Point-Counterpoint
Suites vs. Best-of-Breed
by Tony Byrne
18-May-2005
Editor's Introduction
The choice -- and therefore debate -- between "suite" versus "best-of-breed" software is as old as enterprise software.
In the content management space, the debate has become particularly vigorous, in part because of some industry consolidation that did -- and didn't -- happen. First, about a half-dozen major content management vendors rolled up other software providers and can now boast wide-ranging "ECM Suites." But the long-predicted demise of the "point" solutions providers never happened, and many best-of-breed suppliers continue to thrive.
So solutions buyers have clear choices. But which way to go? CMS Watch recently invited a representative of each camp to duke it out. Representing ECM Suites is Tom Deutsch of FileNet. Representing Best-of-Breed is Richard McCarthy of Tridion.
Here's what they have to say about how well each type of solution addresses key content management business questions:
Addresses Business Needs More Directly?
The Case for ECM Suites |
Case for Best of Breed |
Web Content Management needs are fundamentally and inherently content management needs. Web needs are inherently business needs, and these needs do not exist in isolation from larger business imperatives. This requires any Web solution to meet both business and Web needs. Organizations have overwhelmingly asked for comprehensive and integrated content solutions that solve content creation, editing, approval workflows, publishing, and compliance assurance issues. Why? Because it's proven these are needed to deliver ROI, and in many cases are required by law. Creating and publishing Web content is only part of the need, and Suites can excel at delivering all the functionality required such as process, compliance, and systems integration capabilities. In the real world, content and process have to combine in order to make customer advantage real. |
The case for point/best-of-breed solutions is simple: it’s what the market wants. The market wants: Solutions that are closer to their business needs – managers are clearly expressing a preference towards content applications that support their immediate business goals. It is not just specific functionality they want, but a point solution that directly tackles their business goal. Fast time to market – Content applications that can be delivered on time and quickly customized to meet business manager needs. Strong Web coverage – If enterprises are to grow their business, the Internet will play an important role. Targeted communication - the ability to communicate with specific target groups. For this, the delivery of content that is context driven is seen as the way forward. Multi-channel capabilities – while initial projects might focus on just one channel, manager’s want to assured that the same technology they have invested in can be used for other channels. |
Provides Better Return on Investment (ROI)?
The Case for ECM Suites |
Case for Best of Breed |
ROI, properly defined and measured, requires both an improvement in a customer’s Web situation as well as their business situation. Streamlining a Web publishing process by duplicating content hardly makes long-term sense. Nor does creating exposure to risk management and compliance issues because proper records declarations and process flows have not been implemented. A Web solution needs to both enable Web site management, as well as reduce expenses, prevent compliance exposure, and fit into an overall IT strategy. Introducing content silos, when practically every customer is trying to break down silos, only creates an eventual integration requirement. This is hardly ROI positive, and the cost and time to build integration from a stand-alone solution to an organization’s system of record can be massive. When measured in real-world ROI, which includes rapid solution implementation, necessary system integration, cost reduction and risk reduction, Suites provide a better and more sustainable ROI. |
For ROI assurance look for the ability to: Walk before you can run – do not invest in technology that asks you to take a big risk, investing in thousands of dollars before proving that it works for you. Look for point solution vendors who are prepared to minimize your risk by allowing you to purchase the software in a modular way (pay only for what you want). Grow your business – look for customer testimonials that show how they used their content management solution to support on-line sales initiatives, or by investigating how the same technology can be re-used for new channels. Forrester’s report, “Content suites versus point solutions," identifies Web Content Management vendors as the most likely to help you grow the business. Re-use what you already have – this is also important for ROI, and covered in the next question. |
Offers Flexibility and Speed to Market?
