The show is over, but the stories live on

It is Thursday evening. The convention center transforms back into an open room waiting for the next big event. Booths come down and vendors go home. The show is over, but the stories live on. Stories of sessions where lessons were learned, vendors visited and receptions attended. Old friends catching up and new friends made. These are some of the stories remembered from the AIIM Conference. There are other stories to be told as well.

 One really stood out strong answering the demand by users for interoperability and the industry’s response with movement toward CMIS (Content Management Interoperability Standard). In my opinion, the concept and development of this standard is good for our industry and the user community. The idea that systems should be able to interact with one another transparently to the user, is not new but the fact that we are now seeing strong movement in this direction is. I applaud those who are taking the initiative to move this forward and encourage more to join in.

I also had the opportunity to meet with some of the vendors and attendees and find there are resonating tones within our industry. Users are asking for solutions, not technology. They want to know how they can process payables faster, automate mail room activities, address audits in a more timely fashion and minimize risk. They want to hear how an ECM environment will help them in times of economic downturn not how software is built or how to use a toolkit to make things happen. They want to know how SharePoint and other ECM products interact with each other. Is Open Source a viable option or would it best serve my organization to choose a more “traditional” approach.

As I roamed the floor and spoke with a variety of vendors, I felt they have heard this cry from the users and are rising to meet their demands and expectations. The message from the vendor community is addressing these concerns with focus on:

·         Protecting current ECM investments whether hardware or software

·         Simplicity and ease of use

·         Near complete solutions aimed at business activity not based on technology

·         Use/support of Open Source and even SaaS options

I also learned the channel of distribution is growing with resellers seeking partnerships that enable them to expand their capabilities and enhance their business applications to meet their customer demands. These resellers seek functionality that continues to evolve and strengthen while at the same time, simplifying the interface for us humans.

I want to thank and recognize those vendors who took time to meet with me this week and encourage those of you reading this blog to visit their sites and see for yourself the exciting steps they are taking toward the future and meeting your demands. In alphabetical order, thank you to:

A2iA, ABBYY, Alfresco, AnyDoc, Hyland Software, Kodak, LaserFiche, Optical Image Technology, and Visioneer.

The time of ECM is here and the time to act is now. Make time to learn, plan and take control of your information. A great place to start is with AIIM. You may not have been able to join us here in Philly but there is no reason you can’t join us now. Visit www.aiim.org for more information, www.aiim.org/training to find a class that meets your needs and fits your schedule and www.informationzen.org to become part of the fastest growing global network of ECM enthusiasts in the world.

 Bob Larrivee - AIIM

Comments

[Dan Longo]

Bob, always enjoy reading your posts. I too found an emphasis on the solutions that s/w enables, rather than technological features. More of a 'back to basics' approach.