Articles - Page 17

What I Mean to Say: A Practitioner Perspective on AI, Semantics, and Content Evolution

msalvatierra

<hr /> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-panella-b616911/">John Panella</a> knows a thing or two about customer experience. As Group Vice President at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.publicisgroupe.com/en/services/services-publicis-sapient-en">Publicis Sapient</a>, a top digital business transformation and consulting firm, he leads technology strategy for CX platforms – providing thought leadership, analyst relations, and all the intrepid skull work required to deliver successful projects for big brands around the globe.In his downtime (if there is such a thing), John has been lending his deep experience and insight to the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-publishes-first-annual-report-showcases-industry-impact-and-plans-for-2024">MACH Alliance</a>, serving as an Executive Board Member since 2022. His skills around customer experience have been key to decrypting the market's needs as they relate to tech – particularly as the shift towards MACH and composable accelerates. Perhaps it’s apropos that John is helping to lead and message <a target="_blank" href="https://machalliance.org/content-hub/expanding-mach-certification-scope-for-clear-buyer-guidance-in-a-complex-market">the big news today</a> from the MACH Alliance. The group, which has long advocated for open, best-of-breed technology ecosystems, just announced that it will expand its well-established charter for certification to include independent offerings from within larger companies.In other words, big technology players – often comprising numerous products and services – will now be able to certify offerings within their ecosystem. Up until now, certification has only been available to standalone business entities, where the entire company must meet all tenets of MACH (Microservices, APIs, Cloud SaaS, Headless) criteria. It’s a bold shift in strategy, and one that is certain to draw strong opinions from both members and market watchers alike. That said, it’s also a logical move when we consider the fluid nature of the technology market and how sole-product companies are often acquired by larger entities. Those products might still meet MACH mandates, but until now, they had no way to maintain certification or retain the value of their investment in becoming certified. As stated in John’s opening salvo (via an article shared on LinkedIn), the MACH Alliance has always been guided by its mission to help buyers navigate a complex and noisy technology landscape – and find modern, best-in-class solutions to reach their business goals. To keep pace with an evolving landscape, the MACH certifications are also changing. If there’s one thing the MACH Alliance is flush with, it’s smart people. Consequently, no decision is made without credible data and thorough analysis. As John points out in his article, the organization spent the first three months of 2024 researching enterprise buyer requirements as part of a <a target="_blank" href="https://machalliance.org/content-hub/mach-alliance-s-commitment-to-clear-guidance-amidst-big-tech-acquisitions-and-developments">certification review</a> that was announced in December. At the heart of the endeavor was a comprehensive survey of over 100 enterprise technology buyers in the UK, US, and Germany. This may not seem like a compelling sample, but it is the enterprise layer of the market, and hence a smaller and more concentrated piece of the pie. The stated goal was to gauge the value placed on existing MACH certifications, identify limitations, and chart opportunities for evolving or expanding the programs.  “Respondents confirmed the need for clearer guidance in an increasingly intricate market, characterized by market consolidation, changing marketing trends, and modernization efforts by legacy and larger vendors” John explained in the article. “As MACH solidifies its position as the industry standard, we are committed to meeting that demand effectively.”Prospective members seeking assessment against these new criteria will be able to apply starting May 1st. That's just around the corner, so let's unpack more of the details – and why it matters. <h3 id="what-does-it-mean-to-recognize-independent-offerings-from-larger-companies?">What does it mean to recognize independent offerings from larger companies?</h3>The key words are independent offerings and larger companies. To further clarify: the central focus is redefining the criteria for company certification. Rather than solely focusing on standalone legal business entities, the MACH Alliance is changing its criteria to qualify substantial independent offerings within larger vendors.There’s an important distinction here. Beneath the vendor umbrella, the MACH solutions must be actively branded, offered, and sold separately. They also have to be accessible and participate in an ecosystem of software from other MACH Certified vendors, and function in a composable manner. According to the article, this shift will help the MACH Alliance provide even greater clarity across the MACH application and services landscape, giving buyers more choice. At the same time. MACH certification will provide a backbone of assurance that these independent offerings from larger solutions will ensure the longevity and adaptability of their technology stack.“By changing our criteria to accommodate for this, we stand by the importance of MACH principles while creating a clear path for Software Vendors, Enablers, and Systems Integrators with a committed, distinguishable MACH offering,” John stated.<h3 id="what’s-driving-this-change?">What’s driving this change?</h3>Of course, that’s the operative question. As you might expect, it’s a confluence of things.The survey results make it relatively clear that the evolving complexities buyers face are the key drivers. While the majority of respondents codified the importance of MACH certification, they expressed a growing need for guidance when navigating a mixed landscape of legacy systems, MACH-certified technologies, and emerging product innovations. According to the data, buyers emphasized the importance of MACH architectural principles and vendor interoperability, which are hallmarks of the Alliance’s MACH certification – and the sole industry standard for this assurance. As John’s article reveals, enterprise technology buyers would like the MACH Alliance to play a more active role in guiding the journey by providing greater know-how and awareness. One area where that’s been a pervasive challenge is distinguishing “MACH-washing” (when brands project MACH messaging but have not been certified) from MACH-compatible solutions. Buyers are also expressing a greater need for assistance when assessing new and innovative product technologies as they emerge. It’s not always clear that these solutions meet the MACH baseline, or if they will ultimately be compatible. Along with this, buyers are seeking a more comprehensive and realistic view of the total landscape from the Alliance, helping them proactively plan for the future.<h3 id="what-will-the-requirements-be-for-independent-offerings?">What will the requirements be for independent offerings?</h3>This is an important question, as the MACH Alliance has the rest of its member community to consider – all of whom have met the original standards as sole business entities. Now, they’ll be making room for other offerings that are the domain of larger industry players. Fairness and upholding the core tenets of MACH’s guiding principles are clearly top of mind. As John outlined in the article, the Alliance has thoughtfully structured its strategy around clarity and transparency, crystallizing a set of specific requirements for larger brands seeking certification for their offerings.First, an independent offering must possess its own distinct identity, one that’s clearly separate from other offerings within the parent company. Additionally, the larger vendor won’t be permitted to use the sub-brand’s relationship with the MACH Alliance in any of its marketing or other content. The independent offering will also need to be defined as a distinct product or service, clearly delineated from the parent company and able to demonstrate a unique value proposition and its MACH credentials. Another requirement is that an independent offering has its own dedicated leadership team. As John pointed out, this will help ensure a broader commitment to autonomy, from product development to P&amp;L to operations. From a sales perspective, independent offerings will also need to be marketed and sold outside the purvey of its parent company. This would be codified by the product or service maintaining its own external-facing presence and website.Finally – and this is the big one – an independent offering will still need to strictly adhere to MACH Principles to achieve certification. That means fully embracing the open, best-of-breed posture advocated by the MACH Alliance, and expressing compliance through credible customer use cases. It also includes demonstrating interoperability with other products, engaging in thought leadership, and forging strategic partnerships.So how is this all being weighted when assessing these new offerings? Here’s an example showing how the criteria will be applied leveraging past members, previously rejected applicants, and new applicants (note: this would be in addition to a 90% pass of existing MACH standards and criteria).<figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:90.8%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/04/image.png" alt="" /></figure><h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>At CMS Critic, we’ve tracked the growth of the MACH Alliance since its early days. We’ve taken a keen interest because many of its members are headless CMS platforms, integrative tools, and SIs focused on building and architecting composable solutions. The Alliance's impact on this entire ecosystem cannot be overstated. Full transparency: I have been a member of the <a target="_blank" href="https://machalliance.org/board">MACH Alliance Executive Advisory Board</a> for almost two years, focusing on industry concerns in 2024. I believe in many of the tenets of composable and its general motion in the market, but I always strive to share unbiased feedback with the organization and with our readers. As I’ve already mentioned, this is a logical move. Many modern products and services owned by parent companies (probably) fit the bill, and enabling a path to certification would help clarify these choices for buyers. It’s also a strategy that reflects the market's sentiment, which continues to be one of confusion. As the pace of M&amp;A picks up this year (as predicted), we’re also likely to see more products and services fall into this category. Maintaining certification incentivizes parent companies to meet the obligations for certification to help maintain continuity and leverage the value of MACH for its customers – as well as new prospects.  Given the scope of requirements for these independent offerings, it might thin out the field considerably. Parent entities will need to be serious about restructuring established products to meet the criteria. The biggest appeal might be for newly acquired companies that can more easily retain their brand distinction and operational footprint without a significant pivot.Obviously, there are granular details to divine. What constitutes a leadership team? How will the brand dimensions be assessed? How isolated must the website and marketing materials be to meet the criteria? With its renewed focus on transparency – a commitment that Alliance president <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-future-is-composable-a-conversation-with-new-mach-alliance-president-casper-rasmussen">Casper Rasmussen</a> has frequently conjured – we can expect greater definition around the requirements and application process to follow. Finally, a note about fairness: when the MACH Alliance first emerged on the scene, it cultivated a reputation of exclusivity (you know, the whole “velvet rope” mantle). Composable was also seen by many as a hedge against the traditional market monoliths, leveling the competitive playing field for smaller platforms that fit the composable niche. When its application process became shrouded in criticism, the organization shifted toward inclusivity, and that meant reassessing how it could become even more open with its practices. Adding large vendors to the mix – by way of products beneath their umbrella – might seem antithetical on some level, but it’s further embracing its core philosophy and advancing the mission to support the buyer.  The MACH Alliance is openly welcoming feedback on these changes. You can get in touch via info@machalliance.org to ask questions and share your thoughts. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

