Do You Need Content Management
5 Questions To Answer Before You Invest Time and Money into a CMS
You think you need a content management system. Are you sure you are ready to implement one? Ask yourself these key questions before you spend the money.
It's rare to talk about web sites today - be they internet sites, intranets or extranets - without talking about implementing a content management system. But the realty is that many companies go about the process of deciding on a solution before they are even sure they have a problem. How do you know your organization needs a Content Management Solution (CMS)? Spend some time thinking about these 5 questions. How you answer them should help you decide if you really are ready.
Before you start, don't evaluate content management readiness for your internet and intranet at the same time. Evaluate the need for each one separately. These questions also assume you either already have an Internet/intranet or are close to implementing one.
Assessing Content Requirements in the Organization:
- What is the purpose of the site? Sell products, services, provide information for employees. Is there a lot of content required? Does it get updated regularly?
- Who maintains the content on the site? Are there a number of authors or just one? Does someone have to approve the content, does it need to be translated?
You need to look closely at the purpose of the site and the amount of content required, as well as the requirements for managing that content. If there's a lot of content that changes regularly and has a number of authors and approvers, then this is one step towards the need for a CMS.
Assessing The Organizational Readiness:
- Is there a central group responsible for managing the website? Are there a number of content owners/website section owners that want to manage their own content and sections?
- Does your organization have the budget to fund not only the implementation of a CMS but the ongoing governance that will be required to ensure it is managed day-to-day successfully?
There's the expense of the CMS itself, but also to create and support a central governance team that creates guidelines and processes that individual groups or authors will need to adhere to ensure a successful web site. Regardless of whether your implementation is centralized or decentralized (in terms of managing and owning content), you will need this governance team. If everyone isn't ready to support it, then your implementation can get out of hand really fast.
Assessing Technical Readiness:
- Is your IT group ready for a content management system? Do they have the necessary resources or skill sets required to implement and support a solution? Do they have standard processes and procedures that can be leveraged? Or are they a fly by the seat of the pants group who does whatever they want?
There are instances when the business may be ready for a content management solution, but IT isn't there. They need to be able to help with or complete the implementation and then provide ongoing support and enhancements. This is no small job and processes and procedures become critical to ensuring a successful implementation.
Spend some time looking into the organization at their readiness in these three key areas. Make sure you understand what it will take to implement a CMS successfully. If you still believe you are ready, have a look at these articles to keep you moving in the right direction:
- Selecting a Web Site Product
- Determining Content Management Requirements
- Five Key Requirements that Impact a Content Management Strategy
