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Realizing Enterprise Benefits
from Content Management Systems
An ROH, Inc. White Paper
Authored by Roland Harris and James Just
IMERGE Consulting, Inc.
April 2007
Table of Contents
Defining Enterprise Content Management (ECM)....................................1
Scaling to Enterprise Demands ...............................................................2
Planning for Expansion........................................................................2
ECM Federation for Internal Users ......................................................3
ECM Federation for External Users .....................................................4
Maximizing ECM Value ............................................................................5
Repurposing Content...........................................................................5
Elevating ECM in the Business Process..............................................6
Business Application Enabling ............................................................6
ECM as a Strategic Resource..................................................................7
Supporting Business Continuity ...........................................................7
Being a Good Corporate Citizen ..........................................................7
A Successful ECM Purchase ...............................................................7
Summary .................................................................................................8
A Successful ECM Project ...................................................................8
About ROH ..........................................................................................9
About the Authors ................................................................................9
Realizing Enterprise Benefits from Content
Management Systems
Defining Enterprise Content Or, if legislation is passed changing the
Management (ECM) retention requirements for certain types of
information, an ECM system should allow
Most all developers of traditional content destruction dates to be adjusted across all
management software claim to offer affected record types in all departments from
enterprise class products. But what exactly a single point of administration.
is an enterprise content management
system? What should it be able to do? Achieving such orchestration requires that
specialized departmental content systems
Is the enterprise designation warranted by share basic rule structures that make them
how many types of content can be managed? available for central administration. To
Functional richness? Does it require the succeed, an enterprise content management
ability to manage all electronic documents, system must provide operational flexibility
including email and web content? Or does it at the departmental level and structured
imply that functionality can be deployed coordination at the institutional level.
across all departments, managing a high
volume of objects and thousands of users? One company that has built their ECM
product on this model is ROH, Inc. Their
Certainly, any traditional content system OCULUS™ Content Management System
claiming enterprise status must first provide represents over ten years of client-driven
basic functionalities such as imaging, refinements. What began as a departmental
document management, and workflow that application has successfully evolved into a
are required to build the most typical types true enterprise class content solution.
of departmental content applications.
This paper examines key requirements of
To rise to enterprise class, a content system ECM systems including scalability,
should then provide features that support application integration, and flexibility.
institutional objectives like single-point-of- It highlights how OCULUS provides an
access, legal compliance, and continuity. excellent platform from which to realize
These capabilities address broader C-level content management benefits at the
concerns that critical business information is enterprise level.
managed in the most usable, appropriate,
and secure manner. The OCULUS™ ECM Model
For example, if a customer service portal To succeed, an enterprise content
requires access to documents or data from management system must provide
the order processing, manufacturing, and operational flexibility at the departmental
shipping areas, an ECM system should be level and structured coordination at the
able to deliver all related information with a institutional level.
single query.
Page 1
Scaling to Enterprise Demands Beyond pure transaction volume, content
applications also grow in complexity,
Organizations historically implemented including the many types of records
content systems for individual departments. managed and their relationships to one
For example, the customer service area another. An ECM system must be able to
might purchase an imaging system to scale to support enhanced classification and
retrieve order or shipping documents while retention rules for all desired record types.
answering phone calls. Many of the earliest
digital systems were modeled closely after When higher-level functions like workflow
their micrographic predecessors – they were are added, an ECM system must handle
simple and designed for very specific tasks. multithreaded user connections, complex
record locking, and authentication through
Successful digital content systems were layers of security before allowing users to
rapidly adopted by users, and IT staffs often perform even basic operations. This added
deployed similar products in multiple pressure on performance is where many
departments. Management realized that departmental content systems begin to fail.
these expanding islands of digital content
held even greater potential if they could be
linked together to support more complex, OCULUS – Scalable by Design
inter-departmental work processes.
The OCULUS architecture is able to
Scalability – the ability of a content system support an almost unlimited number of
to grow within its own scope and share its document classifications, users, and
information with other departmental security relationships. This allows
organizations to expand departmental
applications – is now a fundamental concept
applications to handle massive increases
of enterprise content management. in document volume or number of users
with little or no tuning. OCULUS is also
Planning for Expansion a 100% browser based application which
reduces conflicts when deploying across
Modern ECM systems must be able to diverse desktop environments.
expand rapidly to handle new tasks, users,
and volumes. Mergers, acquisitions, office A core OCULUS design element is
relocations, restructuring, and back file federated searching, which transparently
conversions are common catalysts that queries all OCULUS servers allowing
test the scalability of an ECM system. users instant access to relevant objects
stored anywhere in the enterprise.