MACH Alliance Expands Certification Scope to Include Offerings within Larger Vendors

matt-garrepy

Is Google adding the letters 'CRM' to its Alphabet soup? Ask HubSpot

<hr /> Being open source is as much a technology posture as it is a philosophical mindset. For CMSs that are truly cut from the cloth, being open and transparent about practices, communities, and other aspects of business is part of the ethos. As we all grapple with the realities of climate change and the urgency for decarbonization, it's important to remember that the internet is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gases, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200305-why-your-internet-habits-are-not-as-clean-as-you-think">accounting for 3.7% of global emissions</a>. That's roughly the equivalent of all air traffic in the world. Yikes. How can we possibly land this plane? What's more alarming is that this figure is expected to double by 2025 as our thirst for data skyrockets.For all its faults, the Internet has been miraculous for mankind. No one is suggesting we do away with it (although I might know a few people on Facebook who claim we're better off without it, but still post these notions using, er, the internet). You're probably asking, “What can I do about it?” when we rely so heavily on digital tools to do our jobs and stay connected to the world. It might seem like a pipedream for any one person to make a dent in this problem, but even small adjustments to our habits can make a difference. For businesses with websites, the opportunity is even greater – especially if the tools and platforms they utilize provide efficient and sustainable solutions that directly address these issues. As an open-source content management system, <a target="_blank" href="https://umbraco.com/">Umbraco</a> has fully embraced this thinking and made wholesale commitments with its technology, culture, and vision to combat these challenges. Transparency is key to delivering on these commitments, and the company is reinforcing that with intention by publishing an annual report that assesses its impact on people and the planet. This week, it released its second edition.The <a target="_blank" href="https://umbraco.com/about-us/impact-report/">Umbraco Impact Report 2023</a> details how the company is working with its community, clients, and partners to improve sustainability, enhance diversity and inclusion, encourage AI stewardship, and support current and future developers.“We have always focused on making the Umbraco CMS intuitive for web editors and straightforward for developers to integrate, extend, and customize," said <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/umbraco-cms-acquired-by-software-investor-monterro-interview-with-ceo-kim-sneum-madsen">Kim Sneum-Madsen</a>, Umbraco CEO. "Because of this, Umbraco is now the largest open-source .Net CMS in the world, and we recognize our responsibility to help our community to make websites more energy-efficient and sustainable.”How much of an impact can Umbraco make? Consider that over the past two decades, more than a million websites have been built using its CMS. That's impressive, and a testament to the company's perseverance. It's also a large footprint of sites and users who can all benefit from more sustainable solutions. Over that same period, Umbraco’s global open-source community has also grown to more than 250,000 software contributors, with 1,500 digital agency partners building solutions on the platform (also big numbers). With that density of reach and adoption, Umbraco is uniquely positioned to lead positive change not only in the content management industry, but beyond it. So the real question is: can a CMS vendor help save the world? Maybe. It all starts with a commitment to being the change – and taking action. <h3 id="embracing-sustainability-">Embracing sustainability </h3>Carbon. It's the 500-tonne gorilla in the room, and the primary ingredient in the climate-warming stew (there are others to be sure). As people, governments, and businesses look for ways to reduce their carbon impact, an array of tools and strategies have emerged for measuring and accounting for the effects. The U.S. EPA's <a target="_blank" href="https://www3.epa.gov/carbon-footprint-calculator/">carbon footprint calculator</a> brings it home at a household level, but the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.websitecarbon.com/">Website Carbon Calculator</a> is a great baseline for revealing how your own website (or others) contributes to the conundrum.Umbraco began calculating its carbon footprint in 2022. Last year, it applied the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wri.org/research/greenhouse-gas-protocol-0">Greenhouse Gas Corporate Standard</a> to improve accuracy when calculating what is referred to as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/what-are-scope-1-2-3-carbon-emissions">Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions</a>. What does this mean? If you're not a carbon-counting expert, Scope 1 is basically any direct emissions that are owned or controlled by a company. Scope 2 and 3 are indirect emissions – in other words, a consequence of the activities of a company but occurring from sources that are not owned or controlled by it.According to its research, hosting <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/umbraco">Umbraco Cloud</a> and its <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/umbraco-launches-heartcore-the-most-intuitive-headless-content-management-system-cms-to-manage-large-volumes-of-content-across-any-smart-platform">headless Heartcore </a>product are the largest sources of carbon emissions. To address this, the company is working closely with <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/microsoft-azure">Microsoft Azure</a> to ensure the most efficient and sustainable implementation and drive down the numbers. While the growth of the cloud might seem antithetical to the sustainability cause, the consolidation and shared use of hardware is actually helping to reduce energy usage and cut carbon output. As it turns out, the large cloud providers are leading the pack on the move to net zero emissions – with some attaining it in the next few years. Great strides have also been made in expanding the lifespan of servers to as much as 6 six years, further reducing waste.<a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/aws">Amazon</a>, AWS' parent, is already reaching key goals for its global decarbonization and water replenishment (turns out the internet is mighty thirsty). It has been spearheading an ambitious climate pledge, and in 2022, <a target="_blank" href="https://sustainability.aboutamazon.com/products-services/the-cloud?energyType=true">over 90% of the electricity consumed</a> by Amazon was attributable to renewable energy sources. By working with cloud providers on delivery and hosting optimization, CMS platforms like Umbraco could accelerate their own plans to meet aggressive sustainability goals. This is definitely a step in the right direction. <h3 id="tapping-agency-partners-to-become-more-“carbon-conscious”">Tapping agency partners to become more “carbon conscious”</h3>While Umbraco's technology is the foundation, its users, contributors, and partners are essential to its success. With numerous system integrators and digital agencies building with its CMS, this was a perfect audience for enrolling greater support around its green initiatives. In March of last year, Umbraco formed a community Sustainability Team, comprised of technology and business leaders from six digital agencies. The goal was ambitious: create a collaborative movement to help educate clients and the community, develop tools, draft best practice guides, and share practical ways of creating low-carbon websites. According to Madsen, that's exactly what they've been doing – not just because it's the right thing to do, but because prospects are increasingly asking for carbon-conscious partners and solutions. “Our digital agency partners are increasingly seeing carbon-conscious web development included within client briefs as organizations prepare to comply with new legislation requiring disclosure of sustainable strategies across the value chain," he said. "We are committed to implementing sustainable products and business practices and supporting our partners, clients and community in their efforts to reduce CO2. We plan to deepen our engagement with <a target="_blank" href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals">United Nations ESG goals</a> in 2024.”<h3 id="making-an-impact-with-people-at-work-and-across-the-planet">Making an impact with people at work and across the planet</h3>One of the first places companies can start addressing their carbon footprint is with employees. There are well-documented strategies for doing that, like adopting eco-friendly habits such as reducing paper usage, carpooling, or minimizing waste. Twelve months ago, Umbraco introduced its own Carbon Neutral Workforce initiative, which involves offsetting each employee’s carbon footprint with a target to reduce emissions by 10% per employee. Change is hard for people, and while 10% may not seem like much, multiply that by hundreds – and it becomes far more profound. In addition to its own workforce, Umbraco has been making sustainability strides around the world. Working with <a target="_blank" href="https://ecologi.com/">Ecologi</a> – an all-in-one climate platform and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bcorporation.net/">certified B Corp</a> – Umbraco also funded carbon avoidance projects in Indonesia and Eritrea.One fun story to top it off: during <a target="_blank" href="https://hacktoberfest.com/">Hacktoberfest 2023</a>, an annual open source event, Umbraco had a tree planted for every community CMS contribution. By the end, there were 13,281 seedlings added to the ground, offsetting 197 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.<h3 id="focusing-on-community-enrichment">Focusing on community enrichment</h3>Speaking of Hacktoberfest, Umbraco’s highly engaged, open source community is a vital asset to its growth and relevance. The company reported that its members continued to play an active role in code contributions throughout 2023, and were participants in addressing diversity, accessibility, and sustainability challenges. Seven new community-driven initiatives were sponsored last year following the launch of the Umbraco Champions Program, which enables members to submit ideas to benefit the community. Umbraco regularly meets with its open source community and publicly recognizes the top contributors with “Most Valuable Person (MVP)” status. To that end, 17 new MVPs were awarded in 2023 and 66 were renewed. During 2023, the number of Umbraco community events expanded to include new meetups in the U.S., India, Turkey, and Norway, in addition to the regular calendar of events in the UK and Denmark. In total, 1,750 members took part in 111 community events over the past year. A litmus test for CMS's growing interest was its annual <a target="_blank" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Umbraco Codegarden</a> business summit and developer conference in Odense, which attracted 1,700 attendees in person and online – a 17% increase from 2022’s attendance. <h3 id="setting-a-higher-bar-for-diversity-and-inclusion">Setting a higher bar for diversity and inclusion</h3>One of the beautiful things about open source software is that anyone can use and contribute to it. In many ways, it is a great equalizer – enabling everyone regardless of gender, ethnicity, learning differences, or socio-economic status to bring their voice to a community of users. Open source also promotes inclusivity by empowering people who are under-represented in the IT industry.Umbraco has been encouraging this diversity within its company and community by participating in a number of initiatives. This includes Umbraco’s Coding Class, which educates local schoolchildren and encourages the next generation of coders by providing opportunities to present their ideas and gain feedback. Up-and-coming developers are also being sponsored to attend its Codegarden event, and Umbraco is offering free training and certification to computer science students at universities in the U.S., U.K., Sweden, and Denmark.From a social perspective, Umbraco is also hosting a series of Cloud Club meetups aimed at students and professionals to help deepen their understanding of IT. Umbraco is also sponsoring <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hackyourfuture.net/">Hack Your Future</a>, a not-for-profit organization that teaches refugees to code and make the leap into the tech world. On the employee side, Umbraco has been doubling down on diversity. Last year, the company welcomed 41 new staff members, including sixteen women. Its workforce now includes 27 nationalities – including a new team in Vietnam – with ages ranging from under 25 to over 60. It's worth noting that 22% of Umbraco’s C-suite are female. To help further address the IT industry’s gender gap, Umbraco has been running a female mentorship program at a local university. <h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>DEI positioning can often feel like marketing fluff. Without transparency and action, the commitment to doing good for people and planet can fall short – particularly if there are no clear goals or expectations. It's well and good to start a recycling program in your office, but most businesses can do more. And frankly, it's good business to do it. As more organizations specify ESG (Environmental, Sustainability, and Governance) and DEI requirements in their RFPs, companies with solid messaging and a clear track record of accomplishments will have an advantage in the minds of buyers. Think of it as brand building by bettering the world. Many people aren't aware of the significant impact the internet has on our environment. When you consider its parity with all global air traffic, it takes on an urgent and undeniable weight. It might sound dire, but the good news is that small changes in our habits can actually make a difference – if we take action. That's what Umbraco is doing, and not just for itself. By highlighting its efforts in an annual report, they are helping to set a standard for the CMS industry. As technologies that are contributing to the continued growth of the internet and its emissions, we have a responsibility to lead on this issue. And as an open source company, this further codifies Umbraco's commitment to be transparent about its efforts.I must give credit where credit is due: most leading enterprise CMS and DXP companies are publicly promoting their ESG and DEI commitments. <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/acquia">Acquia</a>, for example, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.acquia.com/esg">planted nearly 15,000 trees</a> and removed 1,260 tonnes of carbon as part of their program. <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/optimizely">Optimizely</a> offers pages and reports as well, although in a bit more matter-of-fact language. I researched quite a few, and was pleased to see that most brands are aspiring to do good on these initiatives.What's refreshing about Umbraco's news is that it detailed real action, particularly around its hiring practices and social programs. By providing actual numbers and not just goals, it separated the substance from the marketing. But this has always been intrinsic to its DNA. As a CMS that fully embraces openness, it's not a stretch to imagine that empathy and compassion are core to its heart.I mean, it has a headless solution called “Heartcore.” That might say everything you need to know about this company.  <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Umbraco Publishes Annual Impact Report, Reinforcing Commitments to Sustainability and Community

