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Is there a utopian approach to Enterprise Content Management?

  • 1.  Is there a utopian approach to Enterprise Content Management?

    Posted 02-13-2015 06:15

    After all isn't it all about Managing the Content? A content that exists in various format, size, and originates from various channels. So taming the content should simplify its effective management as one might rightly think so?

    Let's take a look at three critical factors that play a significant and strategic role in realizing the above objective -

    1. Process - A simplified, well-defined and easily understood process that binds this flow of content i.e. from its origin to archival and later retrieval. One can always argue if a process should be built around a product or vice-versa. The choice is driven by the long-term benefit it offers to an organization and its content strategy. What is this strategy - depending on the industry sector it could be related to the realization of various tasks - as simple as daily archival, editing and viewing of documents followed by a search. It could also take the shape of an automated workflow that encompasses a review & approval cycle. It could also mean retention policy implementation, e-discovery for litigation, case management solutions etc. Irrespective of these requirements, one has to make sure that the needs are well understood and kept under constant review by the stakeholders. Once the process is finalized it is equally important to keep it relevant with the organizational needs.

       

    2. Product - A software platform that empowers the end users to do their daily job without compromising their ease of business needs. If majority of the requirements could be fulfilled out of the box, with the rest accomplished through open standards, it could be considered a product worth investing. This product selection becomes a nightmare as often these are driven by marketing, competitors technology landscape, future IT trends etc. without giving due diligence to the Organization's own strategic business needs. This needs to be thoughtfully brainstormed with the relevant stakeholders as the repercussions are costly. Once the selection is through, the IT team should be empowered to take it forward without significant stakeholders' intervention.

       

    3. People - A robust IT governance strategy that ensures the importance of Content Management and its acceptance among users. After all the end users play a critical role to make the Enterprise Content Management implementation a success story. This needs a wider strategy where the paperless need of an organization and its vision gets trickled down to every single employee. The users should feel like being a part of it that needs regular training and awareness sessions to keep them relevant.

     

    The above three factors should work in tandem to improve and support the organizational needs as they evolve ensuring a vision worth investing else it simply fails and raises questions on the organizational capabilities.