How to Specify and Buy an ECM System:

A Practical Guide

Independent. Detailed. Practical.

Specific advice. Best-practice approaches. The Real Story.

Alan Pelz-Sharpe
Principal & Partner

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 The Real Story Group

Research and advisory services to help you make the right

technology and strategy decisions.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Do NOT select a product prematurely

• Don’t select an ECM/DM tool before

developing solid requirements and business
case
---------------------------------------
• Best practice: Gather thorough
requirements, but only after establishing a
business case to shape and discipline the
process. Then select a package that truly
meets your needs.

• Consider issuing an RFI before an RFP

Copyright © 2010 Real Story Group

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Figure out where you are - do you even need
more software?

Copyright © 2010 Real Story Group

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Do NOT issue checklist RFPs (unless you have to)

Copyright © 2010 Real Story Group

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Do NOT issue checklist RFPs (unless you have to)

Copyright © 2010 Real Story Group

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 A checklist alternative
• Document ”As is” and ”To be”

• Scenarios
– Write testable stories
– What you can learn

– Include
• People, processes, systems

Copyright © 2010 Real Story Group

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 A checklist alternative
• Document ”As is” and ”To be”

• Scenarios
– Write testable stories
– What you can learn

– Include
• People, processes, systems

The difference is rarely the WHAT, it’s the HOW…

and, you get what you ask for…

Copyright © 2010 Real Story Group

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Example

Jack receives many thousands of Journals each year, these need to be

scanned and made into electronic format. In addition he receives
content in the form of PDF's, XML documents, HTML, CD ROM and an
ever increasing number of file formats.The content covers over 50
languages. It is critical that each received document is captured and
indexed as soon as possible, typically within hours of receipt.

Currently Jack achieves this by scanning identified content through 5

production scanning stations and converting the capture to TIFF. These
TIFF images are later viewed by analysts who extract key information for
indexing.

Jack would like to be able to OCR and create PDF files in addition to the
TIFF images automatically - the OCR system though needs to handle all
or many of the various languages and character sets. Additionally Jack
would like to be able to recognize images within captured files and
extract these - and would like to configure the system to recognize key
words and collections of words and characters in the captured file, to
enhance the future analysis process.

Copyright © 2010 Real Story Group

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Do NOT assume
that there is a BEST vendor/product

GEEKS MYSTICS

LOSERS POSERS

Copyright © 2010 Real Story Group

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Do NOT assume
that there is a BEST vendor/product

GEEKS MYSTICS

LOSERS POSERS

Copyright © 2010 Real Story Group

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Open Text Family Tree

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Autonomy Family Tree

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Running a demo
• Make sure your team is represented

• Beware of the “canned” demos

• Demo your scenarios

• Each vendor should demo same

scenarios

• Ask the tough questions

– Especially around pricing

Copyright © 2010 Real Story Group

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Do NOT buy without test driving

Test any software with real users before you

sign a contract
• You need to know that the software
will work in your environment (server
builds, security, etc.)
• Vendor salespeople are not always…
candid
• You think you know your
requirements, but you actually don’t
until real screens are painted

Copyright © 2010 Real Story Group

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Do NOT underestimate usability

• It may seem obvious, but…

• You won’t know which is easiest to use

until your users it

Copyright © 2010 Real Story Group

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Do NOT assume WHO you will be working with

Meet the team who will work with you

Copyright © 2010 Real Story Group

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Do NOT underestimate costs

• Work to normalize pricing:

• per CPU
• per server
• per domain
• per contributor
• per power contributor
• per content item
• per developer
• per optional module
• per year, and, frequently ...
• ... some combination of the above

Copyright © 2010 Real Story Group

Thursday, June 17, 2010

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KEY
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© 2010 Real Story Group To: Collaboratown To: Nichy
www.realstorygroup.com/vendormap/

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 Thank you

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Download a free sample:

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Thursday, June 17, 2010