budget: Budget is one of the main concerns for businesses. While every business could use a comprehensive DAM system, the key is to have a DAM system that is perfect for optimizing business processes and ticks on the must-haves.

DAM maintenance requirements

When you choose a DAM system, you will have to consider the DAM implementation, whether you will have to scale the system in the short future, and whether you need automation features or not.

Company support: Consider whether the company will support you in the implementation process and when the system needs maintenance. What is the track record of the company with the DAM’s performance and what is the average downtime of the system when changes need to be made?

System requirements: One of the must-consider features is the system requirements. Check whether your current hardware is compatible with the next-generation DAM system or you will have to undergo maintenance.

DAM security requirements

Security is one of the top three requirements for a digital asset management system. Here are some of the DAM safety requirements you should consider:

• User Authentication and Permissions: The system should have user authentication mechanisms and allow for defining roles and permissions to control access to assets.
• Security Features: The system should provide security features like encryption for sensitive assets and audit trails to track user activity.
• Internal and External Sharing: The system should allow secure sharing of assets with internal and external users.
• Collaboration Tools: The system may offer features for collaboration, such as commenting, annotations, and shared workspaces to allow users to engage with the data without requiring whole access.

DAM system requirements

As covered in the features, you should consider your system requirements while choosing a DAM. So, the first step is to conduct an internal evaluation of your current digital asset management, before listing down the system requirements. Here are the DAM inspection requirements:

System integration: Consider the infrastructure you currently have in place and the changes you will have to make to integrate the new DAM system.

Security: Consider the level of security and access management you need in the DAM system. If you have a small team, you can invest in a DAM system that does not track user activity. However, if your business handles sensitive data or employees working remotely, consider a DAM system that has a user access system.

Configuration: If you have listed the requirements for a digital asset management solution and need a lot of customization, you could invest in an enterprise DAM solution. But for a small business, a pre-developed DAM system could work well.

Types of DAM Requirements

While we have covered four requirements for a DAM system, we can shorten the list to three. In short, here are the three requirements for a DAM system:

1. Business Requirements: If you wish for your business to undergo a digital transformation, you will have some specific requirements for safety and asset management.
2. Security Requirements: Almost all kinds of DAM solutions can help with basic security. But if you have specific safety requirements like access control, version control, and activity tracking, consider a specific DAM system that can help.
3. System Requirements: Consider how to integrate your existing system with the new DAM system if it is customized or pre-built.

How to list the requirements for a digital asset management system?

The first thing to consider while choosing a DAM solution is your current work processes and the business requirements for digital asset management. If you simply need a DAM system to handle your marketing data (product description documents, pictures, and videos), the DAM solution requirements won’t be that long.

You could always consult a professional DAM company like Pimberly to help you find the best solution for your business needs.

Summary: Digital asset management requirements

In this guide, we have covered the DAM system requirements you might need in detail. The key to listing digital asset management requirements is to assess your current systems and the kind of digital transformation you are expecting. Then, you can seek consultancy, or have a rough sketch of the DAM requirements before consulting the company and gathering quotes.

Visit Pimberly‘s website to learn more about our next-generation DAM functionality.