Columbia Business School Executive Education

Columbia Business School Executive Education provides executives across industries and sectors with the tools, frameworks, and learnings needed to lead and excel. Designed for high-impact business leaders, their offerings include over 35 non-degree, open-enrollment programs in leadership, strategy and innovation, finance and investing, marketing and more — available in person, live online, or online — as well as a unique certificate path and custom program opportunities.

The Challenges

With a rapidly expanding portfolio of over 4,000 video assets produced since 2013, the Online Team at Columbia Business School Executive Education faced mounting challenges in managing their content. They faced three core problems:

• Dispersed content storage
• Lost institutional knowledge
• Time-consuming searches

The Results

After adopting MediaValet’s Digital Asset Management (DAM) platform, Columbia Business School Executive Education was able to consolidate their video library into one centralized, easily accessible system.

• Improved workflow efficiencies
• Enhanced content reuse
• Increased control and accessibility
• Streamlined external sharing

The Challenges: Lost in a Digital Maze

Columbia Business School Executive Education’s content management challenges stemmed from an inconsistent and fragmented storage system. Assets were scattered across various platforms such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and shared physical drives. With no single source of truth, the team struggled to find the right assets when needed. But it wasn't just about having a lot of files; it was about making sure the right people had access to them, at the right time.

According to Lindsey Varghese, Director of Content Strategy, Online and Digital Programs at Executive Education at Columbia Business School, the inconsistent storage and management system resulted in inefficiencies that hindered the team's ability to access and repurpose their rich content library.

"We had videos on Google Drive, Dropbox, and physical drives. The knowledge about where these files were stored often left with team members who exited the organization."

They were facing three major challenges with their existing file management system:

Dispersed content storage: Files were spread across various platforms, making it difficult to access and share content efficiently.

Lost institutional knowledge: Inconsistent file storage and record-keeping meant that, when team members left, critical information about content location and use was lost.

Time-consuming searches: The absence of a centralized system resulted in significant time spent searching for the right assets, slowing down their workflows and content production.

Use Case: Strategic, Streamlined Video Management

To address these challenges, Columbia Business School Executive Education adopted MediaValet’s DAM platform. The DAM enabled the team to organize all their video assets in one place, making it easier to manage, access, and share them both internally and externally.

The DAM system allows them to dive deep into their existing content, identify gaps, and reuse content for new programs.

Centralized video library: MediaValet enabled Columbia Business School Executive Education to consolidate their 4,000+ video assets into a single, easily accessible system. This ensured much better video asset management and that all team members could locate and use the latest content without delays.

Improved asset reuse: The team can now repurpose existing content more effectively. As Lindsey Varghese explained:

“Once we understood the assets we had, we could ensure the content could be reused. You can’t reuse content unless you know what's there.”

Enhanced search capabilities: One of the most significant advantages of the DAM platform was its advanced search functionality. The team could now search within video titles and even within the content itself using AI-generated transcripts, allowing them to find relevant clips faster without having to scrub through entire videos.

Key Features: The Essential Features Fueling Columbia’s Success

Several features of MediaValet’s DAM played a crucial role in Columbia Business School Executive Education’s success:

Advanced Search capabilities: Enabled the team to search not just by video title but within the video content itself using AI-generated transcripts.

Branded Portals: Provided an elegant, branded experience for sharing content externally with clients, faculty, and partners without needing additional logins or complex file-sharing permissions.

“Branded portals let us provide a more elegant sharing experience with our partners. We can easily revoke access if needed, giving us full control over the assets."

AVI and AI-generated transcripts: The team could search not just within the video titles but within the content itself using AI-generated transcripts. This capability made it easier to find the right clips without needing to watch entire videos.

The Results: The Impact of a Streamlined Approach

Since implementing MediaValet, Columbia Business School Executive Education has significantly streamlined its content management and workflow processes. The DAM system not only enhanced collaboration within the team but also made it easier to share assets with external stakeholders through branded portals.

This transformation has led to improved efficiency, allowing the school to focus on creating high-quality educational content rather than spending time on administrative tasks.

Improved Workflow Efficiency: With all content in one place and easy access to videos through advanced search capabilities, the team has significantly reduced the time spent locating and managing assets.

Enhanced Content Reuse: The ability to quickly identify and repurpose existing assets has enabled Columbia Business School Executive Education to reduce content creation costs and improve the efficiency of their educational offerings.

Increased Control and Accessibility: The DAM system has put the team in the "driver's seat," allowing them to manage their content without relying on IT. They can now control access, expiration dates, and sharing permissions more effectively.

Streamlined External Sharing: Branded Portals have improved the way Columbia Business School Executive Education shares assets with external partners, creating a more seamless and professional experience.