White board diagrams of centralized content management strategies spanning enterprises – public and private, regions, districts or locales are impressive. It is the same org chart we have all seen before, boxes laid out beneath a central icon stretching horizontally and vertically below. The symbols are creatively annotated with promises of ROI, reusability; cost reduction, scalability and other catchy descriptions that are the fashion of the day. It clearly shows how standards can be force fed to the constituents, but doesn't respond to the autonomy of those constituents and the need to balance both.Centralpoint's patented technology leverages many life lessons to bring the world the first enterprise portal which achieves a nearly perfect balance.
In reality, the traditional approach to centralized content management, has resulted in nothing other than millions of dollars spent and a track record of vast under achievement. Simply creating a repository of records, accessible by the roles of the users is not enough.
The needs at this high level require a pervasive delivery tool which offers granularity and flexibility that is not addressed in the traditional ECM (Enterprise Content Management) model. The traditional top down approach does not provide the autonomy within an adaptive structure to allow local administrators to effectively communicate. Parent organizations and governments may survey or try to predict the requirements at the local level. However, environmental changes at this level occur faster and more frequently. In short, top level administrators cannot predict accurately the changing requirements at lower regional or local levels. Therefore, the inorganic process that assumes success as the result of old fashioned “buy in” at the regional or local level is inherently flawed.
Until now, no ECM (Enterprise Content Management) tool considered anything than a top down brute force approach offered by the traditional model.
Horizontal Propagation is a patented technology which provides a streamlined application, process, and system under one roof, which is revolutionizing the content management space, and demystifying knowledge management itself. This technology enables the propagation of modular components vertically within the traditional model but also horizontally via a centralized delivery framework across multiple vertical instances. Each level within the enterprise, including region or locale has privileged autonomy over their specific web initiatives. This allows for defined organizational standards of reusability to be propagated both horizontally and vertically – in real time.
The approach, process and system to deliver intellectual capital, is the critical success factor within an ECM. Horizontal Propagation is the approach, process and system responding to the needs of an organization to centralize the ECM framework while not centralizing the data itself. The process is to use a modular, scalable architecture providing standards from above, and autonomy from below. It is this patented system that enables centralization and autonomy at every level to exist harmoniously
Winston Churchill was quoted to say “The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see”. The migration from mainframe to network environments is such an example. The mainframe provided ‘remote terminal’ access to centralized data. Increasingly, demand from the users of the mainframe content became more specific. The limited access to specific data inevitably gave way autonomous methods of access and distributed computing environments.
Today, we cyclically find ourselves re-discovering the need to centralize the very same data that only twenty years ago needed to be de-centralized. The cycle is familiar, only this time cycles are condensed and greater amounts of intellectual capital must be leveraged. Imagine a spring which is wide on one end, and narrow on the other. Things are evolving from the wide end of the spring toward the narrow end, moving faster with each revolution. Lessons are revisited with each cycle, retracing our steps but in a more intelligent way .The required “access time” of intellectual capital and the resulting competitive advantage continually shrinking with each revolution. This is why Centralpoint offers a weekly update. As lessons are learned, and Voice of Customer (VOC) brings focus to new patterns in market demands, we can respond with new tools which are available the following week. In other words, Centralpoint cuts these learning curves considerably, because our client base can learn from one another. We don't have to wait for you to discover something new, if someone else in your same market already has.
We can reference manufacturing as a more discrete example of Horizontal Propagation outside of the digital world.
Traditionally, manufacturers reengineered or created new products on a set timeline. This timeline was typically measured in months or years. Manufacturing has responded to shortened product lead times by reengineering manufacturing centers, work cells, and the introduction of leaner processes. Essentially, we have seen manufacturers of tangible products change their approach with each new run of the assembly line, altering their processes to speed the cycle of delivery to meet the most current market demands. For tangible products, however, this cycle is restricted to major updates to only about once per year. Horizontal propagation of intangibles allows this cycle to reflect a near real time basis.
