WHERE TO FIND A CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
A guide to sources, recommendations, and opinions on content management systems
Searching for a content management system can be an overwhelming task because there are many systems on the market that generically call themselves "content management systems," but have varying functionality. With so many choices, where do you begin your search?
This list outlines the pros and cons of several research methods so that you can decide which methods are best for your search. To be most effective, choose several sources of information to find the right content management system to fit your needs.
Narrowing Your List of Vendors:
- Review the vendors’ Web sites in detail - Web sites are a great way to gather information at your leisure.
- Read white papers - White papers give you a good idea of each vendor's unique approach to content management and technology development.
- Read case studies - Does the vendor have case studies of organizations like yours? Do they address similar issues?
- Put out a Request for Information (RFI) - Weed out vendors who don't meet your needs by requesting basic information from them prior to any demos or involved sales cycles.
When you have narrowed your list to approximately three or four vendors, then submit detailed RFPs (Requests for Proposal) and request product demonstrations to get down to the details of each system's capabilities.