Most CMS projects fail to meet their ultimate goal of distributing the tools to the source of the content. As a result, many content management systems are underutilised. Some are not being utilised at all, while others lead to frustration levels that cause outright staff hostility. The underlying idea should be to let the information be entered into the system at the source in order to avoid stale content and to ensure that sites are up-to-date.
 
In most cases that we know of, it is NOT a lack of commitment or understanding of senior management which leads to the failure of content management systems. Organisations do not approach large scale content management projects purely for the fun of it. They commit vast amounts of resources and have clear objec­tives that they envision.
 
The main reason for failures is quite simple: The wrong tool is being deployed to the wrong people. As a rule of thumb, if your content contributors, who routinely work with MS Word and other word processing applications need additional training to manage web content, you might as well abandon your content management plan as it will fail. Your "content management" will invariably fall victim to an IT bottleneck. In today's fast paced world, people are unable to invest the time to adequately learn new applications as they are being overwhelmed by their never-ending task lists.
 
In the search for the successful approach, system evaluators should understand that they have a large pool of content contributors with the knowledge and resources to maintain and update even complex web content working for them. The key to success is the ability to leverage their existing knowledge, experience and capabilities rather than forcing new systems on them that require large amounts of training. 
 
Listed below are some practical tips:

• Start by setting yourself realistic and measurable goals.  Vague statements like: "Reduce publishing and marketing costs" are not enough. The reasons are simple: a) every­one has heard it all before, and b) you want to do more with your scarce resources. If you are not able to measure your goals, you will not be able to manage them.
   
• Reduce your wish list to a requirement list that focuses on the essentials. Added complexity will only increase resis­tance to the system by your content contributors.
   
• Add usability requirements to your list of technical re­quirements. Insist on how text is modified, images are selected and modified, tables are built and modified, users are administered, templates are created and how menu structures are modified. Get the whole story. 
   
• Compare at least three alternatives and insist on an extensive trial period to experience the system and test its usability and user interface. WYSIWIG is a starting point, not the solution. The fact that something is easy to use is not good enough; it has to be dead simple. It has to be so intuitive that people can use it instantly. 
   
• Involve your content contributors early in the decision process. Let them play with the competing systems and encourage them to voice their recommendations. 
   
• Use the chosen vendor's hosted application service to start before you in-source a content management system, if at all. With hosted applications you have somebody to take responsibility and someone dedicated to the sys­tem who will fix it. If you are not allowed to try the system in a live environment with your site, do not proceed. The system will most likely be over promised and will under perform.  If you choose a hosted application, you will be able to focus on the critical business process of building editorial teams for quality content rather than having to manage a technology project. It will also give you very clear guidelines for budgeting your content management system in either an internally or externally hosted environment.
   
• Deploy the system in one small business unit that is willing to take the lead and transfer the responsibility to them. Let them do it. If the system is good, it will spread like wildfire. Then deploy to all business units. If business units have different preferences, they might have a good reason. Listen to them!
   
• DO NOT create competency centers or workgroups across your organisation unless there are insurmountably inter­twined business processes that need full integration. It will overwhelmingly lead nowhere fast and will fail. Keep to small groups who are responsible for their own little kingdoms. This is what most often already exists, and again, you might as well leverage your existing culture. Competency centers and workgroups tend to over analyze and over standardize. 
   
• Put your communications department in charge of the restrictions and identity guidelines. You want clear, simple and understandable guidelines which are ideally nailed down in the system such that the content contributor is not even aware of them.
   
• Manage the implementation with your own resources. Never rely on your content management system vendor for the implementation plan. The vendor will very likely not adhere to your plan and budget, as they understand nothing of your business.  
   
• Rid your content management system of a complex work­flow, as it won't likely work. Make the processes as easy and simple as possible. Empower your people and allow them to make mistakes. Make sure that your legal de­partment checks your public information before activating the live switch. 
   

If you are wanting a quick launch and information that is con­stantly updated with a system that is motivating people to actually contribute, you will need to follow the simple rule of simplicity. All else carries too many pitfalls and is headed for failure.