MADISON, WI--(Marketwire - Oct 1, 2012) - Widen Enterprises, a Madison-based provider of digital asset management software and premedia services hosted about 100 users of its digital media software for its inaugural Widen User Summit. Professionals in marketing, creative, photography, web design, knowledge management and information technology came together at the Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor's Club to exchange insights and pick up new skills to help their organizations.
"There are a lot of DAM software events out there, but it's only when everyone is using the same damn... I mean, DAM system that you can get into the nitty gritty and give people information that's immediately actionable and valuable to them and their brands," said Widen CEO Matthew Gonnering.
Through panel discussions, demonstrations and small group breakouts, the Summit programming touched on the following topics:
- The Widen Service Model
- Best practices from top industry experts
- Metadata & taxonomy development
- User adoption and expansion programs
- Personnel and positioning viewpoints
- Site optimization and continuous improvement processes
Discussion leaders and participants included Widen customers, industry experts and other practitioners, many of whom are known to those who attend DAM software conferences hosted by groups like Createasphere and Henry Stewart Events.
"I think it's much more practical, in terms of getting information you can actually use, when everybody is talking about the same system. And it's much better for finding solutions to your own problems because you know that other people have solved those same problems using the system you already have access to," said Corey Chimko of the Cornell University Photography Department.
The event also provided a look at Widen's latest software advancements, including the upcoming release of Media Collective version 6.2, which represents the completion of the company's Tapestry 5 framework upgrade, API advancements, a new Analytics app, technology integration partnerships with Digimarc and ConceptShare, and new services including strategy consulting and administrative services.
The second day of the Summit consisted of breakout sessions covering:
- Feedback & ideas on the Widen Media Collective, including video, social, mobile, API extensions, analytics and collaboration.
- Training and best practices in user role structures and metadata and taxonomy.
- Creating action plans on metadata development, premedia workflows, user engagement, site audits and optimization.
It might have been Widen's first event of this size and scope, but attendees came away from it ready for more.
"It was a terrific experience and I cannot wait to do it again next year," said Lisa Gauvin of The Yankee Candle Company.
Content from the event can be found at WidenUserSummit.com
The date for next year's Widen User Summit, which will also be hosted in Madison, has been set for September 23-25.
About Widen Enterprises, Inc.
Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Widen has honed its more than 60 years of experience in premedia services and color management specifically for assisting customers with building brand equity and supporting consistent brand representation across print and Web communications. Through its inventive suite of Web-based digital asset management applications, Widen software services provide marketing networks with real-time, Web-based access to clients' digital asset libraries, subsequently eliminating manual search and file preparation time, costs related to replacing images and videos that cannot be located, and added costs for hardware, software and upgrades. For more information, visit: http://www.widen.com.
Contact Information:
Nicolas Jimenez
608-443-5407