Adding storage or faster processors does not
automatically improve the scalability of a The combination of both a flexible and
scalable architecture allows OCULUS
content system. To support enterprise
administrators to deploy departmental
demands, an ECM system must be built on a content applications quickly, let them
highly efficient architecture designed to mature independently, and link them in
manage millions of stored objects and the future as needed to facilitate inter-
thousands of concurrent users without departmental work processes.
suffering a loss in performance.
Page 2
ECM Federation for Internal Users An ECM federation is a key tool for senior
managers because it allows them to refine
In the context of ECM, a federation is built organizational processes without expensive
of multiple content systems that are able to IT projects. Federated procedures can be
respond collectively to a request (typically a designed for various user groups whenever
query) by a user of any individual system. and wherever they are needed, allowing the
organization to respond dynamically to
For example, consider a user that needs changing business situations.
access to content stored beyond the reach of
their departmental system. They need to The successful approach to building an
know everything the organization has on ECM federation comes from the familiar
record about a particular topic. phrase, “Think globally; act locally”.
Organizations must consider classification,
As long as the user passes authentication, a security, and retention rules for all forms of
federated ECM system should deliver the records as part of their overall ECM project,
query to all departmental content but should also be able to deploy basic
applications, collate the results, and display systems quickly for tactical advantage.
them for the user indicating where the
requested information was found. Unfortunately, organizations often approach
content management projects with very low-
Content federations are possible when end products that can not be federated, or
multiple departmental systems are able to with high-end products that require
respond similarly to structured commands. significant time before even basic features
This requires an ECM architecture that are available. A balance of immediate and
supports external URL, SQL, XML, or other long range goals should be consistently met
widely used query syntax. to support a successful ECM deployment.
OCULUS – Intuitive User Interface is the Key to Federated
Searching
Searching for information
through multiple
departmental systems can
be a challenging and time
consuming task.
OCULUS leads users to
all the right information
using a dynamic search
screen that tailors itself
depending on the systems
or types of information
queried.
The OCULUS interface Figure 1 – OCULUS Federated Search
makes searching multiple
systems as easy as
searching a single system.
The OCULUS screen Page 3
highlights relationships
between information, and
displays exactly where
ECM Federation for External Users For example, consider a city that offers a
GIS-based research tool on its website. The
Just as an ECM federation gives internal tool allows property owners to enter their
users more efficient access to information, it address and find boundaries, easements, and
can also benefit organizations by expanding utility data. The data is delivered through
service opportunities for external users. the website in simple HTML format.
Today’s consumers expect organizations to By linking the same website search to the
offer substantial services over the web. city’s ECM system, the city can provide
Buyers want 24/7 access to product links to much richer information like maps,
information and secure on-line purchasing. deeds, photos, drawings, and historical
Taxpayers have been groomed to use e- documents that support the HTML data.
filing instead of postal mail, and financial
markets reward businesses that provide This simple example shows how an ECM
innovative customer self-service. system can benefit both internal and external
users – creating a multiplier effect on the
From an external user’s view, convenient ECM investment. The same system used for
access to information is often as important daily operations can also provide beneficial
to their perception of an organization as the services to customers and partners.
quality of the products or services offered.
Whether they are internally or externally
Organizations with effective ECM systems focused, ECM systems should deliver the
view these expectations not as challenges, right information, at the right place, in the
but as opportunities to showcase their ECM most useable format. ECM deployments
capabilities and create strategic self-service, held to this standard can benefit almost any
CRM, B2B, and B2C solutions. facet of an organization.
OCULUS – Leveraging ECM for Customer Service
OCULUS can embed its
federated search results
within other systems such
as B2B, B2C, GIS,
Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA), and other web
self-service applications,
adding a wealth of secure
content opportunities for
delivery of much more
information.
Because of its intuitive
user interface, OCULUS
can be placed directly on Figure 2 – OCULUS Integration with GIS Website
the web for public use.
There is no need for a
special “front end” or
portal application overlay.
Direct deployment saves Page 4
time and money when
launching on-line services
for customers and
Maximizing ECM Value Repurposing Content
Another enterprise benefit an ECM system The value of a departmental content system
should provide is to create opportunities for can be easy to quantify. For example, if an
value and savings beyond the requirements order service imaging system saves $.035
for which it was originally deployed. per image versus paper storage, and the
department scans a million pages a year, the
Departmental content systems often replace system generates $35,000 in annual savings.
older technologies. Microfilm replaces
paper; imaging replaces microfilm, and so If the images from that same system are also
on. While each generation of technology made available to the collections department
should be better than the one before, they to expedite debt recovery, the system
often inherit existing departmental process provides greater value to the organization.
inefficiencies without improving on them. Repurposing content leverages the
investment in a single system to benefit
ECM systems allow organizations to other departments, diluting departmental
evaluate work processes at a higher level. costs and compounding the system’s value.
