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AIIM: Strategies to Navigate Shift from ECM to Content Services

AIIM recently released an eBook focused on 10 strategies to navigate the shift from ECM to Content Services. Titled, Revolution or Evolution?, the eBook is about 12 pages long and features an overview of the changes, three constant reference points, new challenges facing end users and solution providers and actions that should be on your list for 2017.

In this article, let’s take a closer look at the actions that you should try to complete this year.

Can you leverage your current platform?

The first thing AIIM suggests is resisting the urge to throw out your existing system. Instead, ask yourself what you want to rip and replace and what you should leave alone. Figure out if there is a way to leverage your current ECM platform and invest in something new before you make any decisions.

“Most organizations have many more systems and repositories than they think. Understand the purpose of each major content system, how current it is, its cost, and whether there are opportunities to consolidate suppliers,” AIIM reported.

Help your business make connections

During this transitional period, it’s critical to help your business “connect the dots.”

“As the line shifts from technology buyers to business buyers, whom do you need to convince of the merit of your project? Who has funds to pay for your initiative? What kinds of internal capabilities must you have in place in order to be successful? What kind of vendor(s) do you need in order to get this job done? C-level executives are scared to death about disruptive competitors and are demanding new business transformation and customer experience initiatives,” AIIM said.

You’ll want to make sure that your C-suite has an in-depth understanding of what’s going on and “refocus existing document and content ‘practitioners’ around the challenges and opportunities created by Digital Transformation.”

One size no longer fits all in this space

There’s a plethora of content solutions on the market, from traditional back-end process automation at scale to offering a sharing platform and more.

“Understand that the point from which you are starting will likely determine a lot about how far you can go in the next 12 months, and be realistic,” according to the eBook.

Metadata is key

It’s important to know how vital metadata can be, as it’s the “key to moving from a content storage mindset to a content service framework.”

It’s also an integral part in creating some clarity around the capabilities of your knowledge workers to locate data across multiple repositories. The fantasy of everything going into a single repository will remain a fantasy, AIIM reported.

Have a day-forward mindset

“The information management challenge facing most organizations is akin to a leaky boat filling more quickly than the people in the boat can bail out the boat,” AIIM said.

Ask yourself if you should implement point solutions to manage traditional info and focus on day-forward initiatives. And remember that when data variety and volumes are ballooning, focusing too much on legacy data and info means you may never get ahead.

“Focus on the water coming INTO the boat first,” the eBook said.

Rid yourself of records management worry

Move your focus from records management to risk management-driven realities to make your government initiatives improve.

“Organizations need to rethink their strategies, focus on understanding where risk truly lies, develop strategies to manage that risk, and be willing to embrace an element of ‘chaotic architecture’ for the rest,” AIIM reported.

Try new technologies

Experiment with innovative technology in order to stay ahead of the game. Invest in solutions that will help you find issues and fix them right away. And make sure that you properly educate your staff on new tools.

Records Management is not a substitute for Information Governance

Records management and information governance are not interchangeable. Ensure the two are separate and put money and time into producing new data competencies.

ECM is not the lead application

As the space shifts from ECM to content services, the tool will become secondary. It’s no longer a primary platform, according to AIIM.

“The shift to content services means ECM will take a back seat. The focus shifts to applications that leverage content services for specific business purposes. It also shifts to the integration of content services into our existing applications – finally providing the long-promised benefits of ECM without the adoption issues we have struggled with for so long.”


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