Transforming through digital asset management: The University of Southern California implementation

Digital asset management (DAM) can be a game changer for an organisation. Over time, it progressively expedites and simplifies work processes, justifying the time and effort of getting it correct the first time. At a large organisation with tens of thousands of employees and multiple lines of business, it is even more critical to give thoughtful consideration to each component of a DAM programme and design for maximum value to ensure the programme remains viable and integral to the organisation over the long term. This case study shows how implementing DAM for the University of Southern California was an ambitious undertaking given the size of the organisation and complex set of challenges that required considered creative solutions. Overcoming these challenges through a comprehensive understanding of users and the overall needs the DAM serves has resulted in a DAM system that adds value. The project also brought about important learnings relevant to future projects and revealed vulnerabilities that could further improve the programme once addressed. As integral as DAM is, it is typically one initiative among many and must maximise resources to integrate with other projects that improve work only when understood as an integrated whole.