A System Theory Perspective of Managerial Effect on CMS Transitions: When the Stars Align

Abstract

Switching to a new content management system (CMS) tool is an important decision businesses make. When implemented correctly, the right CMS tool can improve the quality of documentation, the speed it is produced, and the branding of the business among other things. When done incorrectly, employee morale, productivity, and profitability suffers. Therefore, it is important for management to plan and execute a CMS transition correctly. This report analyzes a case study at a software company whose documentation manager planned and executed a CMS transition from Microsoft Word to Madcap Flare with her team. Team members were interviewed, and their responses were analyzed. Then, their responses were used to construct an Activity System in order to identify key actions and factors that enabled the successful implementation of a new CMS tool. Using a similar framework to address the elusive people factor (i.e., how people within organizations affect things) which significantly affects these projects, senior technical communicators and managers can plan a successful CMS transition of their own.