The Metamorphosis of Enterprise Content Management
Image by Luna sin Estrella, used under Creative Commons 2.0.
Regardless of what you’ve been hearing, Enterprise Content Management (ECM) is not dead. For years ECM has been harangued as being overly cumbersome, overly expensive, overly difficult, and underwhelming when it came to delivering benefits. That’s all about to change…
The manner in which ECM is delivered is going to change. Taking a cue from what consumers have come to expect in terms of the technology they use for personal reasons, a subset of Enterprise File Sync and Share (EFSS) vendors, led by Box, are emerging as purveyors of ECMnext – the next generation of Enterprise Content Management platforms. The focus is on how and why people create, consume, and share content, supported by a foundation that provides the security and governance required in today’s digital business environment.
This whitepaper explores the short-comings of legacy ECM platforms, and how ECMnext vendors can step up and deliver what we’ve wanted out of ECM all along. While there’s still a ways to go for ECMnext platforms to be able to completely replace legacy ECM platforms, the basic building blocks are in place and the roadmaps are pointing in the right direction.
You can download the whitepaper directly from here.
If you need a little more evidence that ECM is changing, take a look at Box’s announcement about their governance functionality: Introducing Box Governance – Delivering Control and Compliance in the Cloud.
If you’d like additional insight, this 15 minute podcast from February 2015 features Connie Moore of Digital Clarity Group and me discussing EFSS and ECM.
Internet of Intimate Things
Last week I read this news story about vaginal rejuvenation surgery very closely (time wise) after seeing some Twitter items about the Internet of Things. I’m one of these people that draws mental connections between things, but I also tend to have a very juvenile sense of humour (there’s a horny adolescent lurking in here somewhere). Of course, I naturally thought “Hey! Marital aids should be connected to the internet.”
Now, I’m not 100% certain, but I’m pretty certain that there’s a few OBGYN’s out there who could team up with some sensor manufacturer and an adult toy manufacturer to build a marital aid that could measure what’s measurable and significant in helping to diagnose women’s health issues, then hook it to the web and send the stats (properly secured) to healthcare providers. Up the creep factor a bit and you’ve got some pretty intimate, 1-1 advertising opportunities there, too. I’m not certain that’s a good idea, though. Remember the retailer that told some teenager’s dad that she was pregnant? That didn’t go so well.
Scales, electric toothbrushes, thermometers, ear wax vacuum-sucker things … If / when connected to the internet, any of these things that many of us use on a daily basis open us up to truly helpful yet intrusive interactions. I don’t wanna be on my scale and receive ads for some weight loss clinic.
Anyways, what started out as a puerile dirty joke kinda got me thinking …
Samsung’s latest offerings (phone and watch) include a heart rate monitor. Could you hook it up like GM’s OnStar and contact emergency services if there’s a sudden change in BPM? Sure. Hell, combine it with the pedometer function and get some advice and ads targeted to your running goals / achievements.
Walk into any number of retailers today and they offer free wifi, distribute iBeacons, and track your every move through the store. Linger too long near the heartburn medicine then head to deep-fried, spicy goodness? Get a message telling you to head to fruits and veggies instead.
It’s easy to envision the day when you’re watching your smart TV, wearing your Google glasses and you suddenly receive a message from Health Canada or some political party, based on your programming choices and number of hours sitting on your duff.
My point is that there are endless possibilities and opportunities to positively impact the quality of life for all of us, by making use of technology (the devices and the data). On the other hand, how intimately do we want to be monitored and marketed to? Are we okay with having our intimate, personal, private moments being leveraged to sell us something or to advise us to take a certain course of action? How far is too far?
We bitch and moan about privacy but we demand immediacy and relevance from those selling and serving us. Personally, I’m sort of okay with being “advised” by brands when I’ve opted in. I’m not certain I’d be too cool with walking into an adult emporium and getting suggestions based on previous boudoir activities.
Give it Away – The Value is in the Knowledge
If I were to start an enterprise software company today, I’d give the licenses away. No, I am not thinking about open source at all. I’m thinking about services, non-core functionality, and integration. I’ll stick to Enterprise Content Management software, but the principles are applicable to any enterprise grade platforms or suites (we can debate what “enterprise” means until the cows come home to roost, but not here or now).