For example, is information being classified
similarly in all departments? Are any Repurposing internally-focused systems to
departments keeping redundant information? external users also creates ECM value. In
Is workflow balanced, or is one department the public sector “government in the
or process creating a bottleneck? What sunshine” laws have placed unprecedented
additional information sharing should occur demands on staff, and federated ECM
between departments that can benefit the systems are perfectly suited to automate
function of the organization as a whole? information search and delivery.
OCULUS – Compounding Value through Repurposed Content
Organizations must weigh
all IT investments Collections
carefully, considering
Department
everything from user
adoption risks to the year-
to-year costs of operation.
If evaluated strictly at a Overdue
Invoice
departmental level,
Images
content systems can often
seem too expensive to
justify.
Order Service
OCULUS minimizes risks
and costs by allowing ECM System
departmental information
to be shared across Figure 3 – Repurposing OCULUS Content
business areas. By
repurposing information,
the efforts of one
department benefit many
others. Information Page 5
redundancy and
duplication of effort are
Elevating ECM in the Business Process Business Application Enabling
Some businesses still consider content LOB systems have advanced graphical user
management as only an archival solution. interfaces and multiple screens that must be
Litigation fears have led many to implement mastered by each role of employee. If given
microfilm or imaging systems exclusively a choice, users almost always prefer
for information at the end of its lifecycle, working in this screen environment over
often to comply with legal retention periods. having to flip back and forth between
However, newer content technologies like multiple open applications to perform tasks.
intelligent forms processing and automatic
document classification are designed for Getting an ECM system to support this
use at the beginning of transactions. environment means exposing users to
content tools only when and where they are
Almost all organizations use a line-of- needed, then letting the ECM system
business (LOB) system like SAP™ or perform its work in the background. The
Oracle™ as their operational platform. This concept of embedding ECM directly within
repository of structured information is one or more LOB screen environments is
where users spend the majority of their time. referred to as business application enabling.
ECM systems manage unstructured
information, much of it document-centric, Application enabling allows ECM to blend
which supports or generates transactions in into the routines of users, requiring little
LOB systems. By elevating ECM in the training. Typically, ECM buttons appear
processes to work more closely with LOB directly on LOB screens, allowing one-click
systems, organizations can take maximum retrieval of supporting documents or
advantage of the most innovative and labor allowing users to initiate and monitor
saving content technologies. document-centric workflows.
OCULUS – Application Enabling Creates “Single-Point-of-Access”
In the example at right,
OCULUS is shown
appearing from within the
user’s line-of-business
(LOB) system.
OCULUS allows ECM
functionalities like search,
view, and insert activation
using hot keys or toolbar
buttons placed exactly on
LOB system screens
where users need them to
support daily work.
Figure 4 –OCULUS Application Enabling
Creating a single point of
access for both ECM and
LOB information greatly
reduces training time and
significantly improves the Page 6
adoption of ECM
practices in the overall
business process.
ECM as a Strategic Resource as land deeds and birth or death records that
have permanent retention requirements.
When considering an ECM investment, an
organization should focus first on smarter Depending on the nature of the organization,
content management before the enterprise an ECM system should be configurable to
scale of the overall system. ECM systems meet governance rules for information
can grow quite large, but only from a solid redundancy, retention, and backup. Access
foundation of record classification rules that to information (either metadata or object
allow them to expand without breaking. files) from the ECM system should never be
Successful ECM projects require both senior hindered by proprietary features or non-
management oversight and detailed process standard file formats.
knowledge at the departmental level.
Being a Good Corporate Citizen
Unstructured content comprises 30 to 80%
of the information required by workers to do ECM systems are now a major component
their jobs, so most organizations already of strategic IT planning. They must be good
spend significantly at the departmental level corporate citizens – able to share their
to manage information. The power of ECM information to deliver optimal work
is taking that same effort and investment and environments for users, trusted partners, and
creating a coordinated, strategic resource the public. Features such as scalability,
that can benefit the overall organization. adaptability, and integration are essential for
an ECM system to be a platform for content
Organizations can use ECM systems to management both today and in the future.
redesign entire business processes, taking
advantage of the new-found agility of their A Successful ECM Purchase
unstructured information. Once geographic
dependence on physical files is eliminated, What defines a successful ECM purchase
possibilities arise for remote access by staff, depends on the specific requirements of the
trusted third parties, home/remote workers, organization. An ECM vendor offering the
web-based information access, “push” most features is not necessarily the best fit,
delivery, and faster processing times. nor is one with the cheapest or most
expensive product. ECM value is achieved
Supporting Business Continuity through a balance of functionality, cost, and
consideration of short and long term goals.
