Open Industry Intelligence

The ECMINSTITUTE is taking a new, innovative approach to solving problems in enterprise content management (ECM) and Knowledge Management (KM). Thanks to advances Web 2.0, we are building an unique, social network focused exclusively on solving problems.


“Similar to open source software, imagine a consulting practice where buyers and sellers come together to innovate without any restrictions and problems are solved through the collective intelligence of an entire industry.”

Ray Chance, Executive Director

Leverage Industry Wisdom

Problem:
Working Alone Limits Success

Implementing a new enterprise content management or knowledge management solution is a complex and costly undertaking. You must train staff, attend trade shows, select from hundreds of products, and possibly hire consultants. After the solution is deployed you must then constantly solve everyday problems to support its operation. Even with substantial funding it is easy to miss opportunities and continued success is never assured.

Solution:
Industry Wisdom Provides a Better Way to Solve Problems

At the ECMINSTITUTE we attempt to remove boundaries between organizations. Instead of struggling to solve problems internally, we help organizations look outward across the industry. We believe that a network of independent ECM professionals have the combined wisdom to look at problems with a unique perspective. They also are unconstrained by corporate culture, politics, or predispositions and in a much better position to uncover a diamond in the rough.

Our collective intelligence approach also saves organizations money. By routinely casting problems to our experts you reduce overhead costs for specialized training, off site meetings, and salaried consultants. The process also helps organizations arrive at solutions quicker than attempting to solve problems on their own.

Idea Building Process

Our idea building process focuses on connecting organizations with industry experts through a series of both formal and informal peer reviews. Our guided process takes organizations from asking simple questions, to developing problem summaries, solution analysis, and requests for proposals. At discrete steps along the way, we cast details to our experts for critical review and participation.
Process Diagram

Peer Review - a specific feedback from industry experts on questions and problems.
Question - An informal request for a peer review.
Answer - The results of a peer review for a question.
Challenge - A formal request for a peer review. Challenges may include problem identification, analysis, solution resolution, and proposals.

We then capture this information, assimilate the results, and present the findings as the cornerstone of your solution. Our website manages the underlining business process by leveraging the latest in WEB 2.0 technology, bringing together aspects of social networking, collective intelligence, and crowdsourcing in a totally new way to manage and solve problems.

Open Industry Intelligence Reduces Costs

The ECMINSTITUTE has pre-designed "quick challenges" created to show how collective intelligence can help you solve real problems in both knowledge management (KM) and enterprise content management (ECM). Mirroring industry "buyers guides" we take it to the next level. For about the same price as a report we conduct a challenge or a formal peer review project. This means you walk away not only with a custom report but insight, contacts, and first hand experience to help you solve real problems.

The SharePoint Challenge

If you are considering implementing for the first time or expanding your SharePoint investment, this challenge was designed exclusively for you. You supply your current "as-is" conditions and goals for Sharepoint and our Solvers will help identify the missing gaps or potential bottlenecks. Along the way we will share with you our collective "insiders" knowledge on SharePoint technology. In the end, we deliver a comprehensive report written specifically for you.

The Enterprise Search Challenge

With constant data overload it is imperative for organizations to take control of their knowledge repositories. Enterprise search is a critical component to helping organizations share relative information across the enterprise. In our Enterprise Search Challenge we help you identify the right search tools for your organizations using our Solver community. Unlike pre-written reports, we work as a team to help identify a short list of search technology you need to move forward. We will also help you determine your own ROI through a cost analysis. As a collective effort, we will share valuable lessons learned and best practices in a comprehensive report delivered at the end of the project.

The Web CMS Challenge

Wikis, social networks, software as as service (SaaS), and blogging are completely changing the content management landscape. Forget the old methodologies of the past. Viral computing is challenging organizations as never before. For instance, what is the true cost if you go with an open source wiki today and need software integration or formal records management in the future? Should you wait or dive right in? In the Web CMS Challenge we will not only help you evaluate the technology but take you where no analysts dares to venture ? into the hearts and minds of your users. You select the target technologies, educate us on your environment, and we will let loose our Solvers to test your assumptions and realign your objectives to what will really work. We will also examine Measures of Performance (MOP) and Measures of Effectiveness (MOE) for the project.

The Enterprise CMS Challenge

It is very naive to claim that either a limited consulting engagement or a published users guide can shed light on an important decision related to enterprise content management (ECM). It is extremely difficult, for instance, to objectively compare ECM-related products without throughly understanding the particular needs of an organization. Rather than waste money presenting products you will never use, we take a different approach. In the Enterprise CMS Challenge we conduct a focused effort to help uncover a single solution that may help you turn the corner for an ECM initiative. You give us your conditions and anticipated outcomes and we will collaborate with our Solvers to help shed light on a difficult problem.