Latin America. Today, with so much industry analysis to check the impact this global pandemic has had on businesses, one thing seems clear from the data: operational priorities are changing and the emphasis on rapid adoption of concrete technologies has increased considerably.
Along with the shift to IP and cloud architectures, as well as web technologies that have become essential guarantees against service disruption in on-premises operations (such as a global pandemic), technologies such as workflow automation are increasingly in demand. With more production staff working remotely and fewer staff in the office, production problems such as process bottlenecks are often more difficult to solve.
Add to this the desire of many companies on average to reduce costs to counteract market pressure from falling recurring revenue, and the obvious solution is to automate production processes and workflows to increase efficiency and reduce costs. Workflow automation is most often used to justify the expansion of linear or non-linear channels (OTT, VOD, social media) without incurring significant installation costs, as many of the preparation and delivery processes are automated. A greater number of channels usually means more effort and resources to produce and distribute new content.
Fitting the pieces of automation together
Workflow automation does not always require a MAM solution for operation. There are many types of workflow automation, some operate independently of MAM, DAM or PAM and others have close integration with these solutions, it really only depends on the desired application and whether the workflows are a production sub-operation or a part of a holistic content management and production platform. The latter is the main objective of this article.
So what are the benefits of MAM-based workflow automation? The main advantage is the ability to relate a company's media assets, users and related processes to third-party platforms, such as ingestion, reproduction, programming, delivery and also specialized processes such as quality control, publication, censorship and archiving. A good MAM solution can integrate all these systems, operations and business processes holistically, making it much easier to produce, manage and track medium- to large-scale operations.
MAM systems typically include integrated workflow engines, but they are usually sequential, i.e. one operation after another, and often do not allow manual (human) processes to be part of the workflow. Another type of workflow orchestration involves the use of a business process management system or BPM (Business Process Management), which is a more advanced solution for creating complex processes and sequential/parallel workflows that offer greater collaboration and visibility while reducing human error and duplication of tasks.
The workflow mystery tour
So, if you belong to a media company that has identified the need to automate many of the day-to-day production tasks and processes that consume human resources and often provide unsatisfactory results, then perhaps what you need is a well-designed automated workflow.
The input problem I often see is that there is a lack of internal expertise within media organizations in terms of workflow automation and MAM in general. I have to admit that it often looks like an art of magic and that it is very difficult to understand; first, it takes time and effort to understand how it works, and then how it might apply to your production environment. The possibilities when it comes to planning a workflow are seemingly endless, so where to start?
Well, before we start talking to the sellers, since each one sweeps for home, here is a basic guide on how to raise it:
- Identify the specific areas in which you want to improve your production processes, not only a general idea of the type "we want to improve our workflows", but delve into the points where you know that things do not work so well and point them out as problem areas.
- Read, read and read as much as you can – The more you read, the more questions you will have, and that's good. There are no silly questions, I ask them constantly (you just have to ask my colleagues), it is the best way to learn quickly.
- Look for some non-vendor experts – There are several out there who may have had local experience in workflow automation and may be willing to share their experience or difficulties. Listen to their difficulties in particular, as they tend to provide more information to the inexperienced. There are also workflow experts that you can locate on social platforms like LinkedIn, or you can ask through IABM or similar organizations. Many of these people will be happy to share their knowledge and experience with you.
Hire a consultant – If your company is willing to get it right and not rely on technology vendors to guide them, they should carefully consider hiring a reputable workflow consultant. Yes, there are people and companies that make a living from it and that remain impartial about brands.
- Create diagrams and diagrams of process stages – I love it when clients are presented with workflow drawings, perhaps because I orient myself better visually, but also because the best way to understand a process or workflow is to "map" it.
- Look for vendors with real solutions and experience in workflow automation that can provide you with case studies and references. Start by requesting a 90-120 minute demo and ask questions... Lots of questions!
- Finally, select and hire the company or companies you think you can work with, share your sticking points from step 1, and ask them to provide you with some tangible ideas on how to approach your business and workflow goals. Beware of any vendor who doesn't ask questions or say they need an order or a firm commitment before allocating the resources to work on your problems. If this happens, they either lack sufficient onboard experience or are not prepared to perform the necessary fieldwork without an exclusive commitment on their part, but ultimately, it is your decision.
Let the magic of workflow design begin
After following the previous practical 7-step plan, you will have already understood that applying the change of workflows to your environment is going to be a considerable effort. There should also have come a point where you have clearly identified the vendor that you think has the experience, knowledge of the subject, and the solution needed to meet your requirements. It's at this point that things really get going.
You've committed to working with the supplier and hopefully he's committed to working with you too. It's time to apply the collective knowledge of all stakeholders in the project to start creating the new workflows.
Keep in mind that, unlike other technological solutions such as playout automation or BMS, there is no "meet specifications and price and it's over" approach, workflow design involves all stakeholders, or at least it should. I am very much in favour of round tables to start putting together the puzzle with collective input. Someone has to lead, sure, but when a change is made across the organization, everyone has to be heard to be successful. I've often had twenty people on a video call, and if meetings are well structured, great ideas can emerge from each individual's perspective.
Text written by Nick Morgan, Sales Director APAC of VSN.