<hr /> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gurdeepd?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAAATCdgBB_nMyWFHB28gQn7wit5H1YN8aiw">Gurdeep Dhillon</a> has some thoughts on “professional references.”Just after announcing his new gig as Chief Marketing Officer at <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack</a> – a composable digital experience platform – he penned a brief but heartfelt post on LinkedIn, thanking friends and colleagues who vouched for his street creds in pursuit of this position.“What a wonderful thing it is to have people in your professional life that have become more than just colleagues,” he said, marveling at how a bench of business associates had evolved into friendships and advocates. People who have your back (and vice-versa). As Gurdeep noted, it’s important for future employers to have access to these sources to make informed decisions. Testaments to quality of work are table stakes, but hearing about the character of a candidate is gold. This is where the value of deeper connections and the oft-neglected practice of developing good relationships can’t be overstated.Even at a cursory glance, it’s safe to say that Gurdeep is a people person. That should serve him well in a role that’s all about scaling software users (people, n'est-ce pas?) by strengthening brand awareness, preference, and loyalty. With two decades of enterprise software experience under his belt, Gurdeep is reaching for the stars at Contentstack, buoyed by previous roles at some of the world’s most recognized technology companies like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentful-composable-content-platform-for-sap-commerce-cloud-now-an-sap-endorsed-app">SAP</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/adobe-to-acquire-marketo">Marketo</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/cut-paste-delete-why-adobes-canceled-merger-with-figma-is-good-for-innovation">Adobe</a>. Heavy hitters to be sure.Gurdeep will report to Contentstack’s founder and CEO, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-raises-57-5-million-in-series-b-round-qa-with-ceo-neha-sampat">Neha Sampat</a>, who has shepherded the headless-CMS-turned-DXP to incredible heights – raising a total of $169 million (thus far). From an evolutionary perspective, the company has recently been added to the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/thoughts-on-the-forrester-dxp-wave-2023-dont-judge-an-analyst-report-by-its-infographic">Forrester Wave for DXPs</a>, further cementing its expansion as a composable platform with a multitude of offerings. "Gurdeep is a great fit for our Contentstack tribe, both in expertise and values alignment," she said. “He understands the industry, and what it takes to capitalize on opportunity, and lead category creation. He knows digital experiences are the new competitive frontline for brands. Best yet, he is well regarded for his leadership style and ability to bring teams together to do the best work of their lives.”I had an opportunity to relay a few questions to the new Marketer-in-Chief as he takes the reins. Contentstack has certainly blazed trails over the last few years, but market conditions have shifted, along with the topology of the DX landscape. The game is evolving, and we're all strapping in – waiting for the next drop of the coaster. Gurdeep had some great insight on what’s ahead, the still-emerging value of composable, and how the role of the CMO is transforming. I also have some reflections on what this move means for Contentstack and the market at large. <h3 id="a-proven-legacy-of-leadership">A proven legacy of leadership</h3>Gurdeep’s work history reads like a “who’s who” of tech mammoths (the aforementioned Adobe, among others). But he’s also made his impact felt with brands that are key players in their respective industries but necessarily household names. Case in point: during his most recent CMO tenure at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.zuora.com/">Zuora</a> – a monetization software suite spanning pricing and packaging, billing, payments, and more – Gurdeep helped usher the company into the next phase of "The Subscription Economy" (more on that in a bit). He’s also lending an advisory shoulder to platforms like AudiencePlus and Goldcast, which gives him a more well-rounded view of the tech and business landscape. Like most of us, Gurdeep hasn’t gotten to the top of his game alone, and has consistently built and nurtured high-performing teams to deliver success. In his three-year tenure in <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/adobe-experience-manager">Adobe's Digital Experience</a> business as a leader of both the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/adobe-commerce">Marketo and Magento</a> marketing organizations, he gained expertise – and empathy – for marketing and commerce leaders who are responsible for driving efficient growth. With a resume of this magnitude, Gurdeep could have the pick of the litter in a landscape of opportunities. I asked what attracted him to Contentstack, and how those attributes might play into his strategy for positioning the brand in a market of one.“For me, it was seeing the breadth and depth of iconic brands that are achieving the art of the possible through their adoption of Contentstack’s Composable DXP,” he explained. “It’s clear to me that Contentstack stands alone in terms of our position as the only Composable Platform player in this space. The spectrums that matter are monolithic versus composable and product versus platform. Contentstack wins on both.”<h3 id="cutting-through-the-composable-clutter">Cutting through the composable clutter</h3>As Gurdeep takes the marketing helm at a leading “composable DXP,” I wanted his perspective on the hotly-debated term. Over the last six months, I’ve tracked growing confusion across the landscape from buyers evaluating the field, but particularly from those who are trying to decipher the coded messaging. Where’s the differentiation when everyone claims to be composable?As platforms “race to the middle” – something I’ve spoken about frequently and discussed with <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/deane">Deane Barker at the CMS Kickoff</a> – vendors on both sides (composable headless and "traditional" composed DXPs) are evolving to meet the needs of customers. For Contentstack, how can marketing help lead the charge? “I’ve been thinking a lot lately about a Brand Relevancy Crisis that both B2B and B2C companies are facing,” Gurdeep said. “There’s a big onus on marketing teams to ensure they are delivering exceptional content and experiences to their audiences. You need a composable DXP to do that right.”<hr /><h4 style="text-align:center" id="“our-customers-have-the-flexibility-and-freedom-to-build-their-stack-their-way.-that’s-the-power-of-composable.”">“Our customers have the flexibility and freedom to build their stack their way. That’s the power of composable.”</h4><hr />There’s no question that companies are under pressure to perform, especially in a digital economy where it’s crowded and noisy – and loyalty can prove elusive. Likewise, marketing teams are feeling equitable pressure to deliver results, and Gurdeep believes a composable DXP like Contentstack is the answer. “I think there’s still a ton of education that needs to be done, showing people what the future could look like and highlighting the changemakers that are leading the way. I see an opportunity to do this better.”<h3 id="following-the-mach-momentum">Following the MACH momentum</h3>Full disclosure: as a member of the <a target="_blank" href="https://machalliance.org/board">MACH Alliance Executive Advisory Board</a>, I'm keeping a constant pulse on the composable movement. I believe in the tenets of open systems and love the idea of swappable standards. So while we're all helping to better define composability from an industry perspective, I endeavor to provide a balanced and unbiased of how these trends are impacting the market. Given Contentstack’s undeniable role in shaping the trajectory of the best-of-breed member ecosystem and its advocacy of open technology standards, I was curious how Gurdeep viewed the Alliance’s role as an objective outsider with monolithic roots. “As a founding member of the MACH alliance, Contentstack set out to educate the market on a better way to build digital experiences alongside other pioneers in this space,” he said. “With the growth of this Alliance over the past four years, we’ve gone from early adopters to early majority successfully, and now it’s all about how to make it easier to do business with composable vendors and partners.”And it’s true: Contentstack has been on the evolutionary horizon with MACH, taking a more active role to address key challenges. When I spoke to Neha Sempat in Amsterdam last June at the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-two-conference-wrap-six-takeaways-from-the-composable-event-of-the-year">MACH Two event</a>, she talked about the importance of its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.contentstack.com/go-composable/charter">Composable Charter</a>, a manifesto of guiding principles for enterprises on the composable journey – which was signed by a gaggle of platforms. We also discussed the creation of a first-ever accountability platform to help ensure composable stacks are properly maintained when multiple technologies can present multiple points of failure. I've heard many horror stories about out-of-control hosting bills and other issues that have emerged from composable stacks. Who's in charge when the “stuff” hits the fan?Like many of the members of the MACH Alliance, Contentstack is also reliant on enterprise and agency partners to build composable solutions. I asked Gurdeep how he values the channel from a scalability perspective.“I see tremendous opportunities with SIs and Digital Agencies that specialize in composable,” he surmised. “Many are building accelerators that allow brands to adopt composable in a way that addresses change management and a lightning-fast time to value. These are game changers, especially for larger enterprises that need to start somewhere and expand from there.”<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>Composable is still the soup du jour on the DX tech menu. As noted in the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/on-your-mach-get-set-grow-new-research-reveals-expanding-support-roi-for-mach">recently published research from the MACH Alliance</a>, the drift towards both the architectural and philosophical tenets of this burgeoning movement is clear, with big growth being forecast in the US. At the same time, it continues to be confusing morass as platforms try to reposition around the lexicon without alienating the market gods.Contentstack has been carrying the mantle of “composable DXP” for quite some time, and doing it adeptly. Last year <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-launch-aims-to-simplify-front-end-hosting-interview-with-dean-haddock-senior-product-manager">when I spoke to Dean Haddock</a>, a senior product manager for the company’s Launch offering, it was already deep into the messaging. By December, Contentstack was a fixture on the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/thoughts-on-the-forrester-dxp-wave-2023-dont-judge-an-analyst-report-by-its-infographic">Forrester Wave for DXPs</a> – a testament to its brand-rattling at the analyst level. Of course, being rolled in with traditional DXPs raised a lot of questions (and maybe a modicum of ire) about the definition of a “digital experience platform” in the composable era. At the same time, some downstream platforms experimented with shedding their headless skin, while monoliths embraced nomenclatures like “composable hybrid headless DXP” as a mantra. It’s all adding to that morass, and precisely why top-down marketing is so critical to reinforcing the right messages and cutting through the confusion for the buyer.The hiring of a new C-Level is also a throat-clearing moment, and Contentstack is sending a sharp signal to the market about its ambitions. By selecting someone with high-octane Adobe DNA, it’s leveling up to compete on the DXP grid with greater gusto. Simultaneously, things are in flux across the landscape: <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/big-shift-at-sitecore-dave-oflanagan-takes-the-helm-as-interim-ceo">Sitecore just made a change at the CEO level</a> at a time when the company’s chief investment backer is contemplating a sale. M&amp;A activities look poised to rebound (although it’s still a wait-and-see situation). Seismic shifts in leadership are sometimes a sign that bigger moves are already in the pipeline, so we'll see how the Contentstack story evolves in 2024.<h3 id="finally,-let's-talk-about-cmos…">Finally, let's talk about CMOs…</h3>Yup. They’re in the hot seat – perhaps more so than any other manager in the C-suite. They’re experiencing tighter tenures than ever before, although some <a target="_blank" href="https://www.marketingdive.com/news/cmo-tenure-length-spencer-stuart/649279/">move on to bigger and better things</a>. But in a world where long games are getting shorter and shorter, CMOs live and die by the revenue sword. I’m not trying to be macabre or conjure Game of Thrones, but there are certain analogies about battlefields and dragons that certainly fit this job description.I asked Gurdeep what he thought about the role of the CMO given the recent decision by <a target="_blank" href="https://digiday.com/marketing/why-starbucks-elimination-of-its-global-cmo-indicates-an-evolution-of-the-role-not-a-canary-in-the-coal-mine/">Starbucks to eliminate the position</a> from its hierarchy, choosing instead to rely on decentralized leaders in different geographical regions. I don’t think it’s a harbinger of the CMO’s demise, but how is the job changing at a time when marketing is so essential to powering growth?“I think the role of the CMO is evolving in a few key ways,” he replied. “Now more than ever, the CMO is being held accountable to defining efficient growth strategies. This includes leaning into new technologies that help drive scale, especially generative AI. In B2B especially, CMOs are focusing more and more on customer-centricity – helping drive advocacy, retention, and ultimately expansion of the existing customer base. This is absolutely critical in an economic downturn when winning new logos is difficult for most vendors. Last but not least, CMOs are fighting the Brand Relevancy Crisis - trying to overcome the fact that there’s saturation across channels and it’s never been harder to rise above the noise, compounded by a cookie-less world and the explosion of AI-generated content.”It’s telling that Contentstack would invest in someone with ingrained knowledge and reverence for “The Subscription Economy,” as Gurdeep referenced. It speaks to the company’s view of where things are headed: more SaaS, less friction. Elegant tools that are powered by AI and free of code. And stuff that’s truly composable and, er… integrates seamlessly (I hate even writing that phrase, but you get the dream). At the end of the day, a Chief Marketing Officer is more than the sum of their parts. It’s not enough to know how to wield the technology and read between the analytics. This job requires empathy, and the most successful CMOs can tune into the customer’s frequency with passion and intention and guide the right resources to convert that interest into action. They also need to love what they do. Seriously. You can't go into a creative leadership role like this without a corpus callosum that modulates the right modicum of creativity with an appetite for data. Given how much today's CMOs have to know, I asked Gurdeep what keeps him excited and engaged about marketing – so he can tune in accordingly. “I love changing people’s minds,” he said. “When you show somebody what their world could look like if they step through the door to the other side, it’s an incredible feeling. And in my opinion, the best way to do that authentically is with helpful, relevant content and experiences, built with empathy for your audience. I call it Audience Marketing and it’s absolutely shaped by my roots in content. You can’t lose if you’ve created a genuine connection with your audience over time, because when they are ready to address their challenges with a technology decision, they will almost assuredly come to you.”Well said. And precisely why he has amazing professional references.  <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Contentstack just hired an ex-Adobe exec as CMO. Here’s why it matters

