---
title: "Project Manager - DAM Bynder Deployment for 1,400 Users (Groupe Pichet)"
description: "End-to-end project management of the DAM Bynder deployment for Groupe Pichet, replacing the legacy OpenText system, delivered ahead of schedule and within budget."
locale: "en"
canonical: "https://portfolio.josedacosta.info/en/achievements/dam-bynder-asset-management-project-manager"
source: "https://portfolio.josedacosta.info/en/achievements/dam-bynder-asset-management-project-manager.md"
html_source: "https://portfolio.josedacosta.info/en/achievements/dam-bynder-asset-management-project-manager"
author: "José DA COSTA"
date: "2020-11-18"
type: "achievement"
slug: "dam-bynder-asset-management-project-manager"
tags: ["DAM", "Bynder", "Groupe Pichet", "Project Management", "SaaS Migration", "PIM"]
generated_at: "2026-04-23T06:06:05.135Z"
---

# Project Manager - DAM Bynder Deployment for 1,400 Users (Groupe Pichet)

End-to-end project management of the DAM Bynder deployment for Groupe Pichet, replacing the legacy OpenText system, delivered ahead of schedule and within budget.

**Date:** February 2019 - November 2020  
**Duration:** 20 months  
**Role:** Project Manager - Sole Pilot  
**Technologies:** DAM Bynder, OpenText OTMM, CI HUB, Azure AD, AWS S3, Jira, Confluence

### Key Metrics

- Target Users: **1,400** - All Groupe Pichet entities
- Year-1 Budget: **57K EUR** - Under initial 65K€ envelope
- Onboarding Sessions: **17** - Weekly sessions with Bynder
- Years in Production: **3+** - Nov 2020 - Feb 2024+

## Presentation

_Project definition and scope_

The **DAM (Digital Asset Management)** project consisted in deploying a **centralized platform for managing all digital resources** of the Groupe Pichet - a major player in French real estate with approximately 1,400 employees across multiple business units (property development, rental, hospitality, student residences, marketing, and corporate communications).

The core mission was to **replace the legacy OpenText OTMM** (Open Text Media Management) system - an aging, on-premise solution requiring complex infrastructure (SQL Server, OTDS, MFT, FFMPEG, Adaptive Media Delivery) - with the modern SaaS platform **DAM Bynder**.

The platform centralizes all visual assets of the group: real estate program photographs, architectural plans, marketing visuals, videos, logos, and brand guidelines. It makes these resources available to every entity in the group through a single, intuitive interface.

I was the **IT Project Manager** for this migration from an **on-premise OpenText DAM to a SaaS Bynder DAM**. Together with the new Communications Director (Stéphanie L.) and the Business Owner (Emeline D.), we drove the proposal to **break away from the legacy on-premise setup and move to a SaaS approach** - a pivot that proved decisive for the project's success.

**Domain**: Real estate / MarTech - digital asset management for a group with ~1,400 employees across multiple business units

**Target Users**: Marketing & communication teams (all entities), sales teams, partner agencies, and external stakeholders

## Objectives, Context, Stakes & Risks

_Strategic vision and constraints_

### Objectives

- Replace OpenText OTMM (on-premise, heavy, complex - blocked SQL Server 2016 AlwaysOn migration) with a modern, intuitive SaaS solution
- Centralize all visual assets on a single platform accessible to all entities (~1,400 employees)
- Conduct an independent benchmark (6 stages: Gap Analysis, Resource Audit, User Requirements, Governance, Vendor Scoring, Vendor Analysis)
- Integrate DAM with PIM Akeneo for automatic product image synchronization (ESB DAM-PIM SaaS flow)
- Train internal users on the new platform (TUTO DAM, progressive onboarding)
- Connect DAM to Creative Suite tools via CI HUB (Adobe CC connector)
- Mass import of existing assets from the Group's Samba file servers into Bynder, rebuilding a coherent folder structure and metadata model

### Context

Before my arrival, **5 successive project managers had already tried** to deliver the DAM using OpenText OTMM. Over **360,000€ had been spent** (OpenText licenses, integrator fees and internal project management) without the platform ever reaching production: barely **20 users** had access to a tool meant to serve the entire Group (~1,400 employees). A **total failure**.

