What to Know Before Your DAM Migration

The practical process of transitioning to a new DAM platform requires careful planning. Every organisation operates differently with unique assets, use cases, and workflows.

1. Give Your Assets a Thorough Audit

This preparatory step accomplishes two goals: it declutters outdated or redundant asset versions while simplifying the migration process itself.

Determine which assets warrant transfer during migration and which can remain archived. Heritage organisations using DAM for digital collections should consolidate relevant assets for their specific initiative. Enterprise teams should prioritise assets most critical to operations during the initial migration phase.

2. Determine Your Taxonomy and Metadata Structure

Before uploading assets, establish their classification system. Metadata represents information about data—attributes and provenance details for individual assets. Taxonomy focuses on classification structure, referring to labels organising digital assets into related groupings for user navigation.

Well-defined taxonomies prevent migration complications by enabling flexibility. Clear hierarchical structures facilitate file location and modification during platform transitions.

3. Get the Team Involved

Communication and information gathering are fundamental throughout DAM implementation. Identify the platform's primary users within your organisation. These stakeholders must understand and engage with the platform's taxonomy structure.

When multiple departments use the platform, establish departmental goals and primary interaction methods. Consider appointing a dedicated DAM Manager responsible for maintaining platform integrity and addressing post-implementation inquiries.