<hr /> At its core, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/ci-hub">CI HUB</a> is enabling users to work smarter – and more efficiently – without hopping between windows. The Potsdam-based company gained early success by focusing on connectors within creative platforms, offering an easy-to-use integration that's made it something of a “must-have" with tools like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/adobe-experience-manager">Adobe Creative Cloud</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365">Microsoft Office365</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/google-cloud-platform">Google Workspace</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/cut-paste-delete-why-adobes-canceled-merger-with-figma-is-good-for-innovation">Figma</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/sketch">Sketch</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wordpress">WordPress</a>. It also connects to stock providers and cloud storage services.But CI HUB is endeavoring to be even more meaningful, acting as a single source of access to centralized data and assets in a marketing ecosystem. This broadens the landscape for its digital aggregation capabilities across CMS, DAM, PIM, MAM, and MDM platforms. That's a lot of acronyms, to be sure – but it demonstrates the potential reach across a myriad of content repositories.Just how handy is CI HUB? Enough to warrant a seed round from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.scalecapital.com/">Scale Capital</a>, a Danish early-stage technology investor with a focus on helping companies accelerate growth in the US market. CI HUB's press release indicated that the investment was a “significant seven-figure amount” compiled from new and existing investors – representing a major step in the company's journey towards revolutionizing the way corporates and creatives access digital assets and data.  "We are delighted to welcome Scale Capital as a financial and strategic partner, alongside our existing investors, as we embark on the next phase of our journey," said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreasmichalski/">Andreas Michalski</a>, founder and CEO of CI HUB GmbH. "This collective support validates the strength of our vision and technology and provides us with the resources and expertise to drive innovation and deliver even greater value to our customers."  The announcement coincides with CI HUB's attendance at the <a target="_blank" href="https://summit.adobe.com/na/">Adobe Summit 2024</a> in Las Vegas, which lasts from March 25 - 28. CI HUB is attending the event as a sponsor, highlighting the importance of the Adobe partnership to its continued growth.<h3 id="building-inroads-to-cms,-dam,-and-other-content-platforms">Building inroads to CMS, DAM, and other content platforms</h3>CI HUB specializes in developing innovative solutions that seamlessly connect leading <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-content-management-system-cms">content management systems (CMS)</a> and digital asset management (DAM) platforms. Their suite of products makes it simple to access, manage, and distribute digital assets across various channels and platforms, streamlining workflows for businesses of all sizes. This has clear advantages for content management and digital experience platforms, which typically offer some level of digital asset management – and in some cases like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/acquia">Acquia</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/optimizely">Optimizely</a>, very robust DAM solutions. CI HUB views these channels as accelerators for growth. “We see the role of CMS, DXP, DAM, and other content platform partners as being strong pillars of growth for us going forward,” said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickwstein/">Nick Stein</a>, CMO at CI HUB. “Of course, this is mutually beneficial for both CI HUB and our partners. Integrating our software not only improves the user experience of these platforms, but in the case of DAMs, it widens the potential user base within their client organizations.”CI HUB is used by clients such as Ford, Zurich, T-Mobile, FedEx, and hundreds more as an integral part of their creative workflows.    <h3 id="investing-in-the-future-of-content-integration">Investing in the future of content integration</h3>With Scale Capital's investment, CI HUB is poised to accelerate its growth trajectory and expand its market reach globally. This is laser-focused on the U.S., where the company is already seeing significant traction – and a bulk of its existing business currently resides. In addition to Scale Capital, CI HUB's existing investors including HTGF, Brandenburg Kapital, the Berlin Angel Fund, and Urban AM have extended their financial engagement. The capital infusion will help CI HUB to further enhance its product offering, scale its operations, and strengthen its position as a leader in the content integration space.  Along with broader innovation, the investment will also be concentrated on the growth of the company's CI HUB Drive, or “DAM for Desktop” functionality. With this tool, the DAM is virtually mounted and displayed as an external server or external hard disk in the MacOS Finder or in Windows Explorer – making it incredibly seamless, like Dropbox. "We are very excited to partner with the CI HUB team to fuel their growth and market expansion," said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joachimschelde/">Joachim Schelde</a>, Senior Associate at Scale Capital. "Together, we will continue to push the boundaries of content integration, enabling businesses to unlock new efficiencies and opportunities in digital content management."  <h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>Connectors have become critical parts of the integration landscape, enabling new tools and platforms to be quickly activated and leveraged for a range of use cases. With less friction, users have more control over the tools they wish to curate, allowing for a more customized and composed stack of solutions. Content Integration is a key area in the DX mix, addressing the challenges that exist with siloed data and assets. By accelerating the connections to content in various repositories, creators and teams are able to enhance their access to a broad range of resources to help support their brand initiatives. However, with the rampant scale and complexity of different sources, users are having to take multiple steps to find, select, and utilize content assets from different sources – like DAMs.CI HUB reflects a continued motion towards optimization, providing an elegant solution that augments the value of content management, digital experience, and digital asset management platforms. It represents a new breed of connector that streamlines the flow and improves productivity around an ever-growing cache of content resources. Given the number of assets and legacy systems that enterprises are wrestling with, these types of solutions are helping build bridges across the last miles of user experience.  <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