The Case for ECM Suites |
Case for Best of Breed |
Speed to market and flexibility require that the content management system adapt to customer needs, not the other way around. Flexibility and speed requires integration to a customer’s security and IT operations policies, so teams can immediately get to work securely. Speed and flexibility require multiple ways of allowing content contributors to manage their content through existing desktop and portal tools. Flexibility and speed to market requires content, regardless of where it is stored, to be utilized and repurposed rather than having to be recreated. Flexibility requires that collaborative tools be available, and be the tools users already use, rather than proprietary systems. Last, flexibility and speed require the ability to adapt to future demands, and only a Suite provides this broad set of capabilities to insure future demands do not obsolete the organization’s current solution. |
What most business managers really want from flexibility is the ability to re-use of what they already have. This is a big challenge for ECM suites in that their product portfolio is so broad that they will encourage you to replace the document or web content management solution you already have with their own. For many business managers, replacing what they already have and are happy with makes no ROI or business sense. Point Solutions are less likely to duplicate technology you already have, but finding evidence that they comply with industry standards and have capabilities to integrate with back-end systems is important. Since ECM is so broad, speed to market is not commonly seen as one of their strengths. Point Solutions in contrast have much more realistic goals. Once the analysis stage is completed, implementation can be done in months if not weeks. |
Promises a Better Long-term Enterprise Strategy?
The Case for ECM Suites |
Case for Best of Breed |
It is rare when a customer foresees a future with less need for agility, less need to leverage business users, and less priority on process and compliance management. It is even less the case where a customer wants a future where they have to custom stitch all of their solutions together, rather than having them inherently work together out of the box. Unless you are one of these extremely rare cases, you need a Suite approach to meet your needs. When content integration, thus suite functionality, is the clear ECM trend, why introduce a standalone Web content silo? Only Suites offer the needed end-to-end capabilities without requiring expensive and problematic integration patchworks. Only a Suite allows a centralized approach, with resulting lower TCO and cost efficiencies, to meeting these needs. Only a Suite can provide the 360-degree ECM capabilities that are, and will be, required over the long-term. |
With the big infrastructure players such as IBM, Microsoft and Oracle now entering the ECM arena, it is only a question of time before even the ECM vendors will have to follow the path of the point solution vendors if they are to differentiate themselves. The demands from the business community will grow. They will require content applications that combine rich content with transactional functionality. Point solution vendors are currently in the lead in providing such applications. Technology advancements will also favor the choice for point solutions. Content integration and web services are maturing. This will allow organizations to re-use the investments they have made in the past, from access to mainframe data to the re-use of content stored in a point solution repository. Why go for ECM suites when you will soon be able to re-use what you already have? |
Is an All-Around Better Approach?
The Case for ECM Suites |
Case for Best of Breed |
Simply dealing with Web content in isolation from the broadest business needs can create more problems than it solves. A Suite can provide both a broader array of capabilities, inherent content reuse and repurposing, and the ability to integrate Web activities into a broader business context. Suites also offer a much broader set of standards support across content and process needs, thereby opening, rather than closing, integration opportunities. Suites also allow for just the right amount of users, when and where needed. Suites allow a Web system to solve more than one business problem; in fact a Suite approach can solve multiple business problems concurrently from a consolidated and centrally administered platform. Few businesses are 100% focused on publishing Web content, and Suites simply do a better job of meeting both overall business requirements and Web site management needs. |
In conclusion, business managers are looking for technology that can bring value. Managers need solutions that are increasingly close to supporting their business operations, and that have fast time to market. Value in technology will also be measured in the potential it has to help executives to grow the business, and for this the ability to leverage the Web, communicate to target audiences, and support multiple channels will be important. These are the characteristics that make up many point solutions, and which explain why point solutions are an all-around better approach. |
Tom Deutsch came to FileNet in early 2003. He has served as a Director in both the Product Management and Product Marketing organizations, and is responsible for FileNet Content Management, Collaboration, and WCM offerings.
Richard McCarthy is a Product Marketing Manager for Tridion, a CMS vendor headquartered in the Netherlands, with offices throughout Europe. He has more than 25 years experience in information management, development, and consulting roles.