CMS Successes: Critical Factors to Ensure Smooth CMS Implementation

It’s the Content, Not the Tools: Critical Success Factors to Ensure Smooth CMS Adoption Rahel Anne Bailie Intentional Design Inc

Purpose of this session
Look at some facts, fallacies, and fantasies
Dissect some of the marketing speak
Identify the critical success points
Share experiences, information, questions

Fallacy: Tools are the engine

Fact: Tools are the caboose

Fallacy: Easy as reading a book
Learning content management is like learning a new software language
“ Just read a book”

Fact: CM projects are complex
Multiple skill sets:
Content architect
Content structure editor
Taxonomist
Template designer
Information architect
XML technologist
XSL developer
Multiple roles:
Project manager
Content architect
CMS Administrator
Multiple phases:
Requirements analysis
Content analysis
Technology analysis

Fallacy: Focus on features

Fantasy: Install, input, output

Fact: Build, buy, rent? Do you have enough in-house resources What kind of content processing power do you need Are your processes documented How much custom work is needed Can the software support your needs What is the TCO

Marketing vs mayhem
Smart client
Component content management
Multi-user enabled client
Cross-media or multi-channel publishing
Integrates with popular translation and publishing tools
DITA-compatible
Feature-rich XML solution

Marketing and feature speak
No standard industry vocabulary
Features give competitive advantage:
Image resizing – Automatic? Batch? Choices of outputs? Included or custom work?
Authentication – What type does it refer to?
Friendly URLs – same as “URL rewrites”?

Fact: It’s not what, it’s how
Not: Does the product have workflow? But: Does your product’s workflow support how we need to work in our organization?
Not: Does the product have verisoning? But: How does your product do version control, and keep audit trails?

Successful CMS projects
What does success look like?

Silliness: Tools driven project
IT hears about a CMS.
The CMS gets installed.
Your group is told to use it.
You find it lacks the right functionality.
You don’t get the resources to customize it.
The project goes sideways.
You go back to manual processing, and IT brands your group “uncooperative.”

Insist on a project plan Activity Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Wk 11 Wk 12 Do this   Do this    Do this       Do this     Do this       Do this   

Handle process issues Where will the content be stored Will our docs get restructured Will we change production processes What about our translations Does the project fit with our corporate strategy Do we have to tag everything

Handle governance issues Who owns the content Who will enforce the processes Who will own the budget Is there enough political will Who will own the process Will our staff cope

Adopt a naturalistic system Better usability Better processes Higher rate of acceptance

Consider change management Get cross-dept buy-in Get exec. commitment Make it easy, easy, easy All clear about hows and whys Training, follow-up, evangelize, iterate Plan, decide, communicate

Share information
Share experiences with other users
Talk to peers at conferences
Talk to other system users
Talk to vendors, then
Talk to more users
Talk with technical folks
Ask lots and lots of questions

Contact info:
Rahel Anne Bailie
[email_address]
Intentional Design Inc.
+1.604.837.0034
www.IntentionalDesign.ca
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CMS Successes: Critical Factors to Ensure Smooth CMS Implementation

by Rahel Anne Bailie on Oct 08, 2008

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