Management of Creative Assets: From Gathering to Version Control

Managing creative assets is a core aspect of project management, especially in industries we operate in, like digital marketing, advertising, software development, and graphic design.

Employees spend an average of 1.8 hours per day searching for information, which is 9.3 hours per week. This is equivalent to 19.8% of business time, or one day per working week. The average office worker spends 50 minutes a day looking for lost files and other items.

Employees waste more than 21 days a year doing menial or repetitive tasks at work. These tasks could easily be optimized or automated, saving companies hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In this post we talk about the We Are Volume process or intaking the required files, artifacts or creative assets that keep our teams moving forward.

Let’s take a deep dive into the journey of dealing with creative assets, from requirements gathering to their storage and ongoing version control.

1. Artifact and Creative Asset Requirements Gathering

Why is it essential?

Understanding the kind of assets required at the outset of a project prevents scope creep and ensures that the team focuses on what’s necessary.

Steps for Effective Gathering:

• Engage stakeholders: Conduct meetings with decision-makers and potential users to determine the needs and expectations.
• Review similar projects: Understand what assets were required previously and if they can be reused or adapted.
• Document everything: Use requirement gathering tools or templates to list down all essential assets and their specifications.

2. Collection

Why is it essential?

Asset collection ensures that the project has all the necessary pieces before the actual work begins, preventing delays and redundancies.

Steps for Efficient Collection:

• Set clear guidelines: Define the required formats, resolutions, sizes, etc., for all assets.
• Use asset management tools: Platforms like Adobe Bridge or Widen help centralize and categorize collected assets.
• Regularly audit: Make sure assets are updated and in line with the project’s requirements.

3. Information Architecture

Why is it essential?

An organized structure ensures that assets are easily accessible, making the workflow smoother.

Steps for Structuring Information:

• Categorization: Group similar assets together. For instance, UI elements, images, copy, etc., can be categories.
• Hierarchies: Create folders and subfolders that make sense for the project and team.
• Metadata: Tag assets with relevant metadata for easy search and identification.

4. Asset Storage

Why is it essential?

Proper storage ensures the safety, accessibility, security and longevity of assets.

Steps for Secure Storage:

• Cloud-based storage: Platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, and AWS provide scalable storage solutions.
• Regular backups: Set up automated backups to prevent data loss.
• Access control: Define who can access, modify, or delete assets.

5. Version Control Over the Life of the Project

Why is it essential?

Version control prevents overwriting, provides historical data, and allows easy rollback in case of mistakes.

Steps for Effective Version Control:

• Adopt version control systems: Tools like Git (even for non-code assets) can be valuable.
• Naming conventions: Set clear naming guidelines, such as “AssetName_v1.0”.
• Document changes: Keep a change log to quickly understand the differences between versions.

Conclusion:

Managing creative assets is an art in itself.

By ensuring a systematic approach from requirement gathering to version control, project managers can not only streamline the project’s flow but also enhance the efficiency and creativity of the team.

Remember, as with all project management tasks, communication is key. Keep stakeholders informed, ensure your team is aligned, and your creative assets will be a source of strength rather than confusion.