A growing concern of senior managers has
become business continuity – or how well
the organization is able to maintain essential
OCULUS – The Power of ECM
systems through times of man-made or
natural disasters. For many organizations,
Once geographic dependence on
the ECM system is second only to their LOB physical files is eliminated, possibilities
system in how much it “knows”. ECM arise for remote access by staff, trusted
systems contain financial, employee, third parties, home/remote workers, web-
operational, and legal data. In the public based information access, “push”
sector, they contain vital public records such delivery, and faster processing times.
Page 7
Summary At a feature level, OCULUS delivers a
comprehensive platform of imaging,
The pressures to implement better records electronic document management, routing,
practices have led most organizations to security, and information lifecycle
investigate content management of some management that can be utilized by nearly
form. Legal compliance, application any department in any organization.
integration, and business continuity are just
a few of the C-level concerns that drive From the management perspective, the
today’s ECM implementations. intuitiveness of the OCULUS interface
promotes the repurposing and sharing of
For some organizations however, it is information between users in multiple areas,
difficult to give ECM the same mission maximizing the ROI of any particular
critical attention as their line-of-business, departmental application. The ability to
network, or even email system. Should search across multiple federated repositories
content technologies be purchased at the and the ability to integrate with popular line-
departmental level? If not, which budgets of-business systems makes OCULUS a key
should be responsible? Who will support it? component of any enterprise information
What commitment is required from management strategy.
management and IT personnel?
With a very reasonable cost of entry and
Unfortunately, many well-intentioned ECM concurrent user pricing, OCULUS is an
projects fail. Some organizations settle for enterprise content management solution that
quick fixes that lack scalability. Others can be quickly deployed for one application,
overreact and purchase complex products and rapidly expanded to meet the needs of
that simply take too long to implement. an entire organization.
A Successful ECM Project
OCULUS – Enterprise Ready
Realizing enterprise level benefits from an
ECM system depends on the awareness of Realizing enterprise level benefits from
senior management of the importance of the an ECM system depends on the
project, the appropriateness of the ECM awareness of senior management of the
product selected, and the ability of the importance of the project, the
project team to consistently deliver appropriateness of the ECM product
meaningful content tools for users. selected, and the ability of the project
team to consistently deliver meaningful
content tools for users.
The OCULUS Content Management System
has been evaluated by IMERGE throughout
With a very reasonable cost of entry and
its development, and it is our opinion that concurrent user pricing, OCULUS is an
OCULUS presents a solid platform from enterprise content management solution
which to realize the enterprise benefits that can be quickly deployed for one
highlighted in this document. application, and rapidly expanded to
meet the needs of an entire organization.
Page 8
About ROH About the Authors
ROH is a service-oriented company that Roland Harris, ICP is a Principal with
believes customer service and satisfaction is IMERGE Consulting, Inc. He has over 15
paramount for continued corporate growth. years of project administration, needs
As such, ROH developed the OCULUS analysis, and development experience. Mr.
Document Management Suite to meet the Harris has managed major ECM initiatives
needs of our clients. This humble start of for Fortune 500 companies, state
OCULUS has expanded to the OCULUS government, and universities. He consults
Enterprise Document Management Solution. with leading IT vendors and integrators on
product and channel strategies and with end
ROH has provided IT solutions to federal, user organizations on ECM technologies,
state, and commercial clients since 1971. business process improvement, and
Our core competencies are in the areas of implementation strategies.
document management development and
integration, network support, logistics, and James Just, CDIA+ is a Partner with
professional contract services. ROH has IMERGE Consulting Inc. He consults on
developed a “partnership” approach with business process automation, workflow
clients before, during, and after product implementation, and the procurement of
delivery. This approach has been invaluable appropriate technologies including
in opening and maintaining communication enterprise content management systems,
lines and ensuring customer satisfaction. workflow, enterprise report management,
and associated products.
ROH is proud of its 36-year history of
customer satisfaction and plans to continue Both Mr. Just and Mr. Harris also provide
this philosophy of “client partnering” user organizations with implementation
methodology. Our mission is to be the oversight to insure successful deployment of
premier provider of government and ECM and related technologies within scope,
business solutions than enable our clients to budget and project timeline.
make the most efficient use of resources.
IMERGE Consulting, Inc. is North
America's largest and most experienced
team of experts in the fields of business
process optimization and enterprise content
management. IMERGE is also a leading
provider of tactical education courses in
records management and legal compliance.
Page 9
