Globalisation and the spread of information technology allow the creation of unexpected and disruptive business models. Many executives feel the heat is on and that they must innovate faster just to stand still. “Revving up,” from the Economist, October 2007.

That about says it all. Innovate faster just to stand still. One of the reasons for our research back in February was that we believe globalization innovation from a technology perspective will include the integration of content and translation management. SDL’s acquisition of Tridion in May sparked a bevy of commentary in the press and analyst blogs, including our own. What would “Under One Roof” mean for the industry’s approach to globalization demands and challenges? Our answer? Various approaches, but ones focused on bringing these disparate software markets much closer together. You know, the “i” market.

Since then, there’s a lot more brewing — and it all has to do with one of our favorites topics. In fact, we’re hoping that recent trends enable us to expand our definitions of integration levels in a big way. Hint: more 360-degree business process management than fundamental workflow integration. Given the events to date in the translation and localization market, we’re optimistic that it will. Consider the list:

• Clay Tablet Technologies, with its “seamless integration solution” is coming on strong since a major launch in 2005. Since September, the company has announced integrations with translation management solutions and service providers such as across systems and SDL, adding to a roster that includes Language Weaver, TRANSLATED, and content management provider DocZone.
• Idiom has teamed with both EMC and Astoria in recent months to promote the benefits of “an integrated, state-of-the-art content management and globalization management solution.” The company announced an integration with XyEnterprise’s Contenta back in April.
• Lionbridge has multiple content management providers in the “CMS Provider” section of the company’s Globalization Alliances description.
• Sajan has content management integration on its agenda, making impressive progress with the release of GCMS 4.0 and more specifically, its X-Content Integration framework in March and June respectively.
• SDL has taken the Tridion acquisition a step further, describing the October content and translation management implementation at Atlas Copco as an “off-the-shelf integrated solution.”

These trends are signs of what is sorely needed for organizations to strategically — and successfully — more toward global expansion. However, a favorite question of ours in in this brave new world of integration is: “Who’s the buyer?” In reality, it is unfortunate that in many cases, content and translation management professionals do not collaborate and even worse, may not know that technology integration is possible.

If you are a buyer that’s interested in this trend, come to Gilbane Boston 2007 to find out what’s next for the “i” word and more importantly, what kind of technology approach is right for you. We think the entire Globalization track is pretty impressive, but for integration fans, “GCM-2: Integrating Content and Translation Processes: Managing Global Customer Experience” stands out.

Attention, buyers and users of content and globalization management solutions! Wondering about the right integration approach for your company?

The globalization track at Gilbane Boston 2007 includes a session entitled “Integrating Content and Translation Processes: Managing Global Customer Experience.” The panel brings together two content management vendors, two providers of translation technology and services, and one middleware company that connects multiple CM and GM systems. Our goal is to explore the different options that you have when integrating the two technologies to create solutions supporting the global content life cycle.

In the session description, we promise to use “real world scenarios” to drive the panel. We’re issuing an invitation to our readers to submit suggestions for the scenarios that we’ll use for discussion. Do you have CM and GM practices that need to be streamlined? Are you planning to acquire and deploy CM/GM in the future, but not sure how to best fit the technologies together? Need fresh ideas for outmoded processes? Then think about proposing a scenario for the integration session at Gilbane Boston.

We’ll arrange a call with you to discuss your scenario and its context. If your scenario is chosen for use in the session, you’ll help us write up a description that we’ll share with the panel participants prior to the conference. Whether we choose your scenario or not, you’ll have the benefit of a little free advice from the Gilbane Group in the course of discussing your situation, constraints, requirements, etc. Please note that you need not register for Gilbane Boston in order to submit a scenario for possible use in the session. But if you do plan on attending the conference, you’ll have the option of presenting your own scenario to the panel.

Send scenarios or questions about the session to me or to my colleague Leonor. We’d welcome the chance to speak with you about this unique opportunity.