A Digital Asset Management for global use

A global Digital Asset Management with dynamicDAM®

The worldwide use, especially of dynamicPIM®, our Product Information Management system, and dynamicDAM®, our Digital Asset Management system, is a complete solution that takes into account and utilizes the multi-tenant capability of the dynamic products. For use in global systems, the primary focus is on the right concept, which can vary significantly from company to company.

Multi-tenancy in the Digital Asset Management System

For the past 20 years, we have worked with many multinational corporations. This includes companies like P&G, Unilever, Knauf, etc. As a result, we have repeatedly encountered global systems that were implemented centrally for more than 120 countries or even significantly more in some cases. All of this unites the fundamental problem of complexity. Beyond a certain threshold, it simply does not make sense to manage it. Let alone will it be used happily with a clear and unambiguous usability.

Moreover, there are significant challenges regarding external use. Most systems, like a Digital Asset Management system, have been maintained with such diverse content that they cannot be confidently made available externally.

Our approach has therefore pursued a different philosophy since the development and conception of the dynamic products.

Standalone systems for different countries or regions

Our approach described briefly: A single code base but fully autonomous tenants per country or regions like Nordics, DACH, etc. This is possible if the software systems were originally programmed with multi-tenant capabilities. This is exactly what we have done from the very beginning. As a result, completely independent solutions can now be implemented that share the essential code base. The global DAM or PIM is therefore much closer than one might initially think.

The real application brings many benefits

The applications of the Digital Asset Management system remain fully updatable in all upgrade and patch cycles, regardless of how many tenants are in use. Complexity is greatly reduced, and no compromises need to be made regarding filters, types, tags, or structures, as it is always implemented autonomously for the respective country (region). The needs of the respective region are fully met, particularly the difference in the DACH market compared to, for example, Italy, Spain, or France, is enormous. Here we can now address all peculiarities.

Furthermore, specific areas such as download formats, output containers, etc., can be offered in a shared manner, so a development can be activated in all country variants.

Access for holding employees who have overall responsibility is also possible through a portal solution, which can then be activated upon registration as part of a single sign-on solution for all countries.

Advantages and disadvantages of global use of a Digital Asset Management System

Every approach always has its challenges. For example, in a Digital Asset Management system, the implementation of media objects used in absolutely identical form across all countries poses a challenge. This includes, for example, certain logos or key visuals, etc. In our approach, these assets must be made available in all country variants. But: Can you calculate how many records this involves? One is often surprised to find that overlaps of this kind are quite manageable.

So, arguing about economies of scale, the popular approach of every controller, is often just an unrealistic calculation in real-life cases. This is primarily because costs due to complexity in a single system increase enormously. Moreover, any flexibility is lost. And this is, as confirmed by every good CEO in the world, a core requirement for successful digitization in our time.