CI Hub Announces Major Investment, Plans to Scale Content Integration Solutions

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<hr /> For the past seven years, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/kentico">Kentico</a> – a composable hybrid headless platform – has been at the forefront of recognizing and honoring exceptional achievements in digital innovation and user-centric design with its signature ‘Site of the Year’ Awards.The company just published the list of winners from its 2023 program, and it's once again impressive. We did a deep dive analysis of last year's winners, which you can <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/kentico-site-of-the-year-competition-proves-custom-web-design-is-alive-and-thriving">check out here.</a> As the company noted in its press release, the examples reflect the pinnacle of creativity, dedication, and technological prowess in delivering extraordinary online experiences – as well as the continued relevance of good web design and digital experience in the modern era.  “As a member of the evaluation committee, I am thrilled by both the quantity and, more importantly, the exceptional quality of submissions we received for Site of the Year 2023," said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-tucek/">Debbie Tucek</a>, Director of Product at Kentico. "The diversity and ingenuity showcased in these projects truly highlight the incredible possibilities achievable with Kentico.”To qualify for the Site of the Year 2023 contest, websites or apps must have been a first-time contender (unless significantly redesigned), launched during 2023, and built on Kentico Xperience 13 or Xperience by Kentico. <h3 id="meticulous-evaluation-standards-for-excellence-">Meticulous evaluation standards for excellence </h3>With over 100 submissions received, Kentico's evaluation committee meticulously evaluated each entry against a comprehensive set of criteria: <ul><li>Achievement of business goals: The extent to which the website or app contributed to the attainment of the organization's objectives, such as increased conversions, sales, or brand awareness. </li><li>UX (User Experience): The overall quality of the user experience, including ease of navigation, intuitiveness, and responsiveness across various devices and platforms. </li><li>Interactivity: The degree to which the website or app engages users through interactive elements, such as animations, forms, quizzes, or personalized content. </li><li>Graphic design: The visual appeal, aesthetics, and coherence of the design elements, including layout, typography, color scheme, and imagery. </li><li>Innovation: The originality and creativity demonstrated in the implementation of unique features, functionalities, or approaches that set the project apart from competitors. </li><li>Content: The relevance, quality, and effectiveness of the content in communicating the organization's message, engaging users, and driving desired actions. </li><li>Use of Kentico capabilities: The effective utilization of Kentico's features, tools, and functionalities to optimize the website or app's performance, scalability, and customization capabilities. </li></ul>Following a rigorous evaluation process, the committee identified the most exemplary entries that demonstrated exceptional proficiency across these criteria.  <h3 id="‘site-of-year’-award-winners-for-2023-">‘Site of Year’ Award winners for 2023 </h3>According to Kentico, these projects have not only met but exceeded its stringent criteria – showcasing innovation, successful business outcomes, user-centric experiences, interactive design, graphic excellence, inventive content, and a masterful utilization of Kentico's capabilities.  B2B Category<ul><li>BlueModus emerged victorious with its website transformation utilizing Xperience by Kentico, delivering seamless migration and advanced SEO tools (implemented by BlueModus).</li><li>Honorable mentions go to Advanced Energy (implemented by EETech) and BDO Digital (implemented by BizStream). </li></ul>Commerce Category<ul><li>Nowy Styl's Kentico-powered site, implemented by Infinity Group, offers streamlined processes and enhanced engagement for stakeholders. </li><li>Honorable mentions include Crowley Energy, Buxton Oil, Ayer &amp; Goss (implemented by Fuseideas and NITTIN), and Fenerbahçe SuperApp (implemented by PortalGrup). </li></ul>Consumer Goods Category<ul><li>Škoda Elektromobilita takes the spotlight with its immersive Kentico website captivating potential customers with its electromobility showcase (implemented by BiQ Bluesoft). </li><li>Honorable mentions include Niveko (implemented by PUXdesign) and Alcohol Detection Systems (implemented by BlueModus). </li></ul>Education &amp; Careers Category<ul><li>Blanchard's Kentico site revamp enhances user experience, boosts traffic, and refines content strategy (implemented by Americaneagle.com).</li><li>Honorable mentions go to Driestar Onderwijsadvies (implemented by Aviva Solutions) and Yapı Kredi Yarınlara Kartopu (implemented by PortalGrup). </li></ul>Entertainment, Hospitality &amp; Tourism Category <ul><li>Mainz 05's website launch on Xperience by Kentico optimizes user experience and internal workflows (implemented by kuehlhaus and BiQ Bluesoft). </li><li>Honorable mentions include Good Eats (implemented by Ridgeway) and ACF Fiorentina (implemented by EXETERA srl l Thinking Digital). </li></ul>Financial Services Category <ul><li>HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union's Kentico-powered site delivers personalized experiences and seamless site management (implemented by ZAG Interactive). </li><li>Honorable mentions include NinjaTrader (implemented by Americaneagle.com) and Forvis (implemented by SilverTech). </li></ul>Government &amp; Municipal Category<ul><li>City of Swan's Kentico site enhances user experience and introduces self-service options for residents (implemented by ALYKA Pty Ltd). </li><li>Honorable mentions include Texas Association of Counties (implemented by BlueModus) and Ohio Lottery (implemented by Marcus Thomas, LLC). </li></ul><h3 id="blanchard-takes-the-coveted-community-choice-award">Blanchard takes the coveted Community Choice Award</h3>Among the exceptional entries in the 2023 ‘Site of the Year’ Awards, Blanchard took home the coveted Community Choice Award, chosen from the successful Industry winners via public vote. Built by Americaneagle.com, Blanchard's stunning new website stood out for its remarkable achievements in digital innovation and user-centric design. Blanchard's decision to leverage Kentico's intuitive interface, robust CMS functionalities, adaptability, scalability, integration capabilities, and multilingual support proved instrumental in realizing its vision for the project. The primary objectives included enhancing user experience, revitalizing branding, boosting conversion rates, refining content strategy, and optimizing performance.  The results speak volumes for the success of the project. The revamped site showcases improved user experience, heightened traffic, enhanced brand perception, mobile responsiveness, refined content strategy, and streamlined navigation. Blanchard's commitment to excellence and Americaneagle.com's expertise in execution has truly set a new standard in the industry.  All the winners of ‘Site of the Year’ 2023 represent the pinnacle of digital innovation and user-centric design, embodying Kentico's commitment to empowering businesses and organizations to deliver exceptional online experiences.   <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Kentico Announces Winners of 2023 'Site of the Year' Awards

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<hr /> Digital accessibility continues to be an elusive problem. It really shouldn't be, but it is.In the physical realm, governments around the globe have made solid gains in regulating environments and accommodating individuals with disabilities. Buildings have ramps, signs include Braille, and public transportation is equipped for all riders. But digital experiences have struggled for a myriad of reasons, the least of which is a lack of similarly enforceable governance. While the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.w3.org/">W3C</a> provides a strong measure of industry standardization via its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/">WCAG guidelines</a>, not everyone follows them. Sometimes, that results in contentious lawsuits like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boia.org/blog/the-robles-v.-dominos-settlement-and-why-it-matters">Robles v. Domino’s Pizza</a>. In the end, the pie chain lost the battle, and the optics were even worse for its business. In the U.S. public sector, there are more rigid compliance requirements like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.section508.gov/">Section 508</a>, where punitive damages have been awarded when cities or government agencies don't provide accessible experience. Unfortunately, that's just a portion of the entire addressable market, particularly when it comes to things like digital video. Until recently, adding captions and transcripts to videos was labor-intensive and even cost-prohibitive. But the rise of artificial intelligence tools has changed the game – making it easier and, in many cases, a free part of many video platforms and experiences. How has this impacted businesses? <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wistia">Wistia</a> knows.Today, the video marketing platform unveiled its <a target="_blank" href="https://wistia.com/learn/marketing/video-marketing-statistics">“State of Video: Video Marketing Statistics for 2024”</a> report, compiling real user data on the Wistia platform and feedback from an in-depth customer survey. Wistia analyzed over 90 million videos and over 100,000 businesses on their platform between January 1st and December 31st, 2023, to build the report.While conducted annually, this year's analysis stands out as a bellwether for AI, revealing that the use of artificial intelligence to enhance video accessibility dramatically increased in 2023. The report also includes data that underscores the value of video for businesses, and that despite economic uncertainty over the past year, it remains a top priority in marketing strategies.At the end of the day, accessibility is all about inclusion. It's necessary for users, but it's also good business for brands. Wista's report puts the numbers into sharp relief, showing the positive impact of AI to automate a critical task and deliver better experiences. <h3 id="ai-is-making-video-more-inclusive-and-far-reaching-">AI is making video more inclusive and far-reaching </h3>With video usage and consumption growing, companies are focusing on increasing the accessibility of video content. AI has been a main driver in making videos more accessible with 59% more videos seeing a higher accessibility score in 2023 than in 2022. In terms of factors that enhance video accessibility in 2023, video captions saw the most significant growth, with over 254% more businesses having closed captions on their videos than in 2022. In fact, more than half of companies using AI tools say they are most useful for auto-generating captions or transcripts. The use of captions goes beyond increasing accessibility scores. According to <a target="_blank" href="https://ads.tiktok.com/business/creativecenter/quicktok/online/Power_Creative_Elements/pc/en">TikTok</a>, the presence of captions leads to a 95% jump in brand affinity, a 58% bump in recall, a 31% improvement in likability, and a 25% uplift in uniqueness, making video content more far-reaching and enhancing the overall audience experience.“It’s clear brands are experimenting with AI in video creation and optimization,” said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjsavage/">Chris Savage</a>, CEO and co-founder of Wistia. “Given consumers in 2023 watched more videos than ever before, video inclusiveness has emerged as a top priority for brands. Unlocking the power of AI to create greater inclusivity in digital experiences stands at the forefront of the video production industry. We expect this to continue to evolve and shape how we create video content and how people engage with digital experiences.”<h3 id="users-recognize-the-value-of-video-despite-roadblocks">Users recognize the value of video despite roadblocks</h3>According to the report, 80% of businesses said they want more video content, and 60% of businesses want to invest more money to make it. Despite economic uncertainty and limited resources throughout 2023, organizations still recognize the value of video, with only 4% reporting they’ll likely have fewer resources for video in 2024.With nearly 100% of businesses saying that video is an important part of their marketing strategy, challenges still remain to create videos. The top are time and bandwidth, with 61% of businesses saying that’s their biggest hurdle, followed by 44% of companies saying team size, resources, and technical capability. Most video creators are using simple tools accessible to anyone with a laptop, with 57% of businesses using screen and webcam recorders.<h3 id="shorter-videos-aren’t-necessarily-more-engaging-">Shorter videos aren’t necessarily more engaging </h3>Though engagement tends to drop significantly when video length goes over five minutes, Wistia's data showed that the engagement rate for videos between one and five minutes is almost the same, no matter the length. This gives brands the freedom to experiment with longer videos. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn have expanded time limits for videos beyond two minutes, providing opportunities to create longer videos while keeping engagement rates high.The Wistia report also revealed that consumers prefer instructional over promotional video content. Instructional content under five minutes had 2X the engagement of promotional content of the same length. According to TikTok, videos that show products in use see a +25% uplift in recall, +23% in ad likeability, +65% in brand affinity, and +18% in consideration. Even as instructional videos get longer, they maintain a higher level of engagement on average. As brands consider types of video content to produce or strategies for engaging with influencers, explainer videos lead to higher engagement compared to promotional brand videos. <h3 id="want-more-stats?">Want more stats?</h3>Wistia goes deep with the details in this year's report. To peruse its statistics and get a better understanding of how accessibility fits into the picture, you can download the free report from <a target="_blank" href="https://wistia.com/learn/marketing/video-marketing-statistics">the company's website</a>.  <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Wistia Releases 2024 State of Video Report, Shows Surge in AI for Enhancing Video Accessibility

