Considerations for Open-Source DAM Solutions

This article has been contributed by DAM Manager and data consultant Dana Reijerkerk as part of our editorial series on Open Source within DAM.

 

Open-source DAM tools are a hot topic intersecting day-to-day DAM operations, administration, budgets, and information technology stacks. On the surface open-source DAM solutions provide control and customization that pricey proprietary tools and software may lack. However, choosing between open-source and proprietary systems is not a simple binary decision.

DAM solutions are part of a larger digital ecosystem–a group of interconnected computer systems where an organisation’s data is managed. Elements of a typical digital ecosystem across sectors include email, firewalls, database systems, and software for workflows like digital preservation or authority control of metadata.

Proprietary DAM Solutions

Proprietary DAM softwares can be costly in terms of time, money, and staff. A DAM system for storing digital assets with the necessary network security and data protection can easily require an annual budget upwards of fifty thousand USD. However, proprietary solutions offer a lot out-of-the-box meaning once purchased these softwares and applications allow DAM professionals to start work right away.

Proprietary solutions are beneficial because they include: dedicated developer and information technology support, softwares receive regular updates and new features, and the system usually includes guarantees for data protection, data management, and data security. In the long-term, vendor support can be very helpful when the DAM needs at an organisation evolve or when a data migration to a new system is needed.

Open-Source DAM Solutions

Open-source DAM solutions are thought of as creating sustainable, customisable, and ethical products and workflows across sectors. In collecting institutions and the cultural heritage sector, the concept of “open access” is desirable and helps create free, reusable access points to an organisation’s data and digital assets. From a budget standpoint, open-source offers upfront cost-savings and low-code options, which for most DAM professionals across sectors is needed. Nonprofits and historical societies often rely on volunteer labor who likely do not have advanced technical expertise or training.

In reality, open-source technologies and the so-called “Do-It-Yourself” approach they offer is unattainable for most. Open-source DAM technologies require in-house additional support and investment in the short and long-term to be usable. Other common challenges to open-source solutions include: keeping the software up-to-date, inadequate developer documentation, poor usability and user experience design, and over-reliance on a community of volunteers to independently develop system changes, features, and fix bugs.

Choosing Between Open-Source and Proprietary Solutions

In practice, both proprietary and open-source DAM tools and systems come with challenges that need to be weighed against the DAM needs of an organisation. It’s unlikely that there will be one software that provides all DAM needs given the intersectionalities with information technology professions. Information security and privacy are core information technology job functions that operate outside of any one software. While developers, network support, and system administrators may not be

DAM professionals by trade, they play a big part of the overall DAM digital ecosystem.  

If your organisation is considering whether to adopt open-source DAM tools, keep these questions in mind:

  1. What kind of In-house Developer Support is There? Most organisations have some kind of information technology support, however, it is not dedicated support for DAM. Key DAM events include system updates, configurations, data exports from the underlying SQL or NoSQL database, and data migrations between old and new systems. This technical work may branch across departments and job titles. Proprietary solutions come with vendor support for those key DAM events whereas open-source solutions do not.
  2. What Automated DAM Functions Does a Tool Support? DAM systems have long had artificial intelligence integrations that assist in fundamental DAM workflows, such as uploading assets in bulk, recognizing file formats, creating checksums, and OCR (Optical Character Recognition). Assess your current DAM needs against what functionalities a system offers to save you time. In my expertise the best solution is focusing on what part of the DAM lifecycle is a pain point at your organisation and choose a tool that addresses that.
  3. What is the Cost? Cost is not just dollar signs. Cost includes money, staff time, personnel, developer maintenance (system updates and configurations which can mean system down time), anticipated data migrations, and digital preservation challenges especially technological obsolescence. Proprietary solutions might have higher upfront costs, but typically save money in the long-term for organisations with characteristics like no in-house developer support and small staff sizes.

Conclusion: Both Open-Source and Proprietary Solutions are Costly

In the context of DAM, open-source and proprietary solutions both require extensive customisation and have limits in their functionality. This is especially important when considering that all systems are not designed to equally meet current professional standards like DACs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard) for archives or ISO 8601 for date formatting.

Most DAM professionals are not developers; DAM professionals are not expected to be.

Rather than viewing open-source as a “Do-It-Yourself approach” to DAM, open-source DAM solutions should be seen as opportunities for an organisation to strategically align DAM practices with its overall digital ecosystem.

 

About Dana Reijerkerk

Dana Reijerkerk is a multi-award winning data consultant, digital asset manager, video game designer, and writer based in the USA whose work and data research focuses on open access, decolonization, data science, and immersive design.  She has received funding from the Museum Computer Network, Society of American Archivists, and American Library Association.  As a public speaker/educator, she has given lectures at the Pratt Institute’s Museum Studies Program on Indigenous open access, taught for the American Library Association Core Webinar Series, and regularly speaks at top data conferences.  Past projects include Reclaiming Ohi:yo’ (2018)—a permanent museum exhibit about Senecas forced relocation and environmental impact for the Seneca Nation of Indians—and Hear Me, Hear You (2024)—a two hour fully voice acted josei adventure game made in 60 days for a game jam.

You can connect with Dana via her LinkedIn profile.

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