The power of Process Flow: Building efficiency with ProStudio Workflow

A review excerpt by Kevin Mason from Studio Workflow. Read the whole review here.

Process flow?may not be the most glamorous part of content creation, but when managed effectively, it enables studios to respond swiftly and creatively to brand content demands.?

Process flow?is most effective when used alongside a robust studio workflow tool. In this article, we will explore?ProStudio by Profoto, a recent addition to the market.?

ProStudio is a platform designed to streamline content and product flow for in-house ecommerce studios. When set up with Process in mind, ProStudio could address key pain points and enable more efficient, scalable, and consistent content creation for your studio.?

Note I have been consulting with Profoto for 12 months but I have full editorial control over this article.?

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Introduction - a little history

There was a time when studios operated on little more than a shared Excel sheet, Post It Notes and some good intentions.?

Today, the landscape has evolved, and modern ecommerce content creation require advanced workflow tools, I have written before about some of the current marketplace options?(search workflow here)?

Yet I still have conversations with Studio Managers in person and at industry events, that are not using a third party or in-house solution. This is scary stuff.?

The issues associated with not using studio software system are commonplace (see Pain Points below).?

I would go as far as to say that in 2025 having a Studio software tool is of equal importance to good in-house talent and clear creative direction.?

With PDP and elevated content in a single studio space, products require different outcomes.?You’ll?need reliable workflow software to manage multiple product flows.?

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Background: Challenges in studio software implementation

A constant in years of consulting for clients, is the question of which studio software to implement.?

Cost is rarely the main hurdle, navigating IT approval and brand security protocols often is.?

The sign-off process can be arduous—I’ve been in discovery meetings and discussion with major retailers for 18 months and despite the studio's full approval and support, a product is not approved. The delays are often due to concerns about granting third-party access to sensitive brand systems, such as PIM (Product Information Management) and DAM (Digital Asset Management).?

When looking at a software option, it is important to note which elements can be self-contained, operating as a standalone studio enterprise, allowing Ops or Production team to control what information they manually input.?

ProStudio?empowers studios to take control, whether managing multiple workflows or integrating with brand systems.?

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Pain points in e-commerce studios

E-commerce studios without a software solution often encounter several critical challenges, including:?

• Inconsistent image quality?

• No unified platform for review and sign-off?

• Workflow inefficiencies, leading to bottlenecks?

• Limited real-time visibility?

• Lack of cost tracking?

• Poor ability to redistribute tasks dynamically?

• Risk outsourcing without real-time tracking?

• Difficulty maintaining up-to-date style guides for freelance and full-time staff.?

• Limited reshoot insights, with no simple way to communicate notes across teams.?

• Lack of metrics on impact of bespokeCreative requests or short term elevated content shoots.?

Studio software can directly address these issues, providing tools that allow studios to streamline their operations and enhance communication across teams and platforms.?

Of course installing a workflow tool won’t solve your problems, but it will help you assess and address them, giving you data to make decisions and communicate change.?

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Process Flow

When looking for workflow software for your studio a key element to consider is how configurable that software product is.?

Content demands shift rapidly, and whilst the temptation can be to quickly jump outside of a system and create a bespoke workflow this will always lead to a lack of insight.?

A configurable system allows learnings and data to be swiftly integrated and communicated to stakeholders or the wider studio team. Successful workflows or in ProStudio case ‘WorkOrders’ can be repeated.?

Initial launch of the product does include an out the box option, but it does not impose a Best Practise way of working,?

Developing your Process Flows may need additional support either from Protofo or a consultant.?

Read Kevin’s full review here.