Gartner; Understanding the Magic Quadrant - ECM

Acronym Key and Glossary Terms

BCS basic content services BPM business process management DAM digital asset management ECM enterprise content management EMEA Europe, the Middle East and Africa IDARS integrated document archive and retrieval system Java EE Java Platform, Enterprise Edition OEM original equipment manufacturer SI system integrator SMB small and midsize business TCM total content management WCM Web content management WSS Windows SharePoint Services

Note 1 Basic Content Service

This can be differentiated from ECM as follows: Cost is the most distinct characteristic of a BCS product. Software licensing can cost less than $100 per user for large volume deals. Requirements for extra functions will increase the initial software costs if content management components are not included. Functionality is more limited in BCS products in terms of breadth and depth. These products include some of the basic functions of ECM product suites. However, the capabilities are strong in some areas and weak in others. Scalability is just as important for a BCS product as for a traditional ECM product suite. BCS will need to support many users, but may only need to handle a small number of documents. Ease of deployment has a significant impact on overall application costs. BCS products are unique solutions that require minimal professional services to configure and implement. Ease of integration is prevalent across a variety of client applications. Other business applications and process management tools are necessary components of BCS.

Note 2 Disclaimer

SunGard Data Systems Inc. is a portfolio company of Silver Lake Partners, a private investment firm that also owns a substantial, publicly disclosed interest in Gartner, Inc., and has two seats on Gartner's 11-member Board of Directors. Gartner research is produced independently by the Company's analysts, without the influence, review or approval of our investors, shareholders or directors. For further information on the independence and integrity of Gartner research, see "Guiding Principles on Independence and Objectivity" on our Web site, www.gartner.com.

Vendors Added or Dropped

We review and adjust our inclusion criteria for Magic Quadrants and MarketScopes as markets change. As a result of these adjustments, the mix of vendors in any Magic Quadrant or MarketScope may change over time. A vendor appearing in a Magic Quadrant or MarketScope one year and not the next does not necessarily indicate that we have changed our opinion of that vendor. This may be a reflection of a change in the market and, therefore, changed evaluation criteria, or a change of focus by a vendor.

Evaluation Criteria Definitions

Ability to Execute Product/Service: Core goods and services offered by the vendor that compete in/serve the defined market. This includes current product/service capabilities, quality, feature sets, skills, etc., whether offered natively or through OEM agreements/partnerships as defined in the market definition and detailed in the subcriteria. Overall Viability (Business Unit, Financial, Strategy, Organization): Viability includes an assessment of the overall organization's financial health, the financial and practical success of the business unit, and the likelihood of the individual business unit to continue investing in the product, to continue offering the product and to advance the state of the art within the organization's portfolio of products. Sales Execution/Pricing: The vendor's capabilities in all pre-sales activities and the structure that supports them. This includes deal management, pricing and negotiation, pre-sales support and the overall effectiveness of the sales channel. Market Responsiveness and Track Record: Ability to respond, change direction, be flexible and achieve competitive success as opportunities develop, competitors act, customer needs evolve and market dynamics change. This criterion also considers the vendor's history of responsiveness. Marketing Execution: The clarity, quality, creativity and efficacy of programs designed to deliver the organization's message in order to influence the market, promote the brand and business, increase awareness of the products, and establish a positive identification with the product/brand and organization in the minds of buyers. This "mind share" can be driven by a combination of publicity, promotional, thought leadership, word-of-mouth and sales activities. Customer Experience: Relationships, products and services/programs that enable clients to be successful with the products evaluated. Specifically, this includes the ways customers receive technical support or account support. This can also include ancillary tools, customer support programs (and the quality thereof), availability of user groups, service-level agreements, etc. Operations: The ability of the organization to meet its goals and commitments. Factors include the quality of the organizational structure including skills, experiences, programs, systems and other vehicles that enable the organization to operate effectively and efficiently on an ongoing basis. Completeness of Vision Market Understanding: Ability of the vendor to understand buyers' wants and needs and to translate those into products and services. Vendors that show the highest degree of vision listen and understand buyers' wants and needs, and can shape or enhance those with their added vision. Marketing Strategy: A clear, differentiated set of messages consistently communicated throughout the organization and externalized through the Web site, advertising, customer programs and positioning statements. Sales Strategy: The strategy for selling product that uses the appropriate network of direct and indirect sales, marketing, service and communication affiliates that extend the scope and depth of market reach, skills, expertise, technologies, services and the customer base. Offering (Product) Strategy: The vendor's approach to product development and delivery that emphasizes differentiation, functionality, methodology and feature set as they map to current and future requirements. Business Model: The soundness and logic of the vendor's underlying business proposition. Vertical/Industry Strategy: The vendor's strategy to direct resources, skills and offerings to meet the specific needs of individual market segments, including verticals. Innovation: Direct, related, complementary and synergistic layouts of resources, expertise or capital for investment, consolidation, defensive or pre-emptive purposes. Geographic Strategy: The vendor's strategy to direct resources, skills and offerings to meet the specific needs of geographies outside the "home" or native geography, either directly or through partners, channels and subsidiaries as appropriate for that geography and market.