London January 7, 2011

Moving into 2011, the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) technology marketplace has split into two distinct and separate segments, according to buy-side analyst firm, The Real Story Group (formerly CMS Watch).

ECM Infrastructure Vendors, that position their platforms as a set of lower-level technology services to manage high-volume, process-centric needs, such as processing insurance claims.

Document Management Application Vendors, that configure their products to accommodate specific needs.

ECM infrastructure deals are large, but less common, as complexity and cost limit their appeal and usefulness. ECM infrastructure vendors Autonomy, Oracle, OpenText, IBM, and EMC have been acquisitive and are likely to remain so in 2011. As a result, these vendors often represent a relatively higher risk to buyers (see Cross-Check chart, below).

In contrast, the marketplace for departmental and process-specific Document Management products is a blend of a diverse set of players, ranging from vertical and horizontal options (e.g., patient billing in healthcare), to broader, open source and low-cost cloud offerings. Example vendors include Hyland in the US, Perceptive in Australasia, and Fabasoft in Germany. With mature product and service offerings and strong vertical expertise, these vendors often represent a relatively lower risk for buyers.

Designed to supplement functional and cost/value analyses in any major procurement decision, The Real Story Groups Cross-Check charts denote buy-side risk, measured in four key dimensions:
• Size Denotes the relative size and importance of the vendor in that technology marketplace
• Focus on ECM Indicates how much of the firms efforts are focused on document and records management
• Vendor Evolution Weighs the current pace of change within the vendor itself
• Product Development Weighs the current pace of change for the solution

About Real Story Group

The Real Story GroupTM provides research and advisory services to support you through content technology selection and implementation. Through highly detailed technical evaluations, advisory papers, and education courses, The Real Story Group helps you to sort out the complex technology landscape, so that you can minimize time and effort identifying technologies suited to your particular requirements. The Real Story Group evaluates Web Content Management, Digital Asset Management, Document & Records Management (ECM), Enterprise Collaboration & Social Software, Enterprise Search, and SharePoint Ecosystem vendors. To retain its independence as an impartial analyst firm, Real Story Group works solely for solutions buyers and never for vendors.