Preparing for Change: An 8-Step Checklist for Content Management System Migration

Whether implementing an Enterprise Content Management System for the first time or transitioning from one system to another, organisations must make informed decisions about which documents and files to migrate. Keeping the project’s goals and records retention requirements at the forefront is imperative when determining what content to move and what to leave behind. Before deciding what to migrate, ensure that you and your team comprehensively understand the project’s desired outcomes.

Developing a clear, unified vision of the end goal will provide the necessary guidance to make well-informed decisions regarding content migration. So, here are a few things you should consider when planning to migrate your Enterprise Content Management System:

1) Set Clear Project Objectives

Before diving into the Content Management System migration process, it’s crucial to establish well-defined strategic objectives that will guide your decision-making. What primary goals do you hope to achieve with the new CMS software? Are you aiming to enhance user experience, improve content accessibility, or streamline internal workflows?

Understanding your organisation’s core objectives will help you prioritise which documents and files are essential for supporting these goals and which can be left behind. This also allows you to allocate your resources more efficiently.

2) Leverage New Opportunities with New Systems

The migration to a new CMS software provides an invaluable opportunity to rethink and reshape your content strategy. Rather than simply replicating your existing content structure, take a step back and evaluate how your new system can better support your organisation’s evolving needs. Improvements can include identifying categorisation, metadata tagging, and user permissions.

For example, legacy systems often have cumbersome processes for co-authoring, leaving a trail of conflicting versions in their wake. A modern CMS can streamline collaboration through features like simultaneous co-editing, version tracking with rollback capabilities, and automated approval workflows. This empowers teams to work together seamlessly on documents in real-time, reducing mistakes and turnaround times.

3) Design a Future-Ready Content Ecosystem

As you plan your Content Management System migration, consider your current needs and how the system scales seamlessly with your organisation’s future requirements. You should consider designing the new CMS software to accommodate and support your go-forward workflow rather than shoehorning it into legacy processes. Engage stakeholders from various departments to understand their unique content requirements and collaborate on developing a system that facilitates seamless collaboration, efficient content creation, and streamlined distribution.

By future-proofing your content infrastructure, you can ensure long-term business success and minimise the need for subsequent migrations.

4) Identify Key Content Sources

Before deciding what to migrate, you need to gain a comprehensive understanding of where your organisation’s content is currently stored. Conduct a thorough audit of all existing repositories, including network drives, cloud storage, and legacy systems. Identify the different types of content, such as documents, images, videos, and multimedia files, and document their locations. This comprehensive assessment will serve as a roadmap for your Content Management System migration efforts, ensuring you gain a holistic view of your content landscape and not overlook any valuable assets.

5) The Pitfalls of Moving Everything to the New System

While migrating all your existing content to the new CMS may seem tempting, this approach can often do more harm than good. Transferring irrelevant, outdated, or redundant documents can lead to a cluttered and disorganised system, making it harder to find and manage critical information. Furthermore, maintaining and hosting unnecessary content can strain your system’s resources, potentially impacting performance and scalability. It can also lead to security risks and compliance challenges, exposing your organisation to vulnerabilities.

6) What to Retain and What to Leave Behind?

With a clear understanding of your strategic objectives and an inventory of your existing content, you can begin the process of deciding what to move to the new CMS software. Identify core documents and files supporting your organisation’s primary goals and workflows. These may include essential policies, procedures, templates, and frequently accessed reference materials.

Next, evaluate the relevance and value of your content. Consider archiving or deleting documents no longer applicable, outdated, or superseded by newer versions. It would be a good idea to engage with subject matter experts and content owners to assess the ongoing importance and usefulness of specific documents and seek guidance on what should be retained or retired.

Additionally, consider consolidating duplicate or redundant content to streamline your information architecture. Eliminating multiple versions of the same document can simplify search and retrieval processes, reducing confusion and improving user experience.

7) Responsibly Managing Content that Won’t be Migrated

As you migrate essential content to the new CMS, it’s equally important to responsibly dispose of unnecessary or obsolete materials. Identify a secure and accessible location for storing outdated or historical documents that may still hold legal, compliance, or reference value. Communicate the location and access procedures to relevant stakeholders to ensure continued availability when necessary.

Additionally, establish clear policies and procedures for the responsible disposal of content that no longer holds any value. Follow best practices for secure data destruction to protect sensitive information and ensure compliance with applicable regulations.

8) Establishing a Content Governance Framework

As you finalise your content Management System migration, it’s the perfect opportunity to implement a robust content governance framework. Effective content governance ensures that your organisation manages its digital assets consistently and securely and complies with relevant policies and regulations.

You can start by defining clear roles and responsibilities for content ownership, creation, review, and approval processes. Next, develop comprehensive content policies and guidelines that outline rules for content creation, formatting, metadata tagging, and lifecycle management. You can also consider implementing automated workflows and approval processes within your new Content Management System. These features can streamline content creation, review, and publication, reducing manual efforts and minimising the risk of errors or non-compliance.