We asked Hilde Hagen, consultant at Qonqord.
Process improvements for creating and publishing content are not something you just think of. Good preparation for the renewal of work processes requires a thorough analysis of the current work processes and the supporting systems. Based on this, you can devise scenarios for optimizing the processes, the roles of the participants and the required IT resources. Hilde Hagen, workflow consultant at Qonqord, talks about this in this blog.
Marketing is now a strategic choice for every company. You see that managing content flows is becoming increasingly complex. It is logical that our customers deal with this increasingly professionally. We are increasingly collaborating with business analysts, software architects and project managers. Together we devise how we can improve the automation of processes and then implement it.
Key users and business analysts
Testing the new software is an essential part of any project. We prefer to involve key users at an early stage for this, so that we can realize a smooth implementation. These users are involved in our analysis phase from the start, because good preparation and their input are important to arrive at the right solution. For example, at a large company I am doing workshops together with the business analyst of that company and the key users to map out the current bottlenecks in their working method.
What do we often encounter?
During the workshops, it often appears that various teams work separately from each other to create content for a specific channel. This means that different people edit the assets (images, video, designs, audio) and create texts separately from each other. They often have the master data for a product but not the commercial descriptions, which in many cases are created and translated separately in each department. This is due to outdated work processes, which are not multichannel proof. For example, we see that designers are used to collecting all information about products themselves rather than being delivered in a structured (automated) manner. E-commerce and social media teams often unnecessarily perform the same work.
By creating a blueprint together for an optimized way of working for all involved, we can optimize processes far and wide. For example, we can ensure that source systems, such as an ERP or a PIM (Product Information Management) are linked into the way we work. We can also use a DAM (Digital Asset Management) and workflow platform to optimize creation processes. In this way, we ensure that all stakeholders can work together smartly and use the same files (assets).
Such a plan comes about during workshops with all stakeholders. They know what is going on and can therefore provide excellent ideas. Moreover, you create support right away, thus avoiding resistance when implementing the new way of working. These aspects make my work at Qonqord very personal and challenging.
honest story
In addition to workshops, I often schedule one-on-one meetings. In this way the honest story is told and together we lay the foundation for more insight into the organization and improved work processes. Involvement, attention and time of all stakeholders in the implementation of DAM and workflow software together constitute the most important prerequisites for a successful implementation, in my opinion.
If you would also like to spar about the challenges you face in content creation processes please email sales@qonqord.com and Jeroen or Ronald will contact you.
