Create a DAM Taxonomy in 5 Easy Steps

1. Appraise your assets 2. Make controlled lists of terms 3. Create and document 4. Test and verify 5. Rinse and repeat

Appraise your assets to help shape to your taxonomy

Create a DAM Taxonomy in 5 Easy Steps

Asset appraisal

Determine which digital assets to appraise & scope of DAM system

Audit all possible folders and drives that are in scope

Gain an understanding of the variety of assets in each department

Compile list of file types (.jpg, .png,) and asset types (photography, documents)

Use the digital asset appraisal guide and tracking sheet to complete the audit

Send out free DAM survey to each business unit or team to complete

Make controlled lists of terms to be used in your taxonomy

Create a DAM Taxonomy in 5 Easy Steps

Make controlled lists of terms

List all possible values for a term (for example the data field “month” will only

have the options January through December)

Keep the list clean by staying within a class or category

Analyse existing search behaviour or existing metadata schemas

Check file-naming standards and required metadata fields

Determine relationships between fields, dependencies and hierarchies

Use a whiteboard, excel, or a concept mapping tool

Create & document taxonomy

Create a DAM Taxonomy in 5 Easy Steps

Create and document taxonomy

Create metadata dictionary that lists terms and options with operational

definitions, relationships to other terms, data field names and types

Use Excel, concept mapping tool, or taxonomy documentation tool to create a

“final” output of the taxonomy

Determine which parts of the taxonomy are meant to be searchable, which are

administrative, structural and which are purely informational

Don’t forget also to document embedded XMP data that you will add to your

taxonomy (colorspace, creator, rights, etc)

Test and verify taxonomy

Create a DAM Taxonomy in 5 Easy Steps

Test and verify taxonomy

Conduct audit searches for known-items

Conduct audits for serendipitous browsing

Verify upload experience for various types of assets and user groups to ensure

that taxonomy is fit for purpose and scales to a wider audience

Conduct user acceptance testing (UAT) with specific measurable criteria,

document and analyze, update taxonomy with consolidated findings

Taxonomy rinse & repeat

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Create a DAM Taxonomy in 5 Easy Steps

Taxonomy rinse and repeat

Audit on yearly or quarterly basis depending on business needs

Use search metrics to determine usage and popularity of terms

Examine failed search results

Document updates

Adjust taxonomy as new asset types are ingested

Adjust taxonomy as new user groups are on-boarded into the system