Metadata Management is the process of ensuring that all metadata associated with a digital asset is captured, organized, stored and made available for use by and within other applications. Metadata Management begins at the moment the digital asset is created by an application or captured by digital imaging.

• Okay, so that’s my “in a nutshell” definition of Metadata Management. But let’s take a step back to the beginning,
  and solve some of these mysteries of metadata. First of all, what is metadata? Well, according to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary; meta·da·ta a noun plural but singular or plural in construction : data that provides information about
  other data. …in other words, data about data as it refers to an electronic or digital file. Metadata is critical in ensuring that your digital assets will be accessible far into the future. Now, I suppose you may be wondering how metadata is generated. Where exactly does it come from? Metadata is being generated from the moment you create a new document in Photoshop or use your digital camera to capture an image. Metadata generated by Photoshop includes information such as; document creation date, document page size, color mode and resolution, just to name a few. Metadata generated when you capture an image includes information such as; the date the image was taken, whether or not a flash was used, if there was any special aperture or exposure settings, and so on. Now that you have an understanding of what metadata is and where it comes from, here are some tips to help you get started with managing your metadata.
• Tip #1 The first step in managing your metadata is to gain an understanding of what metadata you want to manage. For example, you would like to find a photo of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, which was taken at night. How do you locate that particular image? Well, at Google.com it’s simple. Just click on the Images tab, and type in “Eiffel Tower at night,” and you will get a full page of results. Now that is fast and efficient. How fast and efficient do you want to be?
• Tip #2 Develop good writing techniques when authoring metadata such as asset descriptions. Remember to:
  Stay clear of the usage of slang or jargon. Write for a general audience, not a specific gender or ethnicity.
  Keep it simple, but complete.
• Tip #3 Be consistent in your workflow. Controlling inconsistencies will ensure that your metadata is valid and useful for locating and managing your digital assets. Ensure that each person that is part of the document management process follows the workflow procedures that you have put in place. This applies to usage of keywords as well. For example, when entering names, be very specific as to whether to use the entire first name (“Katherine”) or if just the first initial (“K.”) is acceptable.
• Tip #4 Naming conventions are key. Use standardized naming conventions; avoid special or random filenames or characters. For example, most digital cameras have a custom file naming convention such as IMG_0836.jpg or DSCF0019.jpg. Do these filenames mean anything to you? So be sure to put file-naming standards in place, and name (or rename) your files accordingly.
• Tip #5 Now that you have begun your journey of Managing your Metadata it is time to put all that data to use with a Digital Asset Management Solution. Your Asset Management Solution should be carefully selected to meet all of the defined needs as well as accommodate your organization’s flow of data. The software should adapt to fit your organization rather than your organization adapting to an inappropriate tool. You can find out more about Digital Asset Management Solutions at http://www.extensis.com/portfolio.
• Managing your metadata takes time, a well thought out plan, and a team effort to develop and implement a standardized workflow. However these 5 tips should get you headed in the right direction.