My background before Content Management and Collaboration was in web design and custom web applications (using ASP, JSP, WebObjects, WebInk etc.). Working for a web design company you soon appreciate and understand the complexities in designing a great looking site and the stuff "under the bonnet" to make a dynamic site tick.
EMC have actually gone and acquired [in their own words] a "growing technology consulting firm specialising in the design, development and delivery of custom applications and digital experiences". Conchango plc is based in the UK with some pretty impressive UK and Global accounts (Virgin Atlantic, Sky, Tesco) and have over 300 employees. Some of my friends and colleagues have worked with them before and have nothing but praise for them!
See http://www.conchango.com/news/?article=20080403a
We in the Professional Services division of EMC Content Management Archiving can't wait to start using them in our accounts in conjunction with our EMC Microsoft Practise where previously perhaps we'd had to go to partner resources for design work and specific SharePoint development.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
SharePoint ECM message getting through....
A few of the organisations on my most recent consultancy stints are perhaps showing indications that IT Managers are maybe realizing that SharePoint isn't always the answer to ECM within their organizations, or that collaborational solutions do need a tie in with their existing corporate ECM solutions.
The messages of SharePoint ECM failing at an Enterprise level regarding:
On the SharePoint side of the fence, a big concern with Documentum WebTop is useability for the non trained, (non intuitive!) business user.
This has been remedied somewhat with Documentum TaskSpace, and the future Knowledge Worker clients, but a SharePoint front end with the clean Document Libraries (using Documentum Archive Services) and the Documentum Content Services for SharePoint (web parts) to access the repository gives a refreshing user interface that will give any Windows literate user an easy to use interface to Documentum.
This can only mean good news for organisations - they can ensure that their content is being saved to the repository, at the right time, with the correct object types, with the correct retention policies and only the once. There are some fantastic business problems and great ROI that can be made ....
I want a nice busy May 2008 please, so let's pass on the SharePoint and Documentum joint message!
The messages of SharePoint ECM failing at an Enterprise level regarding:
- Governance - multiple copies of the same documents can be stored in numerous place, giving version up to date issues, security and storage sizing issues.
- Storage - storing content in SQL Server blobs - no tiered cheaper storage for their massive SQL Databases!
- Records Management and Compliance - how can companies be sure of the audit history, version history and applicable retention policies on a formal corporate document record?
On the SharePoint side of the fence, a big concern with Documentum WebTop is useability for the non trained, (non intuitive!) business user.
This has been remedied somewhat with Documentum TaskSpace, and the future Knowledge Worker clients, but a SharePoint front end with the clean Document Libraries (using Documentum Archive Services) and the Documentum Content Services for SharePoint (web parts) to access the repository gives a refreshing user interface that will give any Windows literate user an easy to use interface to Documentum.
This can only mean good news for organisations - they can ensure that their content is being saved to the repository, at the right time, with the correct object types, with the correct retention policies and only the once. There are some fantastic business problems and great ROI that can be made ....
I want a nice busy May 2008 please, so let's pass on the SharePoint and Documentum joint message!
Monday, March 3, 2008
SharePoint Integration with ECM Products
I was on a client site last week for a telecomms company who are looking for more information on how their ECM Strategy can move forward with SharePoint 2007 ("MOSS") as the user interface of choice.
The presentation I put together was focused on how in the market today ECM Vendors have only offered a small(ish) level of complexity regarding integration with MOSS, and how I believe organisations demand more.
As I was finishing putting the presentation together I finally got round to looking at Andrew Chapman's blog (http://nevertalkwhenyoucannod.com/2008/02/15/seven-reference-architecture-organizer.aspx) - the EMC Product Manager who is leading the strategic charge on the EMC (don't get mixed up with ECM now) Documentum specific integrations moving forward. He has named the 8 or 9 possible models of integrations "reference architectures" - and these were quickly put in to my slides.
His architectures are excellent (especially when you gradually introduce them and increase the levels of complexity to unsuspecting audience's) - and make organisations realise that there are still infrastructure/content/user experience issues with existing offerings. Once they are shown the final few architectures (and don't get me started on Enterprise Search), they realise that their required level of integration is inherintly complex - and hopefully understand why the ECM vendors are playing catch up....
The presentation I put together was focused on how in the market today ECM Vendors have only offered a small(ish) level of complexity regarding integration with MOSS, and how I believe organisations demand more.
As I was finishing putting the presentation together I finally got round to looking at Andrew Chapman's blog (http://nevertalkwhenyoucannod.com/2008/02/15/seven-reference-architecture-organizer.aspx) - the EMC Product Manager who is leading the strategic charge on the EMC (don't get mixed up with ECM now) Documentum specific integrations moving forward. He has named the 8 or 9 possible models of integrations "reference architectures" - and these were quickly put in to my slides.
His architectures are excellent (especially when you gradually introduce them and increase the levels of complexity to unsuspecting audience's) - and make organisations realise that there are still infrastructure/content/user experience issues with existing offerings. Once they are shown the final few architectures (and don't get me started on Enterprise Search), they realise that their required level of integration is inherintly complex - and hopefully understand why the ECM vendors are playing catch up....
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Blog Kick Off
I have finally jumped on the Blog bandwagon with my first professional blog! I'll try and leave my personal life out of this (except when whinging about the wife and/or kids).
Why the blog? Well I'm not sure really, I wouldn't describe myself as a technical evangelist in anyway, but I certainly have some ideas/concepts which need to be broadcast to the world - before someone else grabs the glory!
Collaboration within the wider scope of things is a concept that organisations often do not understand; internal/external users, security, compliance adherence, functionality overlap, document information lifecycle management and most apparent at the moment - the functionality of the integration pieces between the Collaboration products with the Enterprise Content Management products. I can only focus on what I know (EMC Documentum eRoom and MS SharePoint 2007 with EMC Documentum Content Server), but I'm sure the fundamentals will hold true for other solutions.
Maybe this blog will be some free consulting to clarify the issues, as long as I get my utilisation bonus I don't care....
Why the blog? Well I'm not sure really, I wouldn't describe myself as a technical evangelist in anyway, but I certainly have some ideas/concepts which need to be broadcast to the world - before someone else grabs the glory!
Collaboration within the wider scope of things is a concept that organisations often do not understand; internal/external users, security, compliance adherence, functionality overlap, document information lifecycle management and most apparent at the moment - the functionality of the integration pieces between the Collaboration products with the Enterprise Content Management products. I can only focus on what I know (EMC Documentum eRoom and MS SharePoint 2007 with EMC Documentum Content Server), but I'm sure the fundamentals will hold true for other solutions.
Maybe this blog will be some free consulting to clarify the issues, as long as I get my utilisation bonus I don't care....
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