navigating the vendor maze: understanding xml authoring tools and content management systems

Navigating the Vendor Maze: Understanding XML Authoring Tools and Content Management

Systems

Steve ManningPrincipal Consultant, The Rockley Group Inc.

[email protected]

©2008, The Rockley Group Inc.

The Rockley Group Inc.


The Rockley Group sample clients


Our task

Provide comprehensive reviews for the CMS Watch Report on XML and Component Content Management Systems

13 CMS5 Authoring tools

Report V1 was delivered in May 08V2 is under way (to be delivered by end of year)


Our approach

Developed scenarios against which we could rank toolsHad CCMS vendors provide a demo based on a script For Authoring tools we executed the same authoring test script on toolsAlso reviewed all marketing materials and websites for additional informationEach vendor had the opportunity to fact check their section


Scenarios

Tools were ultimately ranked against scenarios

Excellent fitAverage fitLess than average fitNot applicable

We needed to be certain that we were measuring all tools against the same “yardstick”


Demo scripts

Task-based exercises that would fit some aspect of scenariosTried to be specificE.g.,

Show how you could import a collection of files into the systemShow how to add object properties (metadata) to the system

Each vendor got the same script (same yardstick)

Some things we learned


Vendors speak different languages

They frequently use different terminologyMetadata vs Properties vs AttributesProjects vs Publications…

Therefore some translation was requiredThis was very frustrating in some instances


Focus on the good stuff

Vendors will focus on their strengths and minimize their weaknessesNot a surprise, but is was occasionally a lot of work to get vendors to show weaker functionality


Seeking other opinions (references)

Vendors prefer to give good references. Bad ones are important too!If you ask generically what someone thinks of a tool, they will probably focus on the negative. Make sure you ask vendor references about themselves and their environment, not just the tool

They might find a system easy to use, but you need context to understand if you will find it easy to use.Is a bad reference a result of poor tool selection?


The cool factor

Vendors all liked to go “off script” at some point to show you something cool that their system did that no one else’s did.Frequently, the cool stuff wasn’t broadly practical or useful. But it was cool!!!


Bad sports?

Some vendors really, really hate criticism

How you can navigate the maze


Success is in analysis

Know what your needs areUnderstand your content lifecycleKnow you content and content needs


Learn the key features of CM

DITA, XML or Other?Granularity of access (files, elements) Module management (relationships, links)Metadata (customization, manipulation, application, inheritance)Access control (check-in/check-out)Version controlVersion linking (specific versions/current versions)Repository (data format, scalability)


CM Key features, cont'd

Search and retrievalArchivalTranslation managementStaging and deploymentBLOB managementWorkflowAudit trailCertification (by regulatory bodies)


CM Key features, cont'd

Integration with authoring tools and publishing tools (and a clear statement on what “integration” means)


Create your own scenarios and scripts

Have a clear idea of what you need a system to accomplishBuilt your own scenarios or use cases and scripts Get vendors to run custom demos based on your scripts


Get a customized demo

Describe your business processProvide samples of your contentAsk for a custom demo that will demonstrate the specific support you need.

Advice for a less stressful journey through the maze


The answer will follow the question

Ask your teenage son or daughter this question:How was school today?

Ask a vendor:Do you support DITA?

So ask specific questions:How does your system support DITA conrefs?And get a demo


Use generic demo to learn about CM

Generic demos are good when you want to learn about content management Get lots of them as you develop your own scenarios and scripts then move to custom demos


Understand what “we support”

Does it mean “we can handle it”Or does it mean “we’ve created specific functionality for it”


Ask for bad references

When you ask vendors for references, they give you the good ones.Go ahead, put them on the spot and ask about the failures or the projects they’ve struggled with


Consider the intangibles

Support and maintenancePartnersVisionStability

Questions?

[email protected]

www.rockley.com

The Rockley Group Inc.

Steve Manning

http://www.intelligentcontent2009.com

navigating the vendor maze: understanding xml authoring tools and content management systems

Technology