5 Tips to Align Creative Operations with Corporate I.T.

As more organizations bring their creative operations in-house, requirements for creative teams aren't always in alignment with an existing I.T. infrastructure. While SaaS solutions have made technology more accessible, signing your team up for a subscription and not having to deal with corporate I.T. might sound quite appealing. However, not following security and other I.T. policies can pose several risks. Not to mention that these systems can never be used to their full potential if you are not able to integrate them with other technologies.

Whether you are new to creative operations or an old pro, we have put together a list of tried and true insights.

Here Are Our 5 Tips To Align Creative Teams with Corporate I.T.

1 - Staff the Creative Operations Team Appropriately

Every organization should have dedicated staff to help manage creative operations. These individuals can be new hires or existing staff who bring operational experience and technical expertise to the creative department. Ideally, these people would have a creative background or understand the creative process, so that they can communicate clearly with the creative staff and present technology in an understandable way.

By having a dedicated creative ops resource, you can ensure that production and technology are working smoothly and efficiently. They can also serve as a liaison with corporate I.T., outside vendors, technology service providers, and provide a single point of contact for your creative and marketing teams.

2 - Have Open Communications with I.T.

In the past, due to the creative and marketing departments' unique technology requirements, they have been treated as an island, isolated from the corporate I.T. structure. Quickly signing up for a subscription to a cloud-based SaaS solution may seem like a means to an end, but instead, it can be a recipe for disaster. Corporate I.T. departments have existing technology infrastructure with established procedures and security policies, of which anyone implementing technology solutions should be knowledgeable. Working closely with I.T. guarantees you adhere to all technology policies from the start. Keeping Corporate I.T. involved and informed dramatically enhances the performance and efficiency of new solutions.

3 - Integrate Technology Systems

Many Marketing departments have multiple systems in use, each performing different tasks in the production workflow. Often these systems are treated as stand-alone solutions requiring human intervention when a project moves to the next phase of production. These moves require a high degree of unnecessary and error-prone manual analysis and data re-entry. However, as these systems have evolved, they have integrated capabilities that allow them to communicate with different software and solutions more efficiently.

Marketing departments can dramatically increase production and overcome workflow bottlenecks by integrating these disparate technologies to create a seamless production solution. It is now possible to connect creative operations technology to other parts of the marketing and I.T. infrastructure, including PIM, ERP, MRM, DAM, and CRM. Almost every best-of-breed technology solution has a robust API allowing users to link software together, and this is something of which you should take full advantage.

4 - Select The Right Technologies

All one needs to do is look at the Marketing Technology Landscape, created by Chief Martech to appreciate how daunting it is to keep track of creative operations and marketing technology. It is essential to take a step back from the specific requirements of creative and look at the bigger picture of how your solutions fit into the existing I.T. infrastructure. You must recognize that your needs today may be very different from those several years down the road. Creating a scalable solution and choosing a technology partner that grows with you is crucial.

Some organizations focus on making sure a solution has the appropriate features and functionality. I.O. Integration, instead, concentrates on the top five pain points companies face with their production requirements. By addressing the most significant challenges in your processes, we can identify technologies that provide the most value and improve efficiency.

5 - Work with an Outside Technology Partner

It is in every organization's best interest to deal with proven experts to help you make the most of your marketing and creative operations. These experts deliver a fresh perspective and can provide insights on areas you haven't previously considered. Their experience allows you to attain your goals by helping you better understanding your organization's workflows. Creative operations technology specialists help identify areas for improvement, suggest solutions, and provide direction on implementing strategies. These services can dramatically help your business deliver successful solutions.

A proper marketing and creative operations technology partner provides the following services:

• Consultation
• Technology Selection
• Platform & Application Integration
• Technology Roll-out and User Adoption
• Solution Administration and Support

If your organization is ready to take the next step on learning how to implement technology solutions for marketing and creative operations, set up a free consultation with an IOI expert today!