Integrating data coming from different sources within the same system, creating fitting descriptions for those data, and following common rules to ensure that data can be distributed via intuitive, ergonomic tools: those were the challenges for the Ephoto Dam projects at great universities.
Usage of DAM by universities
Implementation of Ephoto Dam at a university often happens when the university is changing tools. As such, the users are often already familiar with the principles of storage, centralization, indexing, and distribution. The issue for them is typically that they want to centralize increasing amounts of content in a single tool. Another common issue is that the existing search tool isn’t performing well. More broadly, there’s the issue of media not being utilized according to objectives, whether that’s because of the media available or because tools aren’t intuitive enough.
The efficiency and ergonomics of Ephoto Dam’s search system are thus among the characteristics that universities appreciate the most. Another important expectation of universities, going hand in hand with search functions, is indexing tools that are reliable, intuitive, and completely fit with their indexing logic.
Additionally, when a university has a large collection of videos to be integrated into the DAM system, sequencing and speech-to-text tools offer strategic advantages. Other universities may have a collection of alumni content they want to integrate or may want to transfer videos of courses to store them in Ephoto Dam. In these cases, integration (which should be automated whenever possible) of media-producing sources and centralization of the media from various collections become crucial to the project.
A front office adapted to the needs of universities
What’s more, beyond the issue of the tool’s indexing performance for all types of media, there’s the significant preference for distributing and showcasing media via an ergonomic, responsive, modern front office that receives content from the DAM solution and that truly highlights the university’s valuable database of visuals.
University media library managers often have to deal with distribution of numerous different types of media to very diverse audiences from totally different professions and educational backgrounds. As such, universities have to offer a tool that’s ergonomic and intuitive, meaning that it corresponds to the web habits developed by internet users, so that all users can share a powerful tool.
With its modern, innovative design, the DAM tool should fade into the background as it showcases media.
To summarize
When changing tools or acquiring DAM software, universities have the goal of making a major upgrade in terms of ergonomics, widespread distribution of media, indexing performance, and accessibility and showcasing of media, all while having a perfectly effective file search feature for a numerous and diverse set of users.
With regard to utilization by users, documentalists maintain control over the publication of media. On the other hand, by department or office, there can be groups of “light” contributors who are free to add media to the DAM, and even complete some of the indexing. In some cases, documentalists can even assign lead contributors who, for a designated group, can check and confirm the indexing proposed by the light contributors. This makes it much easier to collect media and invites many users to help add to the DAM solution. Users are directed to the front office to view media and potentially download them, depending on the chosen user rights.
For account creation, there are two parallel systems: the university’s SSO CAS for all personnel handles authentication and is interfaced with Ephoto Dam. Thus, users are automatically logged in and the local accounts are managed directly in Ephoto Dam, which can be used to create accounts for service providers and external users, notably for organizing the collection of media (from photographers, graphic artists, etc.).