While the demand for content shows no signs of slowing, the wide range of production and workflow tools combined with interoperability issues can add to workflow complexity and preventable errors in the media workflow. How can PAM users select the right asset management strategy and leverage PAM to transform their workflows effectively?

More than just a buzzword or a file management tool, Production Asset Management (PAM) is a complex suite of applications that works together to deliver a revolutionary business and media transformation. PAM is a vital part of a media management strategy that empowers users to tap on the most suitable tools for the fast delivery of quality content and media monetization opportunities for their business.

Broaden your Strategic Focus with Flexibility
Every selection process starts with defining the requirements of a business or system. While there is no one size fits all solution, the misalignment of expectations often starts from the beginning during the definition stage. While it is essential to consider the current business scope and objectives, it is equally important to evaluate how the system manages potential changes to these in the future. In the media cycle, changes are an essential part of any project. Workflow design, media output, or deadlines - changes happen for numerous reasons. When choosing a PAM, it is crucial to consider how changes would affect an implementation plan and how effectively a system can navigate around changes. For example, how easy would it be to customize metadata schemas within the PAM without the help of the system integrator? In today's fast-changing environment, system flexibility is an important consideration.

Future-proof and Go Beyond the Present
Future-proofing technology is more than picking the most technologically advanced features or specifications. As businesses evolve, requirements change, and the software should adapt. While it is not possible to predict every new trend in the industry, your PAM system must be able to expand beyond present business and technological demands. Some of the questions to ask include: Is it easy to add users? How can we integrate new data without changing the foundation of the system? How can we implement integration with new tools and services without a disruptive interruption to the production process? Can we expand our storage to match changing needs? Can we migrate to the cloud in the future? Can our PAM system support a switch to a remote working environment? How easily can we upgrade the features or specifications of our PAM to match the industry's developments? While industry developments and demands may be evolving faster than we can anticipate, having a system that can adapt to these changes is a more cost-efficient and less painful choice in the long run.

What it takes to Deliver Great Content
While there may be an (almost) infinite volume of content out there, there is a limited number of resources we have to work with, including human resources. Every labor-intensive task takes an operator's focus off another. Sometimes we cannot choose one over another. With the right PAM, users can orchestrate workflows to automate repetitive tasks and leverage the benefit of better accuracy, speed, and convenience. This advantage easily translates into battles won at the business level, with businesses being able to fulfill more complex deliveries to meet demanding challenges. For example, with the array of formats available, content delivery in multi-formats is no longer a daunting task with automated transcoding workflows that can deliver large volumes of files with a simple prompt.

The Potential of Metadata
The use of metadata in file-based delivery opens up possibilities for content producers and distributors. The vast amount of metadata that accompanies media enables the repurposing, redistribution, and monetization of media files in different ways and across various content delivery platforms. In one scenario, the same media file can be delivered concurrently to multiple platforms with multiple advertisements and subtitles to cater to audiences in different markets. With an effective PAM, the media can be easily identified, categorized, enriched, and re-distributed in a streamlined manner.

360 Degrees Analytics
With the right tools, PAM also provides a log of all processes in the system to provide 360 degrees analytics of the business flow. It is vital not only when things go wrong but also to evaluate how to improve the process. When the audio has failed, the logs can identify which stage things went wrong and alert an operator. Not only that, a PAM integrated with an automated quality check system can identify faults automatically and inform the relevant people about them promptly. With enough crucial information from the logs, they can make an informed decision or come to a resolution quickly to resolve the issue.

Even when things are going well, PAM can help businesses improve their workflows, optimize resources and stay on top of the flow. An integrated PAM system can generate audience and viewership reports on demand to empower the business to make informed decisions. Does this program have a consistently higher primetime viewership over the other? With relevant data, users can make informed decisions and deliver what the viewer or customer needs. There is no more guessing work to get the results-driven success you want.

In addition, with integrated scheduling and task management features, distributed teams working from different locations can collaborate on the same tasks in real-time, simplify approvals and create a unified environment where distributed teams can work together effectively. Now, you have a seamless process to make the decisions that matter together.

Make an Informed Decision
In every decision, knowledge is the key. When selecting a PAM for your business, you can make an informed decision to help you to get the best returns on your investments through:
■ Defining what you need
■ Preparing for the future
■ Understanding how to leverage the benefits of the system effectively
■ Measuring your success accurately

While there is no one size fits all solution, considering the key issues that could affect your business is the first step you can take to unlock that results-driven success that you want. More than just a good-to-have, PAM is the key to strategizing for greater returns today and in the future.

Take the first step and chat with us at info@etere.com