The legacy OpenText OTMM system had become a maintenance nightmare: blocked SQL Server 2016 AlwaysOn migration, complex OTDS/MFT/FFMPEG upgrades, access limited to the internal network.

**The real business pain was elsewhere**: dozens of departments across the Group **constantly asked** the Communications team for the same assets (photos, logos, plans, marketing visuals). The Communications team was spending **a considerable share of its time manually redistributing the same content to the same requesters** - a **recurring, low-value workload** that a well-structured DAM could eliminate, provided **every Group employee could find assets on their own**.

I took over this project in February 2019, at the same time as Stéphanie L. was hired as the new Group Communications Director and Emeline D. was designated as Business Owner. Together, we made a **radical decision: rethink the whole approach in SaaS mode**. In a few months, we turned those 360,000€ of sunk spending into a brand-new project delivered for **just a few tens of thousands of euros** - in production, used by the entire Group. A success where 5 previous attempts had failed.

### Business Stakes

- **Group-wide Deployment** - All Pichet entities (development, rental, hospitality, All Suites, student residences, marketing, communications) needed access to a single platform - this was a business transformation project, not just IT
- **Controlled Budget** - Initial envelope of 65K€ (later revised down to 55K€ after precise costing), with Bynder license at 36,900€/year plus CI HUB (~15K€) and Activo Consulting (5K€)
- **Covid Context** - The project was delivered during the pandemic - **ahead of schedule**, **within budget** and with **zero Covid delay**, a fact highlighted by the general management

### Identified Risks

- **Mass Import from Samba Servers** - The previous OpenText DAM never reached production, so little could be migrated from it. The real challenge was mass-importing **several terabytes** of existing assets from the Group's Samba file servers into Bynder, while rebuilding a coherent folder structure and metadata model from scratch
- **Diffusion & Self-Service Adoption** - Since the previous system had never reached production, all 1,400 Group employees were starting from zero. The real challenge was to roll out the platform, onboard users, and structure content rigorously enough for anyone to **find what they need on their own** - without falling back to the Communications team
- **PIM Integration Complexity** - Synchronizing assets between DAM and PIM Akeneo via ESB required reliable automated flows with proper error handling
- **Vendor Dependency** - Moving from on-premise to SaaS introduced dependency on Bynder availability. Two major legal topics had to be secured: **SLA** (uptime, response times) and **reversibility** (ability to exit the contract and recover all assets without lock-in)

## The Steps

_Chronological phases and personal contributions_

### Project Phases

```mermaid
gantt
  title Project Phases
  dateFormat  YYYY-MM
  axisFormat  %b %Y

  section Legacy DAM
  DAM Takeover & OpenText Upgrades    :done, legacy, 2019-02, 2019-11
  AWS S3 Setup                         :done, s3, 2019-11, 2019-12

  section Benchmark
  Requirements Gathering               :done, req, 2020-02, 2020-04
  Codified DAM Study                   :done, study, 2020-05, 2020-05
  Vendor Evaluation (CELUM, Bynder)    :done, eval, 2020-05, 2020-06
  Bynder Selection & Contract          :done, select, 2020-06, 2020-07

  section Deployment
  Configuration & Onboarding (17 sessions) :done, onboard, 2020-07, 2020-11
  Testing (Katalon Studio)              :done, test, 2020-09, 2020-11
  Go-Live                               :milestone, golive, 2020-11-18, 0d

  section Exploitation
  DAM-PIM Integration                   :done, exploit, 2020-11, 2024-02
```

### Project Progress Over Time

| Date | Progress | Milestone |
| --- | ---: | --- |
| Feb 2019 | 5% | DAM takeover |
| Nov 2019 | 10% | AWS S3 bucket |
| Feb 2020 | 20% | Requirements |
| May 2020 | 45% | Benchmark |
| Jun 2020 | 60% | Bynder selected |
| Jul 2020 | 70% | Contract signed |
| Sep 2020 | 80% | Onboarding start |
| Nov 2020 | 100% | Go-live |

### Legacy DAM Takeover (Feb - Nov 2019)

- Took over DAM leadership from Nicolas F.
- Led OpenText technical upgrades (OTDS, OTMM, MFT, FFMPEG, Adobe CC)
- Knowledge transfer on existing DAM infrastructure
- Created AWS S3 bucket (kariba-assets) for asset storage

### Benchmark & Vendor Selection (Feb - Jul 2020)

- Requirements gathering through DAM workshops with Nicolas F. and stakeholders
- Project organization: Emeline D. as Business Owner (80% FTE sprint 1)
- Ran benchmark workshops, backlog/sprint reviews and roadmap sessions
- CELUM evaluation (live demo + benchmark scoring)
- Azure AD SSO integration scoping with infrastructure team
- Bynder selection on June 26, 2020, validated by Stéphanie L.

