DPP identifies key success factors for an agile media factory

The DPP has published its second report in its Design for Tomorrow series. Content Preparation: Building the Agile Media Factory identifies the key success factors for the design of content preparation operations in an unpredictable media market. The work draws on the insight of around 50 subject matter experts, and was enabled by DPP member companies SDVI and SDI Media.

The content preparation stage of the media supply chain represents all the processes performed from the moment of content receipt to its delivery for distribution or longer term storage. It is the engine room for content providers - and content preparation processes have to be available and adaptable, never mind the circumstances.

“The events of 2020 confirmed just how rapidly consumer demand for content can change,” says DPP CEO and author of the report, Mark Harrison. “In the middle of March, as the world went into lockdown, consumption went through the roof - while much production was halted. It was to be the beginning of months of turbulence in the types, volumes and methods of media consumption. Media companies had to turn on a dime.”

Content Preparation: Building the Agile Media Factory identifies six key success factors for achieving the resilience and responsiveness now required of a modern media company.

Within those factors is specific guidance on subjects such as:

• The best model for distributed working
• Requirements for developing automation
• How suppliers and customers will build relationships of trust
• The shift towards consumption based models
• The centralisation of assets

“What’s most exciting about this work,” says Harrison, “is that it refines the thinking of a huge range of senior experts, from both the supplier and end user community. Together they have identified what’s required to build a content preparation operation that is fit for an uncertain future. That’s pretty amazing.”

A DPP webcast on 24 September will explore the findings of the report. DPP members can download the report here.

The next report in the Design for Tomorrow series will be Libraries and Archives: Managing Media Inventory.