Similar to horizontal propagation, automobile manufacturers have focused on the reusability of parts and components across their product lines. The manufacturing of these parts follows a centralized design. However, the part or component may be utilized in alternative ways across the entire brand offering. Essentially, the component or “option” can be custom installed horizontally across different models. The Centralized design is horizontally propagated in a reusable process allowing for autonomous use specific to the model. The Oxcyon approach to ECM mirrors this approach via a Centralized design, horizontally propagated within a reusable framework allowing for autonomous use based on the specific needs of the content manager and content types. With the automotive industry, new options demanding by clients can only be considered once per year; with horizontal propagation these options can be re-introduced to the product the very next day. This immediate response to the demand of audiences allows for a fluid and streamlined delivery system.
The future of ECM must incorporate the lessons learned from history and other industries. The full capabilities of an organizations intellectual capital “content” is incumbent upon the ability of the ECM product to be leveraged horizontally and vertically within a reusable and autonomous structure. This is only possible via a centralized, top down stream of modular options that focuses the parent’s role on delivering modular options. The content is delivered at the regional and local levels. The top level organization or government performs as a reviewer or as a standards committee to protect and enhance reusability of modules across the global environment of administrators. The new modular options, when introduced or developed, are distributed in real time updating all modules with the new option. Requests for new modular feature(s) are inherently homogeneous and are candidates for reuse at all horizontal and vertical levels. The distribution takes place via a web based automated update in real time. Horizontal Propagation provides a steady stream of delivery, leveraging the learning capital of each administrator for all administrators benefit, governed centrally and following best practices.
The Horizontal Propagation patent application by Oxcyon, was in direct response to the inefficient and continuous reinvention of portals, tools and application development code found in traditional web development. Unfortunately, we continue to see reinvention and the expansion of code basis that will require ongoing maintenance for years to come. Further, it is most evident in large scale enterprise development projects requiring an urgent go to market strategy to remain competitive. The costs of implementation and maintenance are excessive. Horizontal Propagation is the means to less costly and more efficient way.
From US patent application. This diagram illustrates the replication of new sites, which are subsets of the centralized offering, able to inherit new functions after creation.
This technology empowers top level organizations with a unified ECM platform. A platform which replicates and distributes tools containing modular options (tools) to federated regions, each in turn capable of replicating and redistributing modular components to individual sites or initiatives within the ECM chain. This approach is used in other industries such as online gaming and stand alone web based applications, providing updates as they are available to its users. What is unique about horizontal propagation is that it is the first to be introduced within the ECM marketplace.
The critical factor is the ability for a top level organization, such as a government, to propagate and redistribute new modular options in a real time basis to all horizontal and vertical streams. The top level or parent’s role is to administer the re-usability standards of new modules which may be demanded by regional or local administrators on a go forward basis. Horizontal Propagation provides governments and large federated organizations with a delivery approach, process and system offering a fluid and ever-changing menu of options to its administrators and users. This approach can leverage best practices including compliance, taxonomy and preferred workflow from the ‘master die’ and be replicated to all subsets. Most importantly, the individual solution found at the lowest tier or specific locale, can be managed by any non technical individual.
The Balance between Centralization and Autonomy
The Great John Nash discovered what is called the Nash Equilibrium. This mathematical truth proves that best results come when the goals of individuals within a group are considered equal to the goals of the overall group. This intersection of needs is something referred to as a central point, and the namesake of our product. The central point is where the needs of both are met equally. In this way, information may be federated and shared by the organization at large, while the individual needs of contributors and individual message are preserved…no more or no less than one another. In other words, if a system is in place in order to govern the needs of the group, and its’ individual members equally, the greater the likelihood for success of the project.
Nash Equilibrium
In the ECM (Enterprise Content Management) space vendors of all kinds have relied upon up-selling their existing client base each year. This was to offer the latest installment on upgrades to their left behind applications of the previous year(s). Clients have simply gotten used to learning what new products are carried in the carpet bag every year, and have been paying a lot for it. Clients are starting to get wise...why reinvent what everyone else is doing, or have to buy new tools year after year, if they can help it.