<hr /> Sailing might not seem fast. A yawl or a sloop can’t hold a candle to a speedboat with twin outboard engines or a raging hydrofoil. But if you’ve ever seen the America’s Cup or a competitive regatta, you can’t deny that a supped-up catamaran – with the right crew – can move at dizzying speeds.   When I spoke to <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/michael-lukaszczyk">Michael Lukaszczyk</a> last week about the launch of the <a target="_blank" href="https://hygraph.com/blog/hygraph-studio-beta">new Hygraph Studio beta</a>, the topic of sailing came up. It’s a subject I know something about: my father is a certified Coast Guard captain, and I grew up chipping barnacles off hulls in New England summers. Sure, I was a grunt on a mooring line, cleaning the head and emptying the ballast. But I learned other skills as well, like how to tie knots and tighten jibs in my dad’s salty shadow. One important lesson still sticks with me, and it’s never been more relevant to technology than now: The wind is always changing – and you won’t get anywhere if you fight it.  As a headless CMS in a highly competitive field, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/hygraph">Hygraph</a> has been reading the wind and tacking in the right places. With this week’s release of Hygraph Studio, the company is listening to its users and doubling down on improving performance on a multitude of levels. The beta, which went live yesterday, is expected to be a first taste of the new experience, with a general release coming later this year. But it’s more than a new paint job on a fiberglass finish. “Hygraph Studio is a complete re-architecture and upgrade of our user interface optimized for maximum global performance,” Michael said. “We've been putting a lot of effort into making the whole thing as fast as possible globally, regardless of where you are on the planet or where your content is stored.”OK, so is it really faster? If you’re comparing Hygraph Classic to Hygraph Studio, you might just think there are a couple of outboard engines strapped to it. But like sailing, it’s more about the precision tuning that’s translating into higher performance. This comes down to a combination of UX enhancements, a new content asset management engine, and more. I got the nautical read from Michael about the Hygraph Studio release and what’s in store following the launch of the beta. We also discussed the UI improvements and the benefits of having a core asset management solution and how this is impacting performance on the open water. At the end of the day, it’s all about delivering higher content velocity, a recurring theme that has come up in our previous discussions. These upgrades aren’t just about a re-architecture that delivers speed, but the additional features and functionality that make it all a smoother ride.<h3 id="pulling-up-anchors-to-achieve-global-performance--">Pulling up anchors to achieve global performance  </h3>Like any beta, there are anticipated fixes and a roadmap for releases to come. But even with this first glimpse, there’s confidence at Hygraph that the acceleration will be felt in a profound way. For Michael, this is essential to the content management experience and all of its users. “Things being very snappy is really an important ingredient for content velocity, and it should not get in the way,” he remarked. “In content management, that's a little bit of our philosophy. Every second that's in the way of you actually making a change or an update is a waste.”Playing into the equation for speed are new global performance aspirations for Hygraph Studio. Up until now, Hygraph users have relied on API calls to the management database in Frankfurt, Germany – regardless of where their Hygraph project might be stored. Now, with the introduction of a new multi-regional deployment management service, proximity is no longer a drag. According to Hygraph’s data, the regional solution not only delivers faster load times, but also a 10x reduced latency for management operations globally. Michael said this is a big improvement for global customers, providing a more distributed solution that delivers maximum geographic performance for Hygraph’s growing customer base. “Australia is actually a very strong market and we're opening up new opportunities and more performance there,” he said. “We have quite an active user base in Japan, and they also now enjoy this new global performance.”<h3 id="smoother-sailing-with-an-improved-content-api">Smoother sailing with an improved content API</h3>With Hygraph’s content API, there’s also another big release under the hood that delivers much finer granularity on cache invalidation. As Michael noted, Hygraph’s customers already have strong API performance at the CDN level – but he sees even more improvement on the way.“Our customers have a cache hit ratio of roughly 90%,” he explained. “So 90% of their API calls hit a CDN, and they get the response of the headless API data. And that’s with document-level caching – which is much more fine-grained. We hope to get to the level of 95%.”It may sound like an incremental step from 90% to 95%, but as Michael noted, if you have millions or billions of API calls, there's a huge performance gain for the end customer.Clearly, there’s been a lot of infrastructure work under the hood (or tightening of the sails). But there’s also been a smart expansion of global resources that align with the company’s goals for growth, particularly in nascent or rapidly growing markets. <h3 id="enhancing-the-instruments:-delivering-better-ui/ux-">Enhancing the instruments: delivering better UI/UX </h3>Another key part of the Hygraph Studio beta and forthcoming GA are enhancements to the user interface. These will unfold in the weeks that follow the initial launch, but Michael indicated that there are many – some large, some small – and all designed with the user in mind.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:78.38%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/03/new-intuitive-schema-view.png" alt="" /></figure> “There are macro UX improvements, but also micro UX improvements,” he said. “[For example] there's a new Command Menu, where you can hit Command+K to completely navigate throughout the application, and developers love this. In developer tooling, there's a new Field Outline in the content form, so when you're editing content in the form, you get a whole navigation outline.”And these are just a few of the upgrades you can expect from Hygraph Studio, which are tacitly designed to help users work faster and more efficiently. I had a chance to review some of the highlights firsthand, which include enhancements to content forms for faster, smoother navigation and modeling with nested components. There are also revised content tables for content-rich data.From an aesthetic perspective, there are also a few UI “facelifts” that improve on an already clean, minimalistic template. This includes upgrades to the Schema view that enhance the addition of models and fields. But the changes go beyond good looks and are keenly designed to reduce the number of clicks – accelerating each step of the modeling process.  Another notable addition: lazy loading of components, which delivers a faster load time when opening a content entry or nested components. It’s a simple thing, but one that can shave seconds of frustration when maneuvering through choppy waters.   <h3 id="improving-the-editorial-experience-and-adding-live-preview-">Improving the editorial experience and adding live preview </h3>I asked Michael what really drove the direction of the UI/UX enhancements, and what level of user will see the most benefits. Obviously, there are developers and editors on the ship, all trying to sail in a coordinated way – and historically, Hygraph has been more focused on the developer side of the crew.“So one key motivation for Hygraph Studio was improving the editorial experience significantly, because we come from a very developer-centric founder team and DNA,” he said. “We [have] always lived and breathed on the API side of things, but we’re now getting better with content creators. This has been a little bit of a weak spot from coming from such a developer-centric understanding of things, but of course, in content management, you always have those two parties. And we want to make both happy, so we're putting more and more resources into the editorial experience.”From that perspective, one of the most notable changes in the UI is with the content form, where you have an entirely new Field Outline for navigating content entries. As Michael described, it’s like using Figma or Adobe Photoshop, where you have your image layers assembled on the side. In Hygraph Studio, you can now see meta information gathered in a similar way along the left side of the editorial interface. <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:85.58%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/03/hygraph-field-outline.jpg" alt="" /></figure>In the headless regatta, the race for the cup is getting tighter than ever. But Hygraph continues to differentiate around its focus on data, product development, and federated content. Still, user expectations are necessitating certain features – particularly when it comes to the visual layer. We’ve seen the growth of composable solutions and digital experience composition as a panacea for this missing link, but many platforms are now building their own tools. During our discussion, Michael revealed that live preview is on the near-term roadmap (although not part of the Hygraph Studio GA). However, he was quick to point out why an opinionated page builder is not the answer they’ve been after. “The one big feature on the horizon that is wished by many is the live preview,” he said. “It's a side-by-side editing [experience] where on the left you have a headless CMS interface, on the right you see the result directly. It's not a what you see is what you get editing experience. A good live preview provides a very quick feedback loop of what you're doing in the CMS and how your end results look. We don't have an opinionated page builder that’s reliant on elements that are dependent on the system, because we want to support product development for brands like Peloton or Netflix – and you don’t need pages in those use cases.”It makes perfect sense and might be exactly the right compromise for Hygraph’s target audience. As a composable platform, the new live preview feature could also complement third-party page builders that are powered by Hygraph, further elevating the value for the user.<h3 id="putting-more-wind-in-the-sails-with-core-asset-management-">Putting more wind in the sails with core asset management </h3>If the other features in Hygraph Studio are spinnakers and genoas (these are types of sails for all ye landlubbers), then the hoisting of the new Hygraph Asset Management system might be the main sail. I asked Michael why it was an important move to build a home-grown solution and how it might impact the performance and reliability for users. “We ripped out the existing asset management [system] which was provided by a third party partner, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.filestack.com/">Filestack</a>, and built an in-house implementation of asset management,” he explained, “which, in some cases, leads to performance improvements of 10x managing and operating assets. But it’s also [beneficial] when you clone projects or work within production, staging, or development environments.”On this subject of environments, Michael gave a simple and relatable example for CMS users: let’s say you want to implement a new feature and create content definitions with new schema, but you don't want to break your production environment in the process. In this case, you would use environments like “draft” or “staging” – similar to GitHub branches – to replicate, build, and develop within. Now, cloning such environments is much faster thanks to a core asset manager. “Before, we had to re-upload all the assets from one environment to the other using our third-party solution. So if you had a lot of assets – gigabytes or even terabytes – it could take minutes or even hours to build the environment. Now, it takes only seconds, because we have the asset management engine under the hood in our own realm. So it's more like ‘copy-paste’ within the system.”<h3 id="what’s-the-next-port-of-call-on-the-headless-seas?">What’s the next port-of-call on the headless seas?</h3>I think that’s weighing on the mind of every CMS “captain” who’s plotting a course for 2024. The winds they are a-changin’ – and for headless CMS vendors, there’s been a <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-dxp-kerfuffle-finding-the-big-chords-in-the-2024-gartner-magic-quadrant">clear shift towards a more DXP-like composition</a>, one where resources like asset management are becoming a part of the core (so sayeth some of the analysts). This is challenging the perception of what a “DXP” is in a composable landscape, particularly as traditional DXP vendors are offering headless and decoupled solutions as well.That’s why listening to the wind has never been more important, and Hygraph is clearly doing that by listening to its customers. While the introduction of core asset management is key to a more complete vision, the addition of live preview will further expand its value while remaining steadfast in its focus on data-driven product development applications. This clarity around its competitive differentiation is key. “For CMS vendors like the Storybloks out there, it cannot get visual enough,” he explained. “This is really catering to very static use cases that are building the experience that end users see, but this is very limited in the use cases that you can model. There's a big market for that, but a lot of competition because you can pay a lot for an enterprise headless CMS with a page builder or you go very low end on the pricing and use a Webflow or Wix – and that CMS is perfectly fine for those use cases.”One other way Hygraph is tacking with wind is by amplifying the focus on the editorial experience. As Michael noted, the company has been primarily developer-centric; this has been a perceived weak spot in its holistic strategy. Hygraph Studio aims to improve this with its myriad of UX enhancements and forthcoming capabilities. A good move, and one that demonstrates a strong commitment to the customer experience.For the buyer, it’s also getting harder to know where to drop anchor amid the shifting conditions. This is where knowledge and awareness are essential, particularly around specific use cases where headless CMS delivers a great value proposition.As Michael noted, “We're on the mission to educate the architects out there on the journey to building something big.”Aye, captain.  <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Hygraph Studio Sets Sail with Increased Content Velocity and New Asset Management Capabilities

