Product vs Process
Ralph Windsor- Transforming DAM From A Product To
Service-Oriented Delivery Model:
As seasoned DAM pros know, DAM isn't a "thing", it is a process
or management strategy. While there is software available which
can help you realise your Digital Asset Management objectives,
the tail doesn't wag the dog and you have to know what you want
to do with it first for it to be as useful as it should be.
[People] like to think in terms of products. Buying a software
system confers an illusion of commitment to doing something
about the problem, [...], by contrast, strategy and planning
implies having to give up more of everyone's precious time and
taking some ownership of (and therefore responsibility for) the
problem.
[...] When the vendors deliver the aforementioned demos, they
get asked if they support feature X,Y or Z. If not, there are
usually fear-induced long pauses followed by either lying,
disingenuous re-interpretation of the question to suit the
vendor's current capabilities (see previous point) or an
assurance that 'it will be available in the next version' (see
first point).