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As the consumption of Web content becomes more highly scrutinized by business managers measuring the effectiveness of corporate information portals and online retailers analyzing conversion rates for their marketing campaigns, the importance of rich media as a fundamental enabler of the ideal user experience has reached the critical point both for enterprises choosing WCM solutions and vendors selling them. Over the past year, companies have begun prioritizing in their selection criteria the ease with which business users can create highly-usable Web sites containing multiple rich content types. Because design agencies are repositories of expertise in site usability, it is not surprising that the market has seen a dramatic rise in their influence on enterprise selection processes. Web design firms now influence 15-20% of all enterprise-wide WCM solution purchases in the U.S. and 25-30% in Europe (including systems integrators with usability domain expertise).

What does this mean for enterprises? First, it means that they can use design agencies as leverage points to ensure that vendors with the most usable solutions win their business. Secondly, it means that WCM solutions themselves are improving rapidly in terms of usability. Software vendors know that no longer can corporate IT departments prioritize low-level feature-functionality over interface design, and therefore enhancements to user interfaces are far outstripping those to extended feature-function lists. Lastly, the increased use of analytics packages to measure the performance of WCM systems against pre-defined goals means that the ROI for these systems is becoming both more quantifiable and - very likely - more positive.

Simple truth: there's no better way to judge the effectiveness of content technologies than by listening to the people that implement them.

When I transitioned from the corporate to the analyst world, I was determined not to fall into the "continental divide" that often disconnects pundits from practitioners. I've found that authoring case studies is one of the best ways to avoid the abyss. The process is rewarding in many ways, but the most profound is the ability to connect the dots between the potential impact of content technologies and real-world results.

Another simple truth? Content technology works. CTW's newest case study on Whirlpool Corporation's implementation of digital asset management is proof positive. The story describes the journey from departmental DAM to an enterprise brand management infrastructure as told by Whirlpool's Creative Works organization. Their successes are admirable; their experiences are best practices material; their candor provides vital advice for content technology adopters.

Although I am certainly biased, this case study is well worth the read. Check it Out!

Updating my earlier post about the ClearStory Webinar, the recording of the event is now available online.

I spoke today as part of a ClearStory Systems webinar on rich media management. You can get a PDF of my slides here. The full set of slides, including those given by John Gonzalez of ClearStory, will be posted on the ClearStory site later; I will post the link when I get it. My presentation is based heavily on our recent white paper, Rich Media Management and Business Agility.

During John's presentation, he mentioned how Sony and other customers are using the ClearStory technology to bring more rich media applications to the Web. I like this site, which markets stock video footage from Sony Pictures.

Reminder: The deadline for submitting speaking proposals for our Boston conference on November 29 - December 1, is May 15. In fact, it helps to send proposals even sooner since we are already outlining the program. We'll be covering our usual range of content management technologies, but will have a special focus on new technologies, and which ones are ready for prime time and what business applications they are appropriate for. Enterprise blog, wiki and RSS technologies will certainly be one major focus. There is some early guidance on this year's topics here. If you are new to our events, you can see our typical content coverage and conference structure at last year's Boston program, or this month's San Francisco program.

See the instructions on how to submit proposals.