I would have thought that use of ECM technologies needs to be part of an overall information management strategy that has been developed to address the identified needs within the organization. Hence context is important along with addressing the information sharing needs at the level of individuals and groups within the organization in addition to the relevant inter-organizational data and information sharing requirements and processes.

ECM technologies have the potential to reduce paper clutter but only in situations where the requisite effort has been put into identifying an appropriate solution for the organization (hence the importance of context). The subsequent implementation phase needs to be managed such that the end result is not a new ECM technological solution residing in parallel to an established paper system!

Hello Deborah, It is true to say that when we look at the strategic and methodical aspect of ECM, paper clutter also need to be understood within the business context.

Still, I have a feeling that above the level of organizational strategy, we should be self critical if ECM platforms till date have be successful in creating a digital enterprise. The digital physical convergence of ECM strategies and methods should be a design imperative. Please let us know your thoughts!

Hi Gokul. I agree that there is a design imperative to the digital physical convergance of ECM strategies and methods and that ultimately some of the problems that are a bane to organizations will no longer exist (ie the challenges of managing both paper and IT). However it is important to not forget that the humans have to interact with the IT and hence this continues to perhaps be the greatest challenge (which includes ensuring data integrity, readability and security).

Hi,

ECM (Enterprise Content Management) Systems are based on BPM (Business Process Management) component, which allow to automate Workflows related to business process. Thus, we can approve, for example, a leave request by clicking on a button (having the rignt access right, the clic on the approve button is equivanlent to a signature), so, we get rid of printing a leave request and signing it by the supervisor.

My view is the ECM is composed of several modules BPM, DM and RM just being part of them. ECM applications should be able to management information assets regardless of format (because information assets in paper format are still present even in the most sophisticated institutional environment).