ECMs that Implement Case Management Frameworks

By David Roe (@druadh20) Dec 14, 2009

Last month, in Part 1 of an examination of case management we looked at how Enterprise CMS vendors have been preoccupied with the development of platforms and solutions designed to fill a growing demand for case management software.

Here in the second part of this series we look at specific software products that companies can use to develop case management frameworks.

In our recent article on case management software, after examining current thinking on what exactly it should do we concluded that it should:

Provide instant access to all information
Be able to include all forms of content
Enable easy sharing and search
Offer collaborative tools
Automate mundane and time consuming tasks
Provide all case history
Flag duplication
Be compatible with legacy systems

At the moment there are three different possibilities for companies looking to deploy software that can carry out these functions. These include systems that provide:

A built case management framework that can act as a common platform to configure different case applications
An enterprise content management system that enables case-based solutions by providing a single platform
Cloud-based platforms that enable organizations to design and deploy custom applications that use enterprise content management capabilities at their core. Let’s take an example of each.

Editor's note: If you haven't arleady, have a look at part one of this series: Enterprise CMS Usage Scenario: Case Management Frameworks.

Open Text Case Management Framework

Open Text’s (news, site) Case Management Framework is a multi-client management framework that provides a common platform with all the applications needed to manage cases from entry point to exit point.

Built using key elements of the Open Text ECM Suite, it offers users the ability to configure and deploy multiple case-type applications.

case management_process_1.jpg
The Open Text Case Management framework

The principal components it uses come from Open Text:

Document Management
Records Management
Workflow Management (Business Process Management)
Archiving

With Open Text Case Management users get an overall view of all case information depending on the level of permissions assigned, whether that information is contained in documents, emails, photos or interviews.

Both structured and unstructured data can be located in numerous different repositories — even data located in repositories in different systems — and pulled together into a single case management location.

But in terms of the criteria we already selected for effective case management how does it stack up? Quite well it seems, as it comes with all the principal features we have identified including:

A single location repository for storing and managing documents. It also allows full birds-eye view of content stored.
The ability to manage any type of electronic document in any file format, it also enables users organize electronic documents into folder hierarchies
Audit tools to prevent document and task duplication. The tools monitor document creation, renaming, reserving or unreserving, versioning and viewing.
Collaborative tools that enable numerous users to work on the same material and share it across the enterprise. Tools include project and community workspaces, real-time instant messaging.
Automated and customized document management processes, such as document change requests and document review and approval processes.
Compatibility with legacy systems. There is already an Open Text Case Management Framework for SharePoint, as well as extensions for Oracle, SAP and Microsoft.

Documentum ECM

EMC (news, site) also has a case management framework that uses some of the core elements of the Documentum enterprise content management platform including content business processes, repository services and federated search and reporting capabilities.