Developing a successful metadata schema

Metadata is an important and highly valuable part of any digital asset management (DAM) system. The metadata turns a digital file into an asset by allowing the digital file to be retrieved from the system, shared between users and reused by the business. Before you start to define the metadata model for your DAM system there are several key business decisions that need to be understood, such as the purpose of your DAM system and the amount of time and money you are willing to spend on metadata capture. The timing of the model definition is critical to the overall success of the DAM system deployment and the model should continue to meet the changing needs of the business-users. What is the best way to create a sustainable metadata model?