Selecting a Web Content Management Product

So you want to take a look at a real Web Content Management (WCM) product. How do you go about evaluating all the different products and vendors? What should you be looking for in a WCM package? Is it better to build your own, buy or use Open Source?

The best way to answer this question is to compare the products on an apples to apples basis. You can do this objectively by building a product evaluation matrix based upon your specific needs. The first column can list out the functionality categories (e.g. Security). The second column can be the specific needs (e.g. integrates with Active Directory for roles and authorization) under each of the categories. The next columns would be your products, one per column for each product you want to consider. For each product then you would give a rating (1 to 10 scale) on each specific need.

You can then add a column for weighting each specific need, or do this at the topic level. For example, flexible workflow may be much more important to you than your ability to customize the presentation. You can then add some more columns to calculate the weighting against the rating to arrive at a realistic assessment number for each product on each of your organization's specific needs. Sum these all up per product to arrive at a total product assessment score.

Of course, you can't forget to check customer references, or if it's an open source product, go dig around some sites which are using the tool already.

Below is a list of some topics/specific needs which may apply for you. At a minimum, these should provoke some thought on your part as far as what you are looking for in a WCM product and give you a good start on your product evaluation matrix.

Workflow

• Support for multiple workflow models?
• Complex workflows (parallel and serial)?
• Role/Group integration with flows?
• Ability to create workflow templates for re-use with different content types?

Security

• Will the product integrate with your security architecture?
• Do you require security for content submission?
• Do you require security for content consumption?
• Is there support for roles and groups?
How is this implemented and managed in the product?

Content submission

• What are the creation/submission vehicles e.g., via an Office application, HTML/File upload, WYSIWYG, etc.
• Are there templates to force content managers to adhere to a common content structure (e.g. all posts must have a title, sub-title, body, and who to contact fields)

Presentation customization

• Extensive presentation customization capabilities?
• Extensive support for CSS integration?
• Ability to create presentation templates which can then be re-used for different content types?
• End-user creation of presentation templates or does it require a developer?

Integration with search

• Does the product provide its own search engine?
• Or, will it effectively integrate with your current (or planned search engine)?
• Security integration with search (i.e. a user can only see search results for what he/she has access to view)

Common document management functionality

• Versioning
• Expiration
• Metadata
• Check-in/Check-out
• Collaborative authoring
• Content history tracking

Architecture

• If your organization uses Web Services or has an established Service Oriented Architecture, you may demand the product can expose content through Web Services so other applications can present content.
• Portal integration (e.g., JSR168 support, WSRP support, etc.)
• Open and documented API available?

Cost

• Acquisition
• Maintenance
• Technical staffing to support (check with customer references)

Administration interface

• Robust yet easy to use?
• Complete control of all content in the lifecycle?
• Role/group management

About the author
Bryan Mjaanes is the creator/editor of Intranet101.com a community-based forum for Intranet Portal professionals.

---

How to Increase Sales with Automation Improvements

How popular is online shopping? And is there room for... Read More

PIM Team Case Study: Creating Text Effects With PHP and GD

See how you can create graphic effects on text with... Read More

Link Trades That Waste Your Time

Never has competition been so difficult in the Internet world.... Read More

Making Your Websites More Compelling

The Internet is a remarkable publishing medium. With just a... Read More

Build a Web Site that Works...Even for a Safari Hobby!

My life's greatest passion is a safari hobby. And what... Read More

Traffic for Webmasters

"If you build it, they will come"; is an age... Read More

Why do I Need a Website?

Cost Effective Advertising. Online selling. Increased geopgraphic range. Wider... Read More

7 Golden Rules For Building Mini Sites

First, an eye opener. Making your fortune through affiliate programs... Read More

Do You Really Need A Website To Succeed

Rosalind wants to share her inspirational poetry with a wider... Read More

Enhance Your Website With A Yahoo-Style Directory

Does your website have a links/resources page?Do you exchange reciprocal... Read More

Eight Deadly Web Site Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Creating and maintaining an effective presence on the Web has... Read More

How to Promote Your Law Firm Website On the Internet for Maximum Profit

Making maximum profit from your law firm website is important,... Read More

Up The Sandbox!

Go to any internet marketing forum you want these days... Read More

Now You Have a Web Site - Have You Ever Heard of Accessibility?

An accessible Web site is easily approached, easily understood, and... Read More

Tips to Protect Your Downloads or Products

1. Upload robots.txt file in to your root directory and... Read More

Beware the Software Siren

I've heard several prominent web marketers mention in their classes... Read More

Non-Profits: Successful Online Strategies

More and more non-profit organizations are developing websites to help... Read More

Tips for Building a Great Business Website

A website is lifeline of internet home business. In order... Read More

UK Online Shopping with an Edge, for Buyers and Sellers Alike

Any new website competing on the internet, needs to take... Read More

Let Marketing Manage Your Website Content

The definition of the phrase "Content Management" depends on what... Read More

Preventing Repeat Form Submission Using PHP Sessions

We've all seen those messages on some websites warning not... Read More

Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) & Web Accessibility

There's been widespread speculation about the new legislation being introduced... Read More

Why to Have a Website for Your Company

After having decided to start a business, the next thing... Read More

Top 7 Tips for Building an Antique Car Website

Like wine cars get more attractive to collectors as years... Read More

Credibility - 10 Ways to Build it on Your Website

If you have your own business website and you are... Read More

Functions and Subroutines in ASP

Functions and Subroutines in ASP If you read... Read More

How To Convert More Sales On Your Website

One of the biggest mistakes that most online retailers make... Read More

From Search to Sale

The Internet car buyer is an elusive animal. Trying to... Read More

Why a CSS Website Layout Will Make You Money

Although CSS layouts have been around for years, they haven't... Read More

1 Simple Solution to All Internet Marketers about Their Website Design Needs

It is an undeniable fact that not everybody is keen... Read More

Are You Losing Sales Because of These 4 Simple Website Mistakes?

Losing website sales and traffic is sometimes simply a case... Read More

Earning From Your Website

Before you start building your site, ask yourself "WHY?". Why... Read More

Email Addresses in Web Pages

You want to give your site's visitors a way to... Read More