Socializing and Rating Content: a new ECM Priority 

Author: Jim Lundy                           Date: August 15, 2011

Topic:  Mobile                                   Research Note Number: 2011-8

Topic: Content Management

Issue: How will content management technologies and architectures evolve?

Summary: Everyone wants to locate and use the best content. Allowing people to socialize content marks a new era for ECM while at the same time providing a measurement system that will drive higher quality content within the enterprise.

People are always searching for the best and most current document, particularly when it will give them or their enterprise an edge. Content management strategies have focused on collecting the important documents, creating repositories to store and manage them and providing search and retrieval tools that let users find and access what they need. As more ad hoc content sources, web content and even social media content (e.g., blogs, comments, ratings) becomes part of the enterprise resource, the challenge of finding the best and most valuable document becomes greater.

In the world of social networking, fresh, timely and current content is what keeps the network vibrant. However, the additional contributions from readers (e.g., ratings, reviews and comments) make the content more valuable. The concept of allowing readers to rate content in order to improve its value is directly applicable to the enterprise, and an important ingredient of an enterprise social networking strategy.

This marks a new era for content in the enterprise – one in which people have a simple and direct way to discuss and evaluate – and, effectively, influence – the value of content in their work. This also marks a new challenge for ECM vendors, who have historically focused on mechanics: storing, versioning and indexing documents. This research overviews this shift and the importance of content ratings.

Note: This is part of Aragon’s archived research. Please visit our Coverage Areas page to view our most recent content.

Copyright © 2011 Aragon Research Inc. and or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
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