Integrating streaming media into your Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system is a game-changer for organizations managing multimedia content. Traditionally, streaming media was uploaded to your ECM but managed separately, leading to several challenges. This blog explores the evolution of handling streaming media within ECM and the benefits it brings.
Streaming media for Governmental Organizations
The use of streaming media for governmental organizations is steadily growing and will continue to grow in the future. Some examples include:
- Live streaming of government meetings and public hearings enhances transparency and accountability by allowing citizens to observe decision-making processes in real time. This openness ensures that government actions are visible and accessible to the public, fostering trust and engagement.
- Law enforcement agencies frequently utilize CCTV footage from both governmental and privately owned cameras in businesses and residential areas to investigate and solve crimes. This footage provides critical evidence and helps identify suspects. Body cameras in use by law enforcement offer enhanced accountability and provide valuable insights during investigations.
- Weather organizations extensively use satellite technology to improve weather forecasting and climate monitoring. Experts convert satellite videos into clear, understandable formats for the general public to support their weather forecasts.
- Drones are increasingly used to inspect infrastructure, such as roads and waterways, due to their efficiency and precision. Drones equipped with high-resolution cameras and AI-powered software can identify and classify cracks, ensuring timely maintenance and enhancing structural safety. This method reduces inspection costs and increases the accuracy of monitoring damage progression.
Traditional Handling of Streaming Media
In the past, working with streaming media that is stored in an ECM system required multiple steps:
- Download the file to your local machine. With larger videos, this can take a long time.
- Open it in a native application.
- Browse to the relevant timestamp.
- Make notes for relevant timestamps in a separate document (that must be uploaded in ECM) or in a comment field.
- Remove the file from your local machine
This process was time-consuming and prone to errors, especially when annotations were needed for specific moments in the media file. It also poses several questions, such as:
- Are the media files handled in line with rules and regulations (e.g. public archive law)?
- Are all local machines provided with the needed native applications?
- When you temporarily store these files on your local machine, how can you ensure compliance with authorization and security requirements?
The Evolution with ECM Integration
With streaming media now integrated into ECM systems, the workflow becomes significantly streamlined:
- Relevant Viewer Integration: The ECM environment will directly allow you to stream the audio or video without needing a local application. This also no longer requires the full download of the files, saving a lot of time.
- Standard Functionalities: Chaptering and annotations are standard functionalities within the ECM solution, ensuring information is in context and becomes an integrated part of the audio/video. So every person viewing it will see this additional information.
- Elimination of Local Downloads: No need for local downloads; everything is handled within the ECM application, completely in line with security and authorization requirements.
Benefits of integrating streaming media into ECM include:
- Faster Processing: Quicker handling of multimedia content.
- Unified Information: Consolidation of all case information in one place.
- Regulatory Compliance: Ensure alignment with rules and regulations.
Let me explain the difference by extending two of the examples:
In law enforcement, video content is critical for investigations. For example, CCTV footage often needs detailed examination. Previously, to note a key moment (e.g., a money handover in a brown envelope at 15:34), one had to document this separately and manually browse to the exact timestamp. And when reviewing the information, you had to first read the instructions and browse to the exact moment in the video, after you fully downloaded it to your local machine.
With integrated ECM, you can:
- Add Chapters: Create chapters starting at specific times (e.g., 15:22).
- Annotate: Add annotations (e.g., a pointing arrow) for the duration the brown envelope is visible (15:30-15:40).
- Contextual Messages: Include textual messages in the annotation like “proof of money handover.”
- Keep in line with Privacy Law: Blur irrelevant persons or information in the video.
My second example is about a Weather analysis. In an industry such as meteorology, satellite videos help in weather prediction. For instance, identifying a hurricane’s first indication on 15 March at 17:48 CET is crucial. Integrated ECM allows you to:
- Create Chapters: Mark the beginning of significant events.
- Use Annotations: Add arrows and circles to highlight neighbouring airflows.
Conclusion
Integrating streaming media into ECM revolutionizes how organizations handle multimedia content. It enhances processing speed, ensures all information is in one place, and maintains compliance with regulations. By adopting modern ECM systems that support Streaming Media, organizations can improve efficiency, accuracy, and overall satisfaction in their operations.