### Configuration & Deployment (Jul - Nov 2020)

- DAM configuration
- Led 17 weekly "OnBoarding Bynder" sessions
- Specifications: user profiles/permissions, groups, SNS notifications, External Uploader, IPTC mappings
- Pre-launch statistics for before/after comparison
- Production launch on November 18, 2020 - group-wide communication to Groupe Pichet
- User training coordination

### Exploitation & PIM Integration (Nov 2020 - Feb 2024+)

- Ongoing DAM-PIM integration (asset sync via ESB)
- Access management
- Production alerts monitoring
- Platform continuity sustained over 3+ years

## The Actors - Interactions

_Stakeholders and collaborations_

**Nicolas F. - Marketing and Communication IS Manager (Previous DAM pilot)**
Transferred DAM leadership to me in February 2019. Remained a key stakeholder providing strategic guidance and validating the Bynder selection with management.

**Emilie D. - Kariba Team**
Handled OpenText technical upgrades and Confluence PSR documentation, bringing critical knowledge of the legacy DAM infrastructure.

**Emeline D. - Marketing Team**
Designated as Business Owner (80% FTE in sprint 1). Led user training and served as the bridge between the technical deployment and end-user adoption.

**Louise R. - Corporate Lawyer (Droit des Affaires)**
Led the complete legal markup of 3 Bynder contractual documents, with two major topics secured: **SLA** and **reversibility** clauses, ensuring contractual protection for Groupe Pichet and no vendor lock-in.

**Remi E. - Management**
Gave final Bynder validation on June 26, 2020. Post-launch, strong satisfaction on delivery speed, budget and Covid resilience.

## Results

_Impact for me and for the organization_

### Results for Me - Professional Growth

This project was a **defining experience in enterprise project management**. Leading a group-wide initiative as **IT Project Manager**, in tandem with the Communications Director and the Business Owner, developed skills that go far beyond technical implementation:

- **Vendor Management & Procurement**: Structured, methodology-driven vendor selection, RFP processes, commercial negotiation, coordinated legal review (SLA + reversibility)
- **Stakeholder Management at Scale**: Coordinated across all Pichet entities (development, rental, hospitality, marketing, communications, IT infrastructure), each with different needs and expectations
- **Diffusion & Self-Service Adoption**: Rolled out a brand-new platform to ~1,400 employees, with progressive onboarding and rigorous content classification so that anyone could find assets on their own
- **SaaS Transformation Expertise**: Deep understanding of on-premise-to-SaaS migration dynamics, vendor SLA evaluation, and cloud dependency management

### Results for the Organization - Business Impact

The DAM Bynder deployment exceeded expectations on every dimension:

- **Delivery**: Launched **ahead of schedule** and **within budget** - with **zero Covid delay** despite the pandemic context
- **Budget**: Actual Year-1 spend of ~57,000€ HT vs. initial 65K€ envelope - **12% under budget**
- **User Reach**: Legacy OpenText never reached real production; we scrapped it and started fresh, giving **the entire Groupe Pichet (~1,400 employees)** access to the new DAM
- **Infrastructure Savings**: Eliminated on-premise OpenText servers (SQL Server, OTDS, OTMM, MFT, FFMPEG), **removing ~70K€/year in infrastructure and maintenance costs**
- **Communications team freed from recurring requests**: with self-service access for every Group employee, the Communications team no longer spent its time manually redistributing the same assets to dozens of departments - refocused on higher-value work
- **Creative Integration**: CI HUB connector enabled direct Adobe Creative Cloud ↔ Bynder workflow, reducing manual asset handling by marketing teams
- **PIM Synchronization**: Automated DAM ↔ PIM Akeneo integration for product images, eliminating manual upload workflows
- **Management Satisfaction**: Positive feedback from Benoit P. (CEO), Remi E. (Management), and the entire organization

## Project Aftermath

_What happened after launch_

**Immediate Post-Launch (November - December 2020)**

The launch on November 18, 2020 was met with enthusiasm across the organization. The platform immediately became the central hub for all visual assets.