The traditional custom build, or hypercustomize an out of the box product has resulted in little to no reusability, with no web updates in time to meet market demands. The process of delivering custom code changes to each individual administrator, is inconsiderate of future re-usability and becomes exponentially onerous for the organization at large. In the case of large government roll outs, especially those with geographic diversity and breadth, the number of individual installed applications can be quite large. Traditionally, any upgrade to a product required climbing Mount Everest like obstacles. With the traditional approach, version control ultimately grows unmanageable on a global or federated scale. Despite the limitations in available options to date, these vendors continue to enjoy increased profits as a result of a specialized expertise that is resold again and again to the customer. This is tantamount to replacing your car engine every time you go for an oil change.
The ubiquitous term portal has become so watered down that it is used for practically every web project conceivable. Portal is too vague a term to use for the purpose of this article. The portal should be referred to as a container which acts as the regional or local host to the modular options being distributed. Another area of confusion is whether a “portal” or container is built using a ground up or top down approach. Most ECM vendors treat their “portal” as a ground up development process resulting in web based views of back office data. This explains why most ECM’s are inflexible in design. A layered, top down approach ensures that the focus remains fixed on content publishing and not bottom up portal design. Horizontal Propagation considers the most subjective part of any website to be its design, workflow and presentation layer.
Figure 2. Horizontal Propagation Diagram. This diagram illustrates the distribution system between centralized tools granting the regional and localized autonomy over their ECM initiatives.
A container is a flexible framework of modules or options. Developed from the top down, containers encapsulate modular tools distributed by the central or top level. The options are selected based on the individual needs of users, both to govern the container, and to govern the available tools. The largest benefit of this top down approach is that integration with disparate and remote web based applications is always achievable. Modular design options require a flexible structure to ensure that requirements at all levels are met. The controls over the container typically cover design, layout specific audiences and their respective workflows. This ensures that the presentation layer of any initiative can achieve its goals without regard to the nature of the project. Conversely, the ground up approach relies upon customization after customization to achieve its goals. It is neither scalable nor sustainable.
Technical knowledge is not a requirement to manage ECM at the top or parent level. The business knowledge required is to understand the data types and taxonomy types. Although template inventories can be made available, the workflow, design and management can be the exclusive responsibility of the regional or local administrator. The tools and options are easy enough for anyone with a web browser to administer. The top or parent level responsibilities should be specific to reviewing and publishing modular options based on the needs and feedback of the regional or local administrators. Standard change management requests should be made to the top or parent level for module design propagation. This will maintain the integrity of the top or parent level administrator and provide a roadmap for training opportunities of regional and local administrators.
Horizontal Propagation leverages the combined experiences and knowledge of all top level, regional and local administrators. Frequently, regional or local administrators may request new tools only to find out they have already been propagated. In these instances, the regional or local administrator has only to decide whether to toggle that option to activate it. Additionally, XML and RSS syndication modules empower centralized yet autonomous initiatives to share information between the global or federated environments. Again, the top or parent level acts as the standards or review committee guiding the redistribution of tools and maintaining the framework.
Horizontal Propagation is a fundamental change to the Enterprise Content Management market. One central point can empower n-tier horizontal and vertical containers to provide a cascading set of tools in real time. The end result is an eco-system of options, available to all levels of an organization. It is a system that learns and grows, leveraging the collective experience of administrators at every level to further develop modules and options within the enterprise.
It is the prediction of this author that organizations of all sizes will be naturally drawn to a centralized autonomous model regarding ECM initiatives. Horizontal Propagation as both a process and a system will refine the definition of centralization. The sustainability of any initiative will be directly predicated upon whether Horizontal Propagation is applied or not. Only Horizontal Propagation can deliver both centralization and autonomy working together harmoniously. As the world continues to move toward a re-defined environment of centralization, horizontal propagation is already evolving to consider the inevitable syndicated de-centralization of the newly centralized data.