Defining asset management
Aug 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Eric DuFossé
Any required manual intervention is supported by low-resolution browse proxies, which are available throughout the facility's network. Operators can add metadata, such as program IDs, broadcast dates and other business or production information. Content can be edited, graphics added and entire programs created along with descriptive metadata. This metadata remains with the content, no matter the ultimate path it may take. The asset manager's software resides above the entire workflow, providing detailed status information and tracking back to the business side so management has a complete picture of processes and technical operations.
One key benefit of such a process is that content aggregation no longer has to occur prior to playout. Instead, output channels can be built on the fly with content automatically assembled as it is delivered, even to different channels. Technically, it is possible to actually assemble programs all the way out to the neighborhood or home level (with an addressable set-top box). Such benefits could never be accomplished with manual workflows.
Workflow templates
Figure 2. Each department has workflows that impact other areas. It's important to minimize any repetitive steps and obtain agreement from all players on how content should move within the facility.
Select image to enlarge
The first step in implementing asset management is to develop a flexible workflow that supports the station's goals. This requires the technical, production and business departments to analyze the facility's current workflows. (See Figure 2.) It is important to carefully examine current processes and look for repetitive patterns or steps. Many stations are still moving content like it's videotape, except now it's a file.
Begin the process by considering asset management as many pieces of a large puzzle. Identify all the steps content takes while passing through the system. Also, carefully define what is needed at the output stage of the finished product before making decisions about the internal steps. Making a hard decision to perform a down-resolution at step three could prevent getting an HD image out of the system later.
Once you've defined desired flows, patterns will become apparent. These patterns are then modeled into a set of templates called workflow templates. The asset management system will store these in a workflow library. They contain information about the content path through the facility, execution rules, default parameters and conditions. These templates become the blueprint for every workflow needed.
Each step inside a workflow template is often referred to as a task. A task can be either manual or automatic. Manual tasks are given to an operator for execution, while an automatic task is directly executed by the underlying DAM infrastructure. Tasks assigned to an operator appear on workstations, along with a description of the work to be completed. The workstation provides the operator with all the tools necessary to complete the task. Business and technical rules are implemented here. For example, metadata fields can be made mandatory. Leaving a field blank will prevent the operator from sending the project to the next step.
It is important to maintain consistent metadata terms, so you'll need a facility-wide metadata dictionary. This will prevent errors like one editor calling a story an “automobile accident” and another from calling the same story a “car wreck.” A SMPTE committee is developing a metadata dictionary, and the current version is available at www.smpte-ra.org/mdd.
Completing the DAM puzzle
Another benefit of examining the workflow and current practices is identifying wasteful redundancies. This is the time to streamline work practices, eliminating duplicate steps — and duplicate copies of content, which can reduce storage requirements.
Because workflow discovery involves multiple departments, expect conflicts. Resolving disagreements in how work moves through a facility will improve efficiency and accountability. Although departments may initially disagree about what constitutes the best workflow, consensus among all players is important.
Buying DAM software and simply laying it over a facility as homebrew automation can be done, but that solution misses out on the full potential asset management has to offer. Success typically requires the combination of good technology and an experienced systems integrator or an in-house IT/engineering team that can implement the right software to support the desired workflows. Combining the management of digital assets with an organization's business operations is the key to creating an efficient profit engine. However, this engine can only be enabled by leveraging an open and robust architecture that is tightly interfaced with an organization's specific workflows, legacy systems and third-party applications.
Eric DuFossé is chief marketing officer for Networks and Integration Solutions, Thomson.
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