**Medium-Term Exploitation (2021 - 2022)**

The DAM-PIM integration entered continuous operation mode, with automated synchronization of product images between Bynder and Akeneo. The ESB flows handled the bi-directional asset synchronization.

**Long-Term (2023 - 2024+)**

The architectural decision to choose a SaaS platform over on-premise proved **durably correct**: **zero version upgrade hassles, no infrastructure maintenance**, and automatic feature updates from Bynder. The initial investment in a rigorous benchmark process paid dividends in vendor satisfaction and **platform stability over 3+ years**.

## Critical Reflection

_Honest retrospective analysis_

### What Went Well

Several factors contributed to the project's success:

- **Structured Benchmark Methodology**: The independent Codified DAM Consultant framework provided a rigorous, vendor-agnostic evaluation that gave credibility to the Bynder recommendation and prevented emotional or relationship-driven selection
- **Progressive Onboarding**: 17 structured working sessions with Bynder's professional services team ensured thorough platform mastery before go-live. No shortcuts taken, smooth launch
- **Transparent Communication**: Regular updates to stakeholders at every level - from Business Owner to general management - maintained alignment and prevented surprises

### What I Would Do Differently

In retrospect, several aspects could have been improved:

- **Earlier User Involvement**: Involving a broader panel of end-users earlier in the configuration phase could have surfaced edge cases and specific needs sooner
- **Formalized Import Plan**: The mass import from the Samba servers to Bynder could have benefited from a more detailed, documented plan with explicit validation checkpoints
- **PIM Integration Planning**: The DAM-PIM integration challenges that surfaced later suggest that more upfront technical specification of the ESB flows would have reduced post-launch monitoring overhead
- **Knowledge Documentation**: While the TUTO DAM covered user-facing procedures, the technical architecture and integration documentation could have been more comprehensive for long-term maintainability

### Lessons Learned

This project reinforced several principles that shaped my approach to subsequent initiatives:

- **Independent consulting pays for itself**: The benchmark study prevented a potentially costly vendor mis-selection and gave the recommendation unassailable credibility
- **SaaS vs. on-premise is not just a technical choice** - it's an organizational transformation that changes maintenance culture, budget models, and accessibility expectations

## Visual Insights

### Year-1 Investment Breakdown

| Item | Amount (EUR) | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Bynder License | 36,900 | 64.8% |
| CI HUB Connector | 15,070 | 26.5% |
| Codified DAM Study | 5,000 | 8.8% |
| **Total** | **56,970** | **100%** |

### OpenText (Before) vs Bynder (After)

| Metric | Before | After | Unit | Delta |
| --- | ---: | ---: | --- | ---: |
| Deployment Time | 12 | 3 | months | -75% |
| User Scope | 20 | 1,400 | users | +6900% |
| Maintenance Cost | 85 | 15 | K€/year | -82% |
| Accessibility | 20 | 100 | % remote | +400% |
| PIM Integration | 10 | 90 | % automated | +800% |

### Stakeholder Management Radar

- Vendor Management: 95/100
- Budget Control: 90/100
- User Training: 85/100
- Executive Reporting: 85/100
- Technical Integration: 80/100
- Legal / Contracts: 75/100

## Project Governance

_Decision-making structure and oversight_

**Governance Model: Single Accountable Pilot**

This project followed a lean governance model adapted to its cross-functional scope. I acted as the single accountable pilot, with a clear escalation path:

- **Operational decisions** (configuration, planning, testing): I held autonomous authority
- **Budget decisions** (vendor contracts, purchases): Franck C. (N+1) - approval required
- **Strategic decisions** (vendor selection, go/no-go): Remi E. (Management) - final approval
- **Legal decisions** (contractual terms, SLA review): Louise R. (Corporate Lawyer) - independent review

**Steering cadence:**
- Weekly: onboarding sessions with Bynder (17 sessions total)
- Bi-weekly: DAM workshop with Nicolas F. and stakeholders
- Monthly: budget and progress reporting to Franck C.
- Ad hoc: escalation to Remi E. for strategic milestones

## Project Management Methodology

_Framework and ceremonies_

### Hybrid Approach

Hybrid methodology combining classic project management with business stakeholders (requirements framing, planning, steering committees, formal validations) and an agile, sprint-based approach for the delivery itself (iterative configuration, incremental onboarding, sprint reviews). Each phase used the framework best suited to its audience and constraints.