<hr /> When you deconstruct the word “research,” it literally connotes that one is searching – again. For the past three years, that’s precisely what the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-publishes-first-annual-report-showcases-industry-impact-and-plans-for-2024">MACH Alliance</a> has been doing: “re” searching its communities of influence to establish the patterns and trends that define the direction of MACH.Each year, the group of independent tech companies advocating for open, best-of-breed technology ecosystems has published the results of a global survey it conducts, focusing on IT decision-makers and the role of MACH and composable. Over time, the trend lines have become clearer. This week, the Alliance presented its fourth edition of the annual study, and the findings underscore two key realities: MACH is growing – and it’s delivering a tangible ROI for companies that are adopting it. According to the MACH Alliance, the new survey reveals a heightened level of leadership support for MACH (Microservices, API-first, Cloud native SaaS, Headless). The report states that 91% of IT decision-makers say MACH and composable technology will be instrumental to their success in the next five years – and 85% see “clear evidence” that they are achieving ROI in their MACH investments.In the heated race to modernize and expand, brands have poured the gas on their digital investments over the last few years, due in part to the elevated force of a pandemic. Now, as the report notes, economic volatility and uncertainty have become factors – but MACH adoption continues to see stable growth despite the drag of market conditions. "MACH technologies are critical to ensuring resilience and agility for businesses navigating swift market changes now and in the future," said <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-future-is-composable-a-conversation-with-new-mach-alliance-president-casper-rasmussen">Casper Rasmussen</a>, President of the MACH Alliance. "Sustained adoption is remarkable in an economic climate that at large has put substantial IT projects on hold. The outcomes of this year's survey confirm a steady pivot towards scalable, composable systems that cater to evolving end-user requirements, and those companies are seeing tangible payoffs from their investments in MACH.”’It's worth noting the methodology of the survey, which was completed by 551 IT decision-makers of director level and above. 37% we C-Suite executives. The sample included respondents from the U.S., U.K., Germany, and France, and represented enterprises with at least 5,000 employees.<h3 id="u.s.-pulls-ahead-of-europe-in-pace-of-adoption">U.S. pulls ahead of Europe in pace of adoption</h3>At last year’s <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-two-conference-wrap-six-takeaways-from-the-composable-event-of-the-year">MACH Two Conference in Amsterdam</a>, I spoke at length with members of the MACH Alliance leadership team. At the time, it was well-established that Europe was still ahead of North America in terms of MACH adoption. But even then, many saw the U.S. and its total addressable market as a sleeping giant.Fast forward to now, and Goliath is stirring. While the pace of MACH adoption is broadly demonstrating stable adoption, the pace in the United States has slightly surpassed that of Europe. From 2023 to 2024, respondents stated that they had increased the percentage of MACH across their IT infrastructure from 85% to 88% in the U.S., compared to 85% to 86% in Europe. From an industry perspective, it’s clear that retail is the big winner, showing the highest investment in MACH. Retail and commerce have long been the stronghold for MACH applications, with large brands illustrating the benefits through several use cases at last year’s MACH Two Conference. It’s worth noting that both professional and financial services categories were right behind retail in the adoption rankings, evidence that the benefits of MACH are being experienced beyond the core of retail and commerce. <h3 id="leadership-leads-the-way-to-growth">Leadership leads the way to growth</h3>As with all new technologies, consensus is key to adoption. The shift to composable has been met with varying degrees of friction given the cost and complexity for many enterprises – particularly those reliant on legacy systems with siloed data.   But that might be starting to change. According to the MACH Alliance survey, there’s been a notable reduction of internal resistance to adopting MACH architectures. Based on feedback from respondents, there’s been a sizable decline from 33% in 2023 to 26% in 2024. Meanwhile, leadership resistance is eroding. Today, only 18% of respondents cite the lack of board or leadership support as a barrier, as compared to 28% in 2023. What’s driving this shift? As the MACH Alliance report surmises, it could be attributed in part to the realization of sizeable ROI from MACH investments. Additionally, more IT leaders view MACH as a key differentiator and a competitive advantage for improving customer experience and innovating faster. A growing proportion also see MACH as a way to improve their competitive posture, with almost half of all respondents making this observation versus just 39% in 2023.The survey also revealed a number of additional benefits of MACH adoption, with respondents claiming their processes have become more streamlined while increasing revenue. They also pinpointed soft benefits such as increased “volume of achievement,” customer satisfaction, and employee productivity.<h3 id="navigating-the-obstacles-">Navigating the obstacles </h3>The MACH Alliance has taken its fair share of lumps over the last few years. Market watchers have often been critical of its austere criteria for membership, and a persistent lack of transparency has drawn ire. That said, the organization has been fervently committed to responding to feedback – and has deftly managed these challenges as it continues to advocate for composable architectures and practices. One of the biggest obstacles to MACH adoption continues to be education. This is not limited to the core fundamentals of MACH architectures but to the trade-offs between upfront costs and realizing the future benefits of a MACH investment. According to the survey, respondents also voiced concerns about end user and customer resistance to change, as well as reliance on vendors to ensure continuous business operations. These represent key barriers to adoption. To address these issues, the MACH Alliance is rolling out an education program in Q2 of 2024 to help companies face these challenges head-on and mitigate the risk. <h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>The MACH Alliance is more than a cabal of like-minded technologies. From the beginning, it has been committed to building awareness and driving visibility for the MACH movement – and doing so by investing in education and market research.  The data in this survey helps validate the continued motion toward composable and MACH solutions. With four years of data – albeit across relatively modest samples – the trend lines are solidifying. This further reinforces what <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellygoetsch/">Kelly Goetsch</a>, former president of the MACH Alliance, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-two-conference-wrap-six-takeaways-from-the-composable-event-of-the-year">observed at the MACH Two Conference</a>: “MACH now feels like the default.”Why is this important? Because it serves as a barometer for broad change. Clearly, more businesses are paying attention, studying the potential benefits, and weighing the risks and rewards that come with the composable journey. For those already on the path, the results are paying off. This is where the numbers help tell the story. In my year-end wrap with Casper Rasmussen, we discussed his predictions for 2024, which included the concepts of “continuous everything” and composable M&amp;A (<a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/whats-ahead-for-mach-in-2024-read-these-3-predictions">you can read about them here</a>). Both are gaining visibility, but the one I’ve reflected on most as it relates to this research is the notion of MACH expanding to new industries. In this year’s research, retail continues to have the strongest magnetic pull toward MACH. But the emergence of professional and financial services as close contenders underscores demonstrable growth in novel areas. Casper sees MACH evolving beyond retail and CPG in a big way, particularly in sectors that are not driven by commerce or transactional activities – including automotive.Research is vital to every organization, and we can’t always do it alone. We rely on proven authorities to help augment our understanding of the patterns and trends, and we put our trust in established bodies with a clear commitment to advancing the industry as a whole. Composable may not be the right choice for every business, but education can help leaders better understand what’s at stake and make the best decisions. Instead of resisting, we should be researching. And this is where the MACH Alliance continues to deliver value to its members – and the market.

On Your MACH, Get Set, Grow: New Research Reveals Expanding Support, ROI for MACH

<hr /> <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/johnwest">John West</a> is the Principal Solution Architect at <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/consciaai">Conscia</a> and a CMS Critic contributor. FOR CONTEXT, I’ve been on the Internet since 1990 and writing code for the web since 1995. In 1996, I started my professional career in Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), which was a sort of precursor to XML and e-commerce. Since 2000, I have been involved in <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-content-management-system-cms">web content management</a> (CMS) and digital experience platforms (DXP). I served as CTO and Chief Architect for CMS, DXP, commerce, etc. vendor <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/sitecore">Sitecore</a> from 2004 to 2016, taking the company from a startup literally working out of a hallway in one of the founders’ homes to a valuation of over a billion dollars. After that, I worked for a global advertising agency as Senior Vice President for Experience Platforms and then as a consultant for <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack</a>, a headless CMS vendor.I recently took an opportunity with <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/consciaai">Conscia</a> as Principal Solution Architect. Conscia provides a SaaS platform designed to streamline the management of digital experiences through its Digital Experience Orchestration tool. Honestly, I joined Conscia because I’m genuinely excited about its technology, specifically the SaaS Digital Experience Engine, but also its SaaS DX Graph database.<h3 id="riding-the-composable-wave">Riding the composable wave</h3>I’m always interested in paradigm shifts in the computing industry, and composable architecture represents such a transition. Once you commit to API-first composable solutions, there is no going back to the monolithic platforms and proprietary interfaces of the past. The future is an intermix of the most fit-for-need systems from multiple vendors, and Conscia provides infrastructure and features that enable composable solutions. In addition to its Digital Experience Engine, Conscia also offers DX Graph, an API-first SaaS graph database for integrating and caching any kind of data from any system, including legacy systems.Modern architectures involve every front-end client accessing numerous back-end systems directly, requiring re-implementing the same process flows repeatedly, resulting in redundancy and complexity in the architecture. Conscia provides facilities to meet common patterns in composable solutions, abstracting the technical details of intermingling interdependent Webservice API calls, webhooks, scheduled tasks, and interactive processes. Organizations encapsulate reusable business processes using composable solutions as encapsulated orchestration flows that provide consistent functionality across all channels.When I began investigating headless content management, I started identifying gaps: challenges that organizations would need to overcome, which would likely lead to technical debt and brittle solutions that could be difficult to maintain. In March of 2021, before I had ever even heard of Conscia, <a target="_blank" href="https://deliverystack.net/2021/03/30/headless-cms-with-webhook-and-api-brokers/">I wrote a blog post</a> about some suggestions that I thought would benefit composable solution architecture: <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:64.96%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/03/conscia-orchestration-diagram.jpg" alt="" /></figure><a target="_blank" href="https://deliverystack.net/2021/03/30/headless-cms-with-webhook-and-api-brokers/">SOURCE: https://deliverystack.net/2021/03/30/headless-cms-with-webhook-and-api-brokers/</a> This diagram from that blog post indicates Webhook and API Brokerage as composable infrastructure separate from Orchestration. Conscia brings those functions together in the DX Engine, providing not just a Webservice API and Webhook abstraction layer, but a UI for orchestrating and intermingling these third-party APIs (brokerage/orchestration UI not shown in the diagram). Including an orchestration flow scheduling facility, the DX engine provides a foundation for robust composable solutions.<h3 id="what-it-means-to-be-a-dxo">What it means to be a DXO</h3>Conscia markets itself as a Digital Experience Orchestration (DXO) solution. From my perspective, managing digital experiences is a subset of Conscia’s capabilities; its real value is in orchestrating complex business processes that can involve numerous Webservice APIs from multiple vendors. In Conscia, organizations define orchestration flows – sequences of components that perform unit tasks such as calling a Webservice API – that you can invoke via the Conscia DX Engine UI, Webservice APIs, webhooks from any client that connects to the Internet, or from the scheduler built into the Conscia DX Engine itself.While optimally, every organization could implement their own API brokerage and abstraction layer, few organizations have the technical and financial resources to take this approach, let alone the awareness before they’re deep into a glue code nightmare, and/or re-inventing the monolith. Solutions need a layer between clients and back-end systems to centralize access to normalized and integrated data stitched together from concurrent and sequential Webservice API calls. These reusable process flows insulate clients from the implementation details of the various back-end vendors (Content Management, Commerce, Customer Data Platform, Search, and otherwise), making it easier to add, replace, update, and remove major elements of the architecture.I’m not saying that there’s never a case for clients to call vendor APIs directly. Headless search type-ahead is an example of where orchestration is neither necessary nor practical, and performance is so fundamental that I would not suggest adding an extra layer as a best practice. That said, in every other business case that I have considered, there is sufficient justification for adding Conscia between the client and the various back-end systems.<h3 id="getting-to-the-heart-of-the-matter">Getting to the heart of the matter</h3>As with any significant infrastructure component, Conscia presents a learning curve that developers working within time constraints may prefer to avoid. With Conscia, that investment is absolutely worthwhile to increase productivity and improve long-term maintainability. In fact, once you work with Conscia, you are likely to wonder how or why you would implement composable solutions without it. Using good software architecture feels like playing with a well-designed toy, working with a well-engineered tool, or driving a sports car.While there are SaaS products that provide various relevant capabilities, from my perspective, Conscia has no direct competitors. This makes Conscia a market leader with first mover advantage in a space that is virtually guaranteed to expand indefinitely as organizations continue to integrate existing and emerging solutions into their composable stacks. Our CEO, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/sana-remekie">Sana Remekie</a>, likes to say that Conscia represents the brains of the composable stack. I can also see Conscia as the heart of the composable stack, where the brains will always be the smart people that it takes to configure and implement complex web solutions. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

