Ten CMS Implementation Success Factors

Compiled by Martin White
email: martin.white@intranetfocus.com

1. Understand the implications

Implementing a CMS is one of the most complex and challenging enterprise projects most organisations will have to undertake. At all times the objectives, schedules and resources have to be kept in balance. It is important that there is sponsorship by a senior manager, preferably from the business operations of the organisation, not from the IT department.

2. Adequate preparation is essential

The quality of the work done prior to the selection of a vendor will have a direct
setting realistic budgets and requirements and ensuring that the solution meets
current requirements but anticipated and unforeseen future requirements.

3. Understand the total cost of implementation

As a minimum the implementation costs will be equal to the software licence, and could be two or three times as great. As a result low-cost software may well not have a significant impact on the overall Total Cost of Implementation.

4. CMS implementations take time

From writing the specification for the CMS software to implementing the application could take six months at the very least, and possibly even longer.

5. Write the specification in terms of business requirements

Set out in the specification what you want the CMS to do for your organisation, and not the functionality that you think you want.

6. Take care over vendor selection

It is impossible to select a CMS vendor on the basis of the product literature, a demonstration by a salesman or the recommendation from another organisation.

7. Treat the implementation as a project

There needs to be a full-time project manager from the selection to the end of the implementation supported by a Project Board which includes users, the vendor, the sponsor and the project manager.

8. Manage expectations and culture/process change

Manage the expectations of Authors, Reviewers, Users and Managers and recognise and plan for the fact that there will be some significant change management issues

9. Manage process change

Just content managing existing processes may not provide any visible benefits. Processes will need to be changed, and will that be done prior to, during or after the CMS implementation?

10. Communicate the progress of the implementation

It is very likely that the implementation process will be disruptive, and that the full benefits may not be seen immediately It is important to keep staff fully aware of progress

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