Let’s face it; you can go and pick almost any large ECM suite and the core functionality is going to be pretty much the same across all of them. For the sake of this discussion, let’s define core functionality as:
- Check in / check out
- Versioning
- Basic search
- Metadata
- Security
- Basic workflow
- Audit
- Some sort of UI (usually pretty crappy)
There is no substantive value differentiator to be had in choosing one over another. In fact, if any one of those items were missing, I doubt the software in question would even qualify as an ECM tool. I also think that in the very near future, file synching and sharing (e.g.: EMC’s Syncplicity and OpenText’s Tempo Box) could become core functionality (if it were my company it would be).
So, I’m going to give you the basics for free and I’m not even going to charge you for training and maintenance. I will charge you for implementation (if it’s on premises or on hosted infrastructure) and support, though. Why would I be so generous? Because I am really friggin’ smart. I want your organization to deploy, use, scale, and extend my software. I want you to realize that what really sets my software apart from the competition is the people I’ve got advising you, architecting your solutions, and deploying to your people.
What enterprise is going to live with just core functionality beyond a proof of concept phase, if that long? Even if they do, how long until they figure out that they’ll get way further if they hook up content services (yes, I said services) to other enterprise or line of business systems.
Don’t get caught up in the whole “if it’s free there’s no value” thing; it’s bogus. You need to understand the difference between cost (what you pay) and value (what you get). Besides, I already told you it’s not free, sort of. You’re going to have to implement the software. I or a partner can do it for you, and you’ll get billed. You can have your internal folks do it, and you’ll get billed to get them trained. It comes down to paying for the knowledge and expertise, not for the tool.
The value proposition for core content services (or content as a service if you prefer) is in pushing the content to other systems (processes+people+tools), and in being the core repository for content across the organization. Once your content is in the repository and being managed with the basics, only then am I going to start charging you for the add-ons. Add-ons are not by any means trivial, but they are not core for all organizations. For example, Digital Asset Management (DAM) – not everyone needs it, but to those that do it’s critical. And I am going to charge you for it (license and services). Hey, you want to use someone else’s DAM solution because it’s more suitable for your organization? Cool, but I am going to charge you for the integration. Same goes for web content management, ediscovery, records management, migration tools, large file transfers, etc. Integration to desktop tools, other enterprise systems, line of business systems, and cloud services? Damn right I’m gonna charge you.
“But what happens when partners do the initial implementation? You won’t make any money.” Truthfully, I don’t care. What I do care about is being at least as diligent about selecting partners as you are about selecting technology and service providers; I want partners that are every bit as invested in your success as I am. I want you, me, and the partners to be a triumvirate. If I really want a shot at success, I have to make sure that you succeed, regardless if you engage me directly or not. The only way I am going to do that is to support my partners as much as I support you, and to be there when their skills have gaps.
“But they’re a partner, how can they have skills gaps?” Well, because they’re partners and not my staff. Partners are never going to be as close to the product as those who build the product; it’s a fact. Besides, they’re out in the field implementing stuff and gathering feedback. That’s what I want them to do. And if I’ve set my partner model up properly partners are integrated into my processes and supported. My partners are also a revenue stream.
I don’t want any schmoe that’s done one implementation and read some stuff to be running amok out there. I want partners that can do as good a job, maybe even better, than my own staff can. I am going to spend time and money making sure partners are up to the task, and for that partners are going to pay me. If you want to work with the schmoe, that’s on you. Don’t come crying to me when it all goes wrong. Do come to me to help you fix it. I promise not to say “I told you so”. As long as there’s long-term success, I’m not too concerned about short-term faux-pas.
Anyways …
I don’t own or run a software company, and I’m not about to start one up; I’m an analyst/consultant with Digital Clarity Group. We help organizations get stuff done, including selecting technology and service providers. I hope that I’ve made you think about a few key things as you ponder your technology and vendor choices:
- Cost does not determine value – lots of open source and low cost tools are every bit as good as stuff you’d pay a fortune for;
- Regardless of cost, knowledge is far more valuable than tools;
- Clients, service providers, and vendors must, must, must be in a symbiotic relationship to truly succeed.