John West: Why I Joined Conscia 

johnwest

<hr /> Big changes are afoot at the very top of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/sitecore">Sitecore</a>. The global leader in end-to-end digital experience management software recently announced that <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveof/">Dave O'Flanagan</a> has been appointed as Interim CEO, replacing incumbent <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tzikakis/">Steve Tzikakis</a> – who held the role for the last three and a half years.Prior to the promotion, O'Flanagan served as Sitecore's Chief Product Officer. According to the company's press release, O'Flanagan's focus on technology and customers will drive a deeper investment in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sitecore.com/">Sitecore's Digital Experience Platform (DXP)</a>. This includes advancing its operational capabilities and better enabling its partner ecosystem to help users of its software to effectively differentiate, innovate, and grow. Tzikakis will remain as a special advisor to the Sitecore Board and support O'Flanagan through the transition.<h3 id="a-seasoned-ceo-with-sitecore-lineage">A seasoned CEO with Sitecore lineage</h3>O'Flanagan himself is no stranger to the Chief Executive role, having led <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/sitecore-acquires-boxever-and-four51">Boxever</a> – a customer data platform (CDP) – before it was acquired by Sitecore in 2021. This was a milestone moment for Sitecore, as the Boxever purchase was completed at the same time as the acquisition of commerce platform <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/sitecore-acquires-boxever-and-four51">Four51</a>.“I am honored to lead Sitecore into this next wave of growth,” said O'Flanagan. "We have a compelling product that delivers digital experiences that our peers simply cannot match; our commitment to composability and choice further differentiates us in how our customers buy; and simply put, we have the most innovative solutions, respected partners and committed workforce I could ask for. Our success is driven by our customers' success, and everything we do moving forward will focus on ensuring our current and future customers can extract maximum value from their investment in Sitecore."In addition to the switch in the captain's seat, Sitecore announced that <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/roosdarren/">Darren Roos</a> has been appointed as its new Chairman of the Board. Roos is a proven technology leader with a track record for transforming and rapidly scaling global software businesses. He previously served as CEO at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/ifs/">IFS</a> – an ERP vendor – where he also serves as Chairman of the Board. “I would like to thank both Steve Tzikakis and Jonas Persson, former Chair of the Board, for their incredible passion and hard work which has brought Sitecore to this point,” said Roos. “Reaching the milestone of over €450m in ARR makes Sitecore one of the largest software leaders in the world, trusted by the world's largest and most respected brands. On behalf of everyone at Sitecore we wish them the very best for the future. I look forward to partnering with Dave and the broader Sitecore team as we push on to become the dominant leader in this market.”<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>As Roos noted, Sitecore has certainly achieved a compelling level of ARR during an unprecedented run. The company's investment in technologies like Boxever and Four51 helped advance its completeness of vision, and its channel continues to be an important part of its continued growth – and upholding its household name status in the CMS and DXP industry.At the same time, competition is increasing both up and downstream. Challenges from other players on the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-dxp-kerfuffle-finding-the-big-chords-in-the-2024-gartner-magic-quadrant">Gartner MQ for DXP</a> (where Sitecore saw a shift from the Leaders to the Visionaries quadrant) are creating significant headwinds for enterprise players. The drive to embrace a more composable posture is also creating an urgency to evolve – all underpinned by a deafening volume around AI innovation that proves value to users, brands, and organizations.Additionally, a possible <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-13/eqt-is-said-to-weigh-sale-of-2-billion-danish-software-maker">sale by majority stakeholder EQT</a> has been volleyed publicly and could affect the optics – and confidence – for both existing customers and buyers. “Unifying and leveraging data to deliver compelling digital experiences is a high priority for all growing brands,” said <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-shin-h%C3%B8egh-andersen-1199051/">Christian Shin Høegh Andersen</a>, partner at EQT. “The work Sitecore has already done to advance its Digital Experience Platform beyond that of its peers lays great foundations for what's to come. I recognize the leadership of Steve Tzikakis in achieving this and am pleased he will continue to work with the Board. Moving forward, we have full confidence in Dave O'Flanagan stepping up as Interim CEO, and with his product background, he is ideally placed to ensure customers make the most of the powerful AI capabilities that are being rolled out across the Sitecore platform.”An interim CEO typically suggests that a change was sudden and unexpected, leaving an abundance of speculation. As the company conducts its search for a longer-term Chief Executive, O'Flanagan will likely be in the running, but much of that will be based on the coming weeks and months. One thing is certain: Sitecore continues to be a market force. It's hard to read the tea leaves, but it's clear that 2024 is presenting new challenges and opportunities for the DXP – and it will be interesting to track the transformation as the company looks to its new leadership to provide direction.  <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Big Shift at Sitecore: Dave O'Flanagan Takes the Helm as Interim CEO

<hr /> Technical debt is a challenge that increases as digital business gets more complex. This debt accumulates when companies opt for quick-fix solutions or continue to rely on outdated systems, sacrificing long-term efficiency for short-term gains. As the digital world accelerates, technical debt compounds, leading to increased costs and reduced agility.A recent study revealed<a target="_blank" href="https://www.protiviti.com/uk-en/global-technology-executive-survey-tech-debt-major-burden#:~:text=As%20organizations%20strive%20to%20increase%20their%20focus%2C%20and,level%20of%20impact%20on%20their%20ability%20to%20innovate."> more than 70% of businesses</a> report that technical debt is significantly impeding their ability to innovate. With technological advances rapidly outpacing the ability of companies to adapt, the issue of technical debt has never been more pertinent.When migrating to a new <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-content-management-system-cms">Content Management System (CMS)</a>, reducing, and mitigating technical debt should be front of mind. Proactively managing debt as part of your migration strategy will lead to a smoother transition and lower the <a target="_blank" href="https://hygraph.com/blog/content-management-system-cost">total cost of ownership (TCO)</a> of the new solution. What’s more, development teams can focus on innovation rather than simply keeping the lights on.<h3 id="the-cost-of-neglect:-when-technical-debt-spirals">The Cost of Neglect: When Technical Debt Spirals</h3>Several factors contribute to technical debt during CMS migrations. For instance, insufficient communication between teams leads to rushed fixes and missed opportunities. Effective communication channels should be established to facilitate seamless collaboration. By doing so, insights and concerns on a project can be shared easily and addressed in a timely manner rather than six months down the line.Organizations should also ensure they aren’t just “lifting and shifting” problems from one platform to the next. Too many teams waste time and resources moving outdated assets, duplicate data, and unused features. This coupled with time pressures and skills gaps means some organisations end up moving to new platforms without fully capitalising on what they have to offer.Lastly, if training and employee adoption are treated as an afterthought, transitioning to a new CMS will be a painful process. In the worst-case scenario, all the migration work is done just for people to default back to old working methods. Having an effective change management program is essential.<h3 id="ensuring-your-migration-is-a-success">Ensuring Your Migration is a Success</h3>To make any CMS migration a success, businesses should follow five steps to reduce technical debt:  <h4 id="1.-set-up-an-internal-migrations-team">1. Set Up an Internal Migrations Team</h4>This team should comprise representatives from various departments, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of how content is used across the organization. Their role includes planning the migration, identifying challenges, allocating resources, and ensuring smooth knowledge transfer. For example, the team can establish global standards for content governance and documentation, and train colleagues in new operational methods. This ensures that all perspectives are considered, leading to a migration that aligns with the needs of the entire organization.<h4 id="2.-conduct-a-content-audit">2. Conduct a Content Audit</h4>A thorough content audit is essential to identify redundant, obsolete, or trivial data that need not be migrated. This process involves mapping out where data lives, who owns it, the content types used, and interrelationships between datasets. Particularly when moving from a monolithic to a headless CMS; understanding the support structure of different processes is critical, as legacy data models may not directly translate to a headless approach and may require adjustments during migration.<h4 id="3.-consolidate-and-simplify-workflows">3. Consolidate and Simplify Workflows</h4>This step involves identifying overlapping capabilities, pinpointing outdated tools causing frustrations, and determining how processes can be streamlined with the new CMS. For example, German food and beverage maker, Dr. Oetker, is using a headless CMS to manage digital experiences across 40 countries from a single platform, allowing for consistent branding, streamlined processes, and rapid global updates.<h4 id="4.-design-a-composable-content-strategy">4. Design a Composable Content Strategy</h4>Adopting a composable content strategy is key for maximizing the benefits of a headless CMS. This strategy involves defining reusable content models, such as “blog post models” or “call to action models,” that can be displayed across various channels. This modular approach enables quick solution development for current use cases, with the flexibility to adjust models for future needs. It also empowers business users to create unique experiences without developer assistance, exemplifying the shift from a page-based to an omnichannel business mindset.<h4 id="5.-federate-your-content-sources">5. Federate Your Content Sources</h4>As digital experiences expand, content often relies on data from multiple applications and external sources. Federating content sources is about integrating these sources in a way that minimizes maintenance-heavy integrations and resource-intensive processes.The demand for connected digital services shows no sign of slowing down, so organizations’ content strategies are increasingly under the microscope. For those looking to migrate their CMS, now is the opportunity to proactively take measures to reduce technical debt, meaning they can focus on future innovation rather than have one eye on their rear-view mirror. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Overcoming CMS Migration Technical Debt

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New Directus Marketplace Completes a Three-Legged Stool for the Composable Future

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