Enterprise Content Management Implementation: An Overview of Phases, Standards and Best Practice Guidelines

Abstract

The management of digital records has been a subject of numerous scholarly discussions for several years. Discussions on the application systems used to manage these records and other digital content have often used diff erent terminology, frequently interchangeably, with little regard to nuanced diff erences. In addition, a number of standards and best practice guidelines have been developed in diff erent countries to address the challenges of assessing and implementing these applications. While it may look like a lot of resources are available to records professionals as they tackle the challenges of implementing software applications, there is need to clarify terminology and identify implementation phases, as well, as the appropriate standards and best practice guidelines. This article, using primarily a review of literature, suggests definitional clarity and connectedness of diff erent terms used for Enterprise Content Management (ECM) applications. It identifies the various phases of implementation of ECM applications and off ers an overview of standards and best practice guidelines. Lastly it provides an assessment of the connection between phases of implementation in relation to standards and best practice guidelines, providing a gap analysis while also suggesting ways of addressing the variance.