Customized EDMS (Electronic Document Management System or ADMS)

[szohar]

My employer is on the verge of implementing a new electronic document management system that is based on existing technology customized by a third-party vendor for our needs. We have a well-defined set of functional requirements upon which we have agreed with the vendor, and we are now testing prototype releases. We're finalizing our user acceptance test criteria. Things are looking pretty good so far, and I'd like to think we're being thorough, but I figure it can't hurt to ask for input.

If any of you have implemented a customized EDMS, are there any unpleasant surprises you'd recommend that we test for, surprises that you only stumbled across after implementation?

Thanks!

 

[Wes Bucey]

Re: Customized EDMS (or ADMS)

My employer is on the verge of implementing a new electronic document management system that is based on existing technology customized by a third-party vendor for our needs. We have a well-defined set of functional requirements upon which we have agreed with the vendor, and we are now testing prototype releases. We're finalizing our user acceptance test criteria. Things are looking pretty good so far, and I'd like to think we're being thorough, but I figure it can't hurt to ask for input.

If any of you have implemented a customized EDMS, are there any unpleasant surprises you'd recommend that we test for, surprises that you only stumbled across after implementation?

Thanks!

I've written on the topic of electronic document management systems extensively over the past five years here in the Cove.

The two most frequent "gag" (or "choke") points in edms are:

1. incorporating (including) legacy documents
2. usability for both document authors [including system adminstrators] AND folks who will only retrieve and use the documents to perform an activity.

How are you handling those two issues? The question always hinges on whether the folks who need to USE the system are able to use it in an efficient manner with a very short learning curve to reach competence.

 

[szohar]

Re: Customized EDMS (or ADMS)

Thanks for such a quick response! I figured you'd be answering this one...

We actually have a very specific plan for integrating legacy documents, and have given the process a great deal of thought, so I think we're pretty good there.

The usability is something we're working on, and my manager and I have a meeting scheduled this coming week with two non-IT managers who have extensive paper document management experience inside and out of this company to discuss their concerns and to talk a little about usability for the average non-technical department manager who will be requesting DCRs, new documents, and document retirements. Any specific advice you have in that area would be more than welcome.

Any other gotcha's waiting for us?

 

[Wes Bucey]

Re: Customized EDMS (or ADMS)

Thanks for such a quick response! I figured you'd be answering this one...

We actually have a very specific plan for integrating legacy documents, and have given the process a great deal of thought, so I think we're pretty good there.

The usability is something we're working on, and my manager and I have a meeting scheduled this coming week with two non-IT managers who have extensive paper document management experience inside and out of this company to discuss their concerns and to talk a little about usability for the average non-technical department manager who will be requesting DCRs, new documents, and document retirements. Any specific advice you have in that area would be more than welcome.

Any other gotcha's waiting for us?

Since it is customized, make sure contract allows you to get the SOURCE code and understandable
DOCUMENTATION used in customizing. A problem many organizations face is being caught with a system that needs modification or expansion, but the original authors are no longer available (for a variety of reasons) and the documentation and source code are unavailable, necessitating a completely new system.

 

[szohar]

I am definitely vetting the documentation, and my boss and I have agreed that if the documentation is confusing or inadequate in any way, I'll be working with the vendor to improve the documentation until we're satisfied.

I'm not sure whether the contract includes turning over source code, and I don't have that level of authority, but I will bring the issue up with my boss.