Choosing a DAM system is a decision about how a company will work with its content. It affects how materials are found, updated, and shared between teams. A well-prepared brief helps compare providers based on the company’s actual needs and determine whether their solutions will make everyday work easier.
1. Define Needs and Set Priorities
Before vendor presentations begin, the current way of working needs to be mapped out. Marketing teams, designers, IT specialists, and other future users of the system should all be involved in the preparation.
The result should be a concise brief that defines:
- Problems to solve – difficulty finding files, the use of outdated versions, or time-consuming asset distribution.
- Content and users – supported formats, data volume, and participating teams, including external collaborators.
- Essential features – requirements without which the system cannot fulfil its purpose.
- Expected improvements – for example, finding materials more quickly or reducing the number of requests to have them sent.
Requirements should be divided into essential, useful, and deferrable. This list will make it easier to create an initial shortlist of providers.
2. Compare Systems Using the Same Brief
For the shortlisted solutions, it is important to examine exactly how individual features work:
- Search and metadata – what information can be used to find content and how easily this information can be added.
- Version control – how the system distinguishes between current and previous assets and allows users to track changes.
- Permissions – how access rights for viewing, editing, and downloading are configured.
- Formats and previews – whether the system supports the files the company regularly works with.
- Integrations – exactly what connections with the company’s e-commerce platform, content management system, or design software enable.
When assessing sharing features, it is also worth considering the recipient’s experience. BrandCloud allows content to be shared via a link with external collaborators who do not have their own account, with the option to set the link’s expiration date and group multiple items into a single package. This makes it possible to evaluate the entire process, from selecting assets to making them available to a partner.
3. Test Common Tasks Using Your Own Files
A vendor presentation should be followed by a practical test. The same files and tasks should be prepared for every system under consideration:
- Upload materials and add descriptions.
- Find a specific file using predefined information.
- Upload a new version and retrieve the previous one.
- Grant access to a colleague and share content with an external recipient.
Future users should carry out the testing. The evaluation can consider the time needed to complete each task, the clarity of the interface, and any points at which assistance was required. A short pilot project therefore provides concrete evidence for the final decision.
4. Calculate Costs and Prepare for Implementation
In addition to licensing fees, the comparison should include data migration, configuration, training, support, and any required integrations. The request for proposal should also specify the expected growth in the number of users and volume of content so that future costs can be compared.
Before implementation, the company needs to appoint an internal administrator, define rules for naming and describing files, and assign responsibility for keeping content up to date. Data migration also provides an opportunity to remove duplicates and outdated materials.
A Decision Based on Testing Results
The final selection should combine compliance with essential requirements, user experience from testing, and total costs. A simple evaluation table can help compare these criteria side by side. Priority should be given to a solution that has demonstrably handled the company’s key tasks and that the team can maintain effectively over the long term.
