How to Successfully Implement a CCMS

Successful implementation of a CCMS

To ensure the successful implementation of a CCMS Component Content Management Systembefore and during this transition, it must be ensured that a number of key elements are taken into account.

Planning the transition to CCMS

First of all, we need to look at the organisational aspects involved in implementing a CCMS. It is important to define an information strategy in advance and to understand the value of moving towards a document-making process that moves away from a paper simulation.

Convincing policy makers

Once this strategy has been defined, it is necessary to convince decision makers and obtain their approval. Investment in a CCMS may sometimes seem difficult to justify because it is not always obvious to quantify the benefits of the new system. It then becomes interesting to consider content as capital for the enterprise and not an investment. This capital is widely valued through the CCMS.

Re-use existing information

If approvals are obtained, the migration phase comes. This crucial phase of the migration of existing documents to a more efficient format can become a real challenge. Indeed, it is always a complicated job, especially for the most mature companies that have years of content. The difficulty always comes from creating structured content based on unstructured content such as those derived from text processing. Often it is necessary to go through a manual cleaning phase after an automatic migration.

Preparing teams

Once your system has been implemented, you will find yourself facing one of the most important challenges: the human factor. It is well known that people naturally tend to resist change. Thus, everyone must understand the real advantage of the CCMS, otherwise it will soon be seen as a tool for unnecessary complications.

Working collaboratively

The sharing of documents is another important factor. Creating, managing and exchanging content with a CCMS becomes a team sport. If a few frictions between the authors are to be anticipated, the advantages are enormous. Collaboration saves valuable time and allows everyone to specialize in specific niches.

Don't forget the technical services

Finally, for structures that include a computer service, it is important to take the latter's opinion into account in the selection and purchase process of the CCMS. Choosing an application whose installation, use and maintenance remain relatively simple will prevent technicians from being overwhelmed by too much extra workload.

Do not hesitate to contact specialists to help you in your process.

Why choose a CCMS?

Many publishers today offer content management solutions in component mode or Component Content Management System (CCMS) even if they do not necessarily market their products under this name. Among all these products, how to find the ideal tool, and what should be taken into account in establishing an effective CCMS?

To quickly summarize the principle, a CCMS allows content to be managed at granular rather than document level. The information is thus divided into several fragments which are recorded and managed independently of each other. Typically, this kind of management is used when one wishes to adapt the same information to different contexts and disseminate it over different channels.

This type of management brings a number of interesting benefits:

• improved consistency and accuracy of information (when you re-use information, you are sure to find exactly the same content);

• a reduction in the costs of creating and maintaining information (you need to create less content and it is more easily corrected or updated);

• a reduction in delivery costs (content and format are separated. You can publish the content in different formats without having to rework the content);

• a reduction in translation costs.

How to choose a CCMS?

In order to set up a system that allows us to manage information effectively, we need to find a suitable tool. There are many very varied products that all compete for more attractive innovations. But before you give in to a commercial offer, you have to ask yourself the right questions. Indeed, the tool that will suit you will probably not be the tool that will seem to you the most efficient or the most complete but rather the one that will precisely match your specific needs.

CCMS: Asking the right questions for successful implementation

To better identify your needs, you need to ask yourself if you need:

• Advanced management options?

• A text editor? integrated or external?

• Tools for translations?

• Support for translations (Unicode)?

• Multi-author support? (Concurrent work on one module)

• A graphic tool?

Take the time to answer the following questions:

• Should the interface be customizable?

• What kind of content (technical, marketing, etc.) will I handle?

• What should these single-sourcing capabilities be?

• Does it have to be easy and pleasant to use by beginners?

• What formats should be generated and what will the quality of the result be?

• And finally, what's my budget?

In conclusion, after answering these questions you will have done the most important. You will then have the basics to choose a tool and an organization. To help you, you can also consult specialists.