### Ceremonies & Rituals

- DAM Workshops - Requirements gathering and validation with stakeholders
- Backlog Reviews - Prioritization of configuration and deployment tasks
- Sprint Reviews - Progress demonstrations to key stakeholders
- Roadmap Sessions - Strategic alignment on delivery milestones
- Onboarding Sessions - 17 weekly structured sessions with Bynder
- Steering Meetings - Monthly budget and progress reporting to N+1

### PM Tooling

- Jira - Ticket tracking, sprint management, backlog
- Confluence - Documentation (PSR, specifications, TUTO DAM)
- Katalon Studio - Functional testing and quality gates
- Qualiac - Vendor onboarding and procurement management
- SOFT Monitor - Production monitoring and email alerting

### Risk Assessment Matrix

4 risks identified. 3 fully mitigated 1 partial

| Risk | Probability | Impact | Severity | Status | Mitigation |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | --- | --- |
| Asset Migration | 60% | 90% | 5400 | Mitigated | Structured import pipeline, coherent folder structure and metadata model defined with the Business Owner |
| User Adoption | 70% | 80% | 5600 | Mitigated | 17 weekly progressive onboarding sessions, TUTO DAM documentation, Business Owner (Emeline D.) as bridge to end-users |
| PIM Integration | 50% | 60% | 3000 | Partial | ESB flow monitoring with post-launch error handling |
| Vendor Dependency | 30% | 70% | 2100 | Mitigated | Legal review by Louise R. on the two key topics: SLA and reversibility clauses secured in the 3 Bynder contractual documents |

### RACI Matrix

| Activity / Decision | José DA COSTA | Emeline D. | Nicolas F. | Stéphanie L. | Louise R. |
| --- | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: |
| Requirements Gathering | C | R/A | I | A | I |
| Vendor Selection | R | R | C | A | I |
| Contract Negotiation | R | C | C | A | R |
| Budget Approval | R | C | C | A | I |
| Platform Configuration | R/A | C | I | I | I |
| User Training | C | R/A | I | A | I |
| Go-Live Decision | R | R | C | A | I |
| Production Monitoring | R/A | I | I | I | I |

_R = Responsible (does the work) | A = Accountable (approves) | C = Consulted | I = Informed_

## Project Steering Dashboard

_Budget tracking and earned value indicators_

### Budget Planned vs. Actual Over Time

| Date | Planned (EUR) | Actual (EUR) | Variance |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Feb 2020 | 0 | 0 | - |
| May 2020 | 5,000 | 5,000 | 0.0% |
| Jun 2020 | 10,000 | 5,000 | -50.0% |
| Jul 2020 | 20,000 | 18,450 | -7.8% |
| Sep 2020 | 40,000 | 36,900 | -7.8% |
| Oct 2020 | 55,000 | 49,295 | -10.4% |
| Nov 2020 | 65,000 | 56,970 | -12.4% |

### Delivery Performance

- Schedule: **Ahead** - Delivered Nov 18 vs. Dec 2020 target
- Budget Variance: **-12%** - 57K€ actual vs. 65K€ envelope
- Scope: **100%** - All planned features delivered + PIM integration
- Quality: **Zero defects** - Clean launch, no rollback, 3+ years stable

