Analysts on the soapbox at Gilbane CMS conference

The Gilbane Conference on Content Management kicked off this morning in San Francisco with an opening keynote panel of industry analysts and experts. Each gave their?spin?on the issues, strategies, and technologies affecting content management?and related topics. Here are?the key points:

Geoffrey Bock, Senior Vice President, Patricia Seybold Group

-The stove-piping model for content typical of the last 5-10 years is moving towards a centralized repository model for all digital assets.

-The focus is no more about how we manage the content, but how we use it, and how to deliver it to the right people at the right time.

-The big question is how content will be integrated into business processes -We are locked into the document paradigm, but content should be viewed as components that can be deconstructed and reconstructed depending on context.

?We need to think about new tools to allow for the management of content components.

Mike Maziarka, Director, InfoTrends/CAP Ventures

-Organizations link collaboration to email, but?collaboration is a shift in how users interact with information?they want to interact and respond to the information, and how that?gets filtered throughout the organization is a challenge.

-A content strategy keeps inventory of all the information an organization creates. While 2/3-3/4 of companies say that they are in the process of doing it, most are not that far down the path.

-A content strategy helps you start prioritizing technology investments. Contrary to what some say, organizations are really starting to latch onto the notion of ECM.

-Other trends: An increasing interest in hosted offerings, and factoring in compliance.

-Email/records management is the foundation from which you can support an initiative

Tony Byrne, Editor & Publisher, CMS Watch

-Looks at content management from a buyers perspective.

-The key issue is system usability, the problems will only grow as companies add rationalization/compliance pressures into the mix.

-While vendors say that their wares uniquely provide ease of use, users across the board don?t see it that way.

-The fix? User-centered design (UCD)?which puts the users at the center of the design, roll-out, and implementation of a solution.

Kyle McNabb, Senior Analyst, Forrester Research

-Denounces a one size fits all mindset--it is not simply a database selection, you need to treat it as a strategy. ?Would you wear the shoes you are wearing now to play basketball or go golfing??

-The importance of context. Who is the individual consuming the content? What are they trying to accomplish?

-Look at compliance/risk management. How do you protect your corporate IP?

Tony White, Senior Analyst, Collaboration & Content Management The Yankee Group

-No-show