And if you happen to be looking for some guidance on selecting technology or service providers, reach out; we’re happy to chat. You should also check out our European and North American service providers guides (note that they are specific to the Customer Experience market).
The Paper Case
Some of you will remember the movie The Paper Chase, from which I unashamedly stole the inspiration for the title of this post.
Happy Canada Day
This photo is from this CBC News article.
This post was inspired by a broadcast on CBC Radio last Sunday (July 1st). At least, I think it was Sunday. I was at the cabin for the long weekend (Canada Day) and kinda lost track of what day it was. The show was the usual fare about how book sellers, publishers, & authors have to adapt or die because everything’s going digital and there’s no room or need for anything physical or analog. I tuned out because I was enjoying my digital semi-isolation (no network at the cabin). Plus, I was reading A Dance with Dragons on my tablet (yes, I see the irony). Anyways, this is my post, not yours, so I’m okay with any irony or hypocrisy contained herein.
Many years ago, before I first held my son in my arms, I bought him a book. I wrote a note to him on the inside of the front cover. The note simply expressed how much my wife and I loved him, even though we hadn’t yet met. With ereaders and tablets being so popular and inexpensive today, would we (parents in general) do that sort of thing? I’m not so certain.
One of the great joys I got out of being a parent was reading to my children. I could do that with e-books, but then I’d miss the laughs of having my kids try to turn the pages with their toes, chewing on the books, and seeing the wear and tear on the books as they transitioned from infant to toddler and still read/played with the books I’d read to them in the very early parts of their lives.
As my kids got older, they received books as gifts. Many of the books, given by friends & family, had notes written inside the front covers. My kids still have most of the books, and, being the sentimental souls they are, like to look at them and read those notes. They’ll also, probably, pass those books on to their kids and point out the notes that Gramma & Grampa or Uncle This or Aunty That wrote way back when it seemed that dinosaurs still roamed the earth.
Going to a bookstore with the kids is something that my wife & I have always enjoyed. There’s just something very satisfying about seeing your children sitting on the floor at Chapters, poring over what books they’ll buy (with Dad’s money, usually) and treasure for ages. That experience can’t be replicated by scrolling & clicking through an electronic bookstore.
Real books are better than ebooks because you can share them. I received The Art of Racing in the Rain as a Christmas gift. I really enjoyed it and knew my daughter would as well. Sharing the book with her was a simple matter of just passing to her when I was done. What’s the electronic equivalent of that?
There’s a 2nd hand bookstore that I frequent near my house. It’s a great place to buy inexpensive books and to dispose of books we don’t want any more. There’s an added bonus; when I drop off used books, I give back to the community. You see, the bookstore is run by the Sturgeon Hospital Auxiliary Volunteer Association (SHAVA). I donate books, they sell them, and profits go to SHAVA. Try that with electronic books.
When I fly I am instructed to turn off all my electronic gizmos and gadgets during taxi, take off, and landing. How the hell am I supposed to read? I know, I’ll read a paperback or hardcover book.
Don’t get me wrong; I love the convenience and weight savings of electronic content on my tablet. I really do. But I’m not willing to sacrifice some of the joys of real, hold-in-your-hand stuff that the electro-gods are trying to pry out of my fingers. Think about music – digital is great, but it doesn’t sound as good as putting vinyl on a turntable (Justin Bieber excepted because he sounds like crap regardless of format).
From a business perspective, elimination of paper is a laudable, if unrealistic, goal. Assuming all the various pieces are available, any business that still insists on clogging up processes with paper ought to be forced to listen to Justin Bieber until their ears bleed and/or their willies fall off (just like Justin’s).
With all the talk about portability and mobility I figured I’d just point out that just because you can go digital doesn’t mean you have to or that it’s the best way. Of course, not all of you are in the same situation as I am, nor do you approach life the same way. That’s cool; to each her own. But, to those of you out there who have never listened to a vinyl LP or held a real book in your hands, I feel bad for you, you don’t know what you’re missing.
