DIGITAL FILE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITH DYNAMIC ROLES ASSIGNMENT AND USER LEVEL IMAGE/DATA INTERCHANGE

1 . A machine-implemented method for a digital asset management system, the method comprising:

storing digital asset files, wherein different subsets of one or more of the files are associated with respective jobs;

storing information that defines access privileges for various features and capabilities with respect to respective roles;

storing information indicating which one or more roles are associated with each respective job;

storing information indicating which individuals or groups of individuals are assigned to a particular role with respect to a particular job; and

displaying a graphical user interface to allow a particular individual or group to take specified actions with respect to the digital asset files associated with a particular job, wherein the specified actions made available through the graphical user interface depend on the respective role assigned to that individual or group of individuals with respect to the particular job.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface makes available to the particular individual or group a first set of features and capabilities with respect to digital asset files associated with a first job and makes available to that same individual or group a different second set of features and capabilities with respect to digital asset files associated with a second job.

3 . The method of claim 1 including storing information indicating whether particular features or capabilities for which a specific role has access privileges are to be hidden, viewable, or modifiable for the individuals or group assigned to that role.

4 . The method of claim 1 including storing ratings provided by individuals with respect to the digital asset files, wherein at least some of the roles are implemented as shared such that ratings provided by individuals in the shared roles are viewable through the graphical user interface by other individuals in another of the shared roles.

5 . The method of claim 1 including storing a predetermined time with respect to an individual's assignment to a particular role, wherein after expiration of the predetermined time, the individual's assignment to that role lapses.

6 . The method of claim 1 including storing information indicative of whether user interactions with the system by individuals in a group assigned to a first role are enabled in an isolated mode or a shared mode, wherein, when enabled in the isolated mode, user interactions are isolated for each individual in the group such that the system stores the interactions in a manner that they cannot be viewed or edited through the graphical user interface by other individuals in the group, and wherein, when enabled in the shared mode, user interactions are shared with respect to the individuals in the group such that the system stores the interactions in a manner that they can be viewed or edited through the graphical user interface by other individuals in the group.

7 . The method of claim 6 including storing information indicating that individuals in a group assigned to a second role are enabled to review user interactions with the system by individuals in the group assigned to the first role regardless of whether user interactions by individuals in the group assigned to the first role are enabled in the isolated or shared mode.

8 . An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing machine-readable instructions that, when applied to the machine, cause the machine to:

store digital asset files, wherein different subsets of one or more of the files are associated with respective jobs;

store information that defines access privileges for various features and capabilities with respect to respective roles;

store information indicating which one or more roles are associated with each respective job;

store information indicating which individuals or groups of individuals are assigned to a particular role with respect to a particular job; and

display a graphical user interface to allow a particular individual or group to take specified actions with respect to the digital asset files associated with a particular job, wherein the specified actions made available through the graphical user interface depend on the respective role assigned to that individual or group of individuals with respect to the particular job.

9 . The article of claim 8 wherein the displayed graphical user interface makes available to the particular individual or group a first set of features and capabilities with respect to digital asset files associated with a first job and makes available to that same individual or group a different second set of features and capabilities with respect to digital asset files associated with a second job.

10 . The article of claim 8 including machine-readable instructions that, when applied to the machine, cause the machine to store information indicating whether particular features or capabilities for which a specific role has access privileges are to be hidden, viewable, or modifiable for the individuals or group assigned to that role.

11 . The article of claim 8 including machine-readable instructions that, when applied to the machine, cause the machine to store ratings provided by individuals with respect to the digital asset files, wherein at least some of the roles are implemented as shared such that ratings provided by individuals in the shared roles are viewable through the graphical user interface by other individuals in another of the shared roles.

12 . The article of claim 8 including machine-readable instructions that, when applied to the machine, cause the machine to store a predetermined time with respect to an individual's assignment to a particular role, wherein after expiration of the predetermined time, the individual's assignment to that role lapses.

13 . The article of claim 8 including machine-readable instructions that, when applied to the machine, cause the machine to store information indicative of whether user interactions with the system by individuals in a group assigned to a first role are enabled in an isolated mode or a shared mode, wherein, when enabled in the isolated mode, user interactions are isolated for each individual in the group such that the system stores the interactions in a manner that they cannot be viewed or edited through the graphical user interface by other individuals in the group, and wherein, when enabled in the shared mode, user interactions are shared with respect to the individuals in the group such that the system stores the interactions in a manner that they can be viewed or edited through the graphical user interface by other individuals in the group.

14 . The article of claim 13 including machine-readable instructions that, when applied to the machine, cause the machine to store information indicating that individuals in a group assigned to a second role are enabled to review user interactions with the system by individuals in the group assigned to the first role regardless of whether user interactions by individuals in the group assigned to the first role are enabled in the isolated or shared mode.

15 . A digital asset management system comprising:

a database storing:

digital asset files, wherein different subsets of one or more of the files are associated with respective jobs;

information that defines access privileges for various features and capabilities with respect to respective roles;

information indicating which one or more roles are associated with each respective job; and

information indicating which individuals or groups of individuals are assigned to a particular role with respect to a particular job; and

a server operable to display a graphical user interface to allow a particular individual or group to take specified actions with respect to the digital asset files associated with a particular job, wherein the specified actions made available through the graphical user interface depend on the respective role assigned to that individual or group of individuals with respect to the particular job.

16 . The system of claim 15 wherein the displayed graphical user interface is operable to make available to the particular individual or group a first set of features and capabilities with respect to digital asset files associated with a first job and to make available to that same individual or group a different second set of features and capabilities with respect to digital asset files associated with a second job.

17 . The system of claim 15 wherein the database stores information indicating whether particular features or capabilities for which a specific role has access privileges are to be hidden, viewable, or modifiable for the individuals or group assigned to that role.

18 . The system of claim 15 wherein the database stores ratings provided by individuals with respect to the digital asset files, wherein at least some of the roles are implemented as shared such that ratings provided by individuals in the shared roles are viewable through the graphical user interface by other individuals in another of the shared roles.

19 . The system of claim 15 wherein the database stores a predetermined time with respect to an individual's assignment to a particular role, wherein after expiration of the predetermined time, the individual's assignment to that role lapses.

20 . The system of claim 15 wherein the database stores information indicative of whether user interactions with the system by individuals in a group assigned to a first role are enabled in an isolated mode or a shared mode, wherein, when enabled in the isolated mode, user interactions are isolated for each individual in the group such that the system stores the interactions in a manner that they cannot be viewed or edited through the graphical user interface by other individuals in the group, and wherein, when enabled in the shared mode, user interactions are shared with respect to the individuals in the group such that the system stores the interactions in a manner that they can be viewed or edited through the graphical user interface by other individuals in the group.

21 . The system of claim 20 wherein the database stores information indicating that individuals in a group assigned to a second role are enabled to review user interactions with the system by individuals in the group assigned to the first role regardless of whether user interactions by individuals in the group assigned to the first role are enabled in the isolated or shared mode.