This “ECM as technology,” or “ECM as technology plus content delivery system” mindset may seem harmless, but it leads to a fundamental misconception about ECM that can prove harmful to a business. When ECM is seen as technology to implement, there’s a tendency to see ECM as needing to deliver results fast, as you might see with any new tech initiative within your organization. But ECM is more than that.
I see ECM as a strategy — leveraging technology, of course, but it’s also about how the organization culturally adapts to the new technology, how the executive level manages the ECM roadmap, and how business processes are adapted and made to be more agile and responsive. It’s more than just documents — it encompasses everything from your information and data to your mobility, governance and security policies. And importantly, it’s a strategic initiative, not a quick fix. If you’re expecting your ECM strategy to be complete in one year, or even two, you’re setting yourself up for frustration and probably failure.
ECM is a marathon, not a sprint, and many companies are at different stages in this journey. This is why simply owning the tools and having the implementation plan in place isn’t enough. You need to consider aspects like organizational change management to facilitate the adoption of new technologies, the execution of an adaptable long-term strategy, and the executive sponsorship needed to support the goals and stay the course.
