Common Sense Advisory outlines the functions that matter most in managing multilingual websites and documents, and which CMS vendors do the best in implementing these critical features

Lowell, MA - February 12, 2010 -- Which content management system (CMS) delivers the best support for multilingual and multiregional use? Most organizations turn to some form of CMS to handle authoring, transforming, publishing, and storing their multilingual content assets.

In its latest content management research, market research firm Common Sense Advisory studied the features and functions of 16 systems commonly used in international operations. The results, which are published in its report “Global Content Management,” define which functions matter most in managing multilingual websites and documents, and which CMS vendors do the best in implementing these critical features. To complete the research and rankings, the firm reviewed features and functions, but also considered organizational capabilities of the companies or open-source communities developing the products.

The report scores the solutions along four axes: 1) multilingual content handling; 2) multiregional process management; 3) multilingual user support; and 4) resources for multiregional implementation.

“As organizations increasingly address international markets and domestic multicultural audiences, content goes through a translation process before being shared with the information consumer,” advises the report‘s lead analyst, Ben Sargent. “Any organization that operates internationally sooner or later finds itself dealing with multiple languages. Even companies, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations that believe their audience today is monolingual should select software in anticipation of future multilingual needs.”

Common Sense Advisory interviewed the following companies and reviewed their technology solutions: Astoria, Author-It, CrownPeak, DocZone, Drupal, Ektron, EMC, IBM, Kentico, Kinetic, SCHEMA, SDL, Sitecore, and Vasont. These solutions were selected based partly on frequent citation by companies using systems for global information management. The results are published in the 30-page report, which includes:

• Global business requirements for web content management (WCM), component-based content management (CCM), and enterprise management (ECM)
• System characteristics of web- and document-oriented contenders
• Discussion of the three classes of users that interact with global content technology
• WCM, CCM, and ECM rankings for global content and process
• WCM, CCM, and ECM rankings for global users and implementation
• Graphical representation of the relative strength of specific vendor solutions to help prospective buyers short-list the most appropriate systems for RFPs and evaluation.

“Global Content Management” is the latest in the firm‘s ongoing research on multilingual content management, which originated in 2003 with its report “Rage Against the Content Management Machine.” For more information about Common Sense Advisory‘s research on content management, visit http://www.commonsenseadvisory.com.

About Common Sense Advisory
Common Sense Advisory, Inc. is an independent research and analysis firm specializing in the on- and offline operations driving business globalization, internationalization, localization, translation, and interpretation. Its research, consulting, and training help organizations improve the quality of their global business operations. For more information, visit: www.commonsenseadvisory.com or www.twitter.com/CSA_Research.

Contact :
Melissa C. Gillespie
Common Sense Advisory
100 Merrimack St., Suite 301
Lowell, MA 01852
978-275-0500
[email protected]
http://www.commonsenseadvisory.com