## Decision Log

_Key project decisions and their rationale_

### Decisions

| Date | Decision | Options | Chosen | Validated By |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Feb 2019 | DAM project leadership | Keep Marketing & Communication IS Project Director (Nicolas F.) \| Transfer to dedicated Project Manager | Transfer to José DA COSTA as sole technical pilot | Nicolas F. |
| May 2020 | Benchmark methodology | Internal evaluation only \| Independent consultant study | Codified DAM Consultant IQ Equity study (5K€ via Activo Consulting) | José DA COSTA |
| Jun 26, 2020 | DAM vendor selection | DAM Bynder \| CELUM \| Keep OpenText OTMM | DAM Bynder (SaaS) | Remi E. |
| Jun 2020 | SLA package level | Bronze (basic) \| Silver (standard) \| Gold (premium) | Right balance of support and cost | Franck C. |
| Jul 2020 | Budget revision | Keep 65K€ initial envelope \| Revise to 55K€ based on costing | 55K€ revised - demonstrated fiscal responsibility | Franck C. |
| Sep 2020 | Onboarding approach | Big-bang training (2-3 intensive days) \| Progressive weekly sessions | 17 weekly progressive sessions - deeper platform mastery | José DA COSTA |
| Nov 12, 2020 | Pre-launch metrics baseline | Launch without baseline \| Collect before statistics | Collect baseline 6 days before launch for before/after comparison | José DA COSTA |
| Nov 18, 2020 | Go-live date | December 2020 (original plan) \| November 18 (ahead of schedule) | Launch on November 18 - ahead of schedule | Franck C. |

## Change Management

_Adoption strategy and user transition_

### Adoption Strategy

The transition from OpenText (used by ~20 users) to Bynder (targeting ~1,400 employees) required a deliberate change management approach:

- **Progressive rollout** over a big-bang migration: pilot group first, then department-by-department extension
- **Functional PM bridge**: Emeline D. (80% FTE) served as the bridge between the technical deployment team and end-users, translating technical capabilities into business workflows
- **Training documentation**: TUTO DAM guides created and distributed to all entities
- **Executive sponsorship**: Remi E. provided top-down endorsement, giving the initiative organizational legitimacy
- **Quick wins communication**: sharing the first Bynder content immediately after launch demonstrated immediate value

### User Adoption Curve

| Date | Users | Phase |
| --- | ---: | --- |
| Oct 2020 | 5 | Pilot group |
| Nov 2020 | 50 | Launch week |
| Dec 2020 | 200 | First month |
| Mar 2021 | 600 | Quarter 1 |
| Jun 2021 | 900 | Mid-year |
| Dec 2021 | 1,200 | Year 1 |
| Jun 2022 | 1,400 | Full adoption |

### Communication Plan

- DAM workshops during benchmark phase - stakeholder buy-in from the start
- Regular sprint reviews - keeping decision-makers informed on progress
- Pre-launch statistics collection (Nov 12) - building the "before" baseline
- Group-wide launch announcement (Nov 18) - formal email to all Groupe Pichet
- TUTO DAM documentation - self-service onboarding material
- Post-launch celebration messages - reinforcing success across the organization

## Vendor Selection & Procurement

_Structured evaluation and contract management_

### Evaluation Framework

The vendor selection followed the **Codified DAM Consultant IQ Equity** methodology by Mark D., a 6-stage independent framework:

1. **Gap Analysis** - Identified gaps between current OpenText capabilities and business needs
2. **Resource Audit** - Assessed existing asset volumes, metadata structures, and workflows
3. **User Requirements** - Collected formal needs from all Pichet entities via DAM workshops
4. **Governance** - Defined access policies, roles, and content governance rules
5. **Vendor Scoring** - Quantitative evaluation of shortlisted vendors against weighted criteria
6. **Vendor Analysis** - Deep-dive into finalists with live demonstrations and reference checks

### Bynder vs. CELUM - Vendor Comparison

| Criterion | bynder | celum |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| UX / Interface | 90 | 65 |
| SaaS Maturity | 95 | 60 |
| API / Integration | 85 | 70 |
| Brand Portal | 95 | 50 |
| Pricing | 70 | 80 |
| Support / SLA | 85 | 65 |

### Contract Management

**3 documents reviewed by Louise R. (Corporate Lawyer):**
- Professional Agreement - scope of services, responsibilities, intellectual property
- SLA - uptime commitments, response times, escalation procedures
- Contract - pricing, payment terms, renewal conditions, termination clauses
- Vendor creation in Qualiac (command CARM.9821.1)
- Budget validation by Franck C. (N+1)