Reviews and feedback
“As the content management tools and processes become increasingly complex, it’s become incredibly hard to know how to evaluate and select the right CMS. That’s why all content managers need Step Two’s indispensable Toolkit; it’s an incredibly useful package of practical guidance, helpful directions, and supporting theory that will lead to better RFPs and ultimately more successful authors and content managers.”
Lou Rosenfeld, Author, Information Architecture for the World-wide Web
“Having advised on and reviewed numerous CMS requirements documents, it has become clear to me that most organizations struggle to accurately define and understand the scope of heir projects in the early stages.
During proposal planning and requirements definition, the value of the CMS Requirements Toolkit cannot be understated. It provides practical guidance, broadly re-usable content, and serves as a concise educational tool.
Given the large and potentially negative impact of a poor CMS procurement decision, the risk mitigation benefits provided by toolkit for make it well worth its cost. It is the most affordable insurance policy a serious procurement team could acquire.”
Brice Dunwoodie, Editor, CMSwire.com, August 2004
“All in all I think this is a great toolkit and it has definitely paid
for itself in the hours it has saved me so far.”Jerry Boggess, April 2003
“Absolutely brilliant, thanks Steptwo.com.au”
Charles Jackson, St. James’ Place, September 2002
“While we’re still early in our process, the report has been incredibly useful as we define the selection criteria with which we are going to evaluate CMSs. Not only does it give us a good overview for areas to cover, it also gives us supporting documentation if anyone questions the criteria that we decide to use.”
C. David Gammel, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Much of my consulting work is now concerned with the development of specifications for content management systems. Writing a Request for Proposal is not a straightforward task, and most organisations have no appreciation of the work that is involved. Fortunately for them James Robertson, the founder and Managing Director of Step Two Designs, an Australian knowledge management consultancy, has written a Content Management Requirements Toolkit, which in essence is an extensive list of over 100 CMS requirements that you can use as a framework and checklist for your own CMS specification. I am very grateful to James for providing me with a review copy.
The toolkit comes as a PDF document and an associated Word file that can be used in cut & paste mode in the creation of the RFP. Quite clearly James writes from considerable practical experience, and the result is a model of clarity, scope and wisdom. The main sections are Content Creation, Content Management, Publishing, Presentation, and Contract and Business. Although no technical knowledge is required to understand the Toolkit that does not mean to say that this Toolkit takes the place of an IT department.
Overall this Toolkit is a highly innovative product and should save any organisation many days of effort. As such the price of US$375 is a bargain, and frankly if you think this is expensive then give up any thoughts of purchasing a content management system! I see this as a must-buy, and if you add this to the Content Management Bible by Bob Boiko (Hungry Minds Press) then you probably won’t need a consultant. Only joking!! The Step Two Design web site is also a source of excellent briefing papers.
Martin White, Intranet Focus
“The toolkit is very comprehensive, and useful.”
content-wire.com
