The Smart Way to Select a Content Management System
By Frank Odlum
The following article was
published in Association Executive, January/February 2004.
Once you've decided to purchase a content management system
(CMS) to manage the information on your website, it's easy to get overwhelmed.
Dozens of companies offer software, with prices ranging from $10,000 for a basic
system to over $250,000 for a high-end solution.
It may be tempting to start calling vendors and comparing
products. But your first step should be to put together a staff team to define
your requirements, evaluate different products, and work with any computer
consultants you may hire. Make sure your team includes people who are
responsible for creating the information that goes on your site, as well as
technical staff. Content management software will change the way employees do
their jobs and create new responsibilities, so obtaining staff input and buy-in
at the beginning of the process is essential.
The second step is to determine your requirements. Your team
should ask the following questions:
-
What are we trying to accomplish from a business
perspective? If you are trying to streamline the web publishing process,
you'll want a system with strong workflow capabilities. If your goal is to
generate more online revenue, you'll be looking for a system that supports
e-commerce.
-
Can the CMS support our content creation process? Virtually
all CMS products have workflow capabilities to control how content is
authored, approved, and deployed. Examine your current processes and
determine if the CMS can be customized to replicate your current system.
-
Do we want to personalize each member's experience? If
you've ever ordered a book from Amazon.com, you'll notice that on your next
visit Amazon's home page highlights books on the same topic or by the same
author. You can use your CMS to personalize content in a similar way for
your members. The information each member sees might depend on his or her
type of membership, geographic region, or any other parameter you choose.
-
Can we integrate the CMS with our member database? To take
full advantage of the personalization features of your CMS, you'll need to
access information stored in your member database. Find out how tightly that
database can be integrated with the CMS.
-
How can we encourage greater member participation? With a
CMS, your site can become more interactive. You can allow members to upload
news or articles, engage in discussion forums, and participate in other
ways. This is a great way to increase the amount of valuable content on your
site and give members a reason to return regularly. Determine what features
the CMS offers that help build community.
-
How might our needs change in the foreseeable future? What
web initiatives are on the horizon? What if the site triples in size,
membership quadruples, or Web traffic increases 1200%? You need a site that
is scalable, and can be easily modified when you want to add new
capabilities.
Once your team has answered these questions, a web search will
supply you with the names of the top vendors. Good sources of information are
www.cmswatch.com,
www.content-wire.com, and
www.econtentmag.com. As an informed
customer, you will be positioned to find the optimal mix of products and
services that will make effective and efficient content management a reality.
Frank Odlum is northeast regional manager,
ISG Solutions, 575 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022; 212-888-1622;
fodlum@isgsolutions.com.
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