Which comes first, the CMS or the Integration Team?

Content Management Systems (CMS) are now, more than ever, a critical centerpiece in the digital business ecosystem. Many companies are realizing that their current systems do not meet their needs and that their older systems, whether homegrown or otherwise, simply don’t do all of the things they need them to do.

This is understandable. The rapid advancements in what a CMS can do has left many companies behind technology developments. But now that CMS systems can enable and support core business and marketing objectives, they’re an essential piece of your business strategy that needs to be integrated. 

For companies like Cimarron Winter, this is great news. We’ve been in the trenches of countless new CMS and website redesign projects, and now these projects are directly tied to so much more than a simple website revamp. In addition to web presence, we’re collaborating with clients on business strategy, objectives, budgeting, and roadmaps to enable the selection of a new CMS and the design/integration team.

But the question is, which should come first and what should the client team look like that will guide the best decision-making and ultimately the entire CMS install and redesign process?

This is when working with a partner like Cimarron Winter can be extremely helpful. We can help you determine the essential components of your digital integration teams, who you need to hire, and even provide these services for you if you cannot hire for every need. Since we’ve guided clients through so many new CMS integrations, we know what’s required for a successful transition and how to scope the essential team members you’ll need for a project of this scale. If you try to handle everything in-house without making sure you have the proper internal support and skills, you might run into unexpected challenges and delays. And that’s the last thing you want during any sort of digital transformation. 

In an ideal process workflow, your integration team should come first. At the very least, you should know what roles need to be filled on this team and have a plan to either fill these roles internally or partner with a vendor to ensure everything actually gets done. Having this team in place before making specific decisions about software and a CMS platform will ensure you select the right CMS for your company that will meet your needs for both the short and long term. 

We’ve seen many companies misstep with a premature CMS selection before truly understanding what problems this integration needed to solve. Making the wrong selection too early in an integration project can severely limit the features and functionality your new CMS will provide and can bring you back to square one after a timely and expensive integration. While there may be strong pressure to continue using an existing CMS or one that your IT team is familiar with, taking the time to properly examine different CMS options and select the best solution for your company, needs, and goals will save time and money. 

Pressure is always there to move quickly with internal resources, but having the right team and consulting partner can quite literally make or break your CMS integration. 

Whether you’re in the early stages of planning for a new CMS or need assistance with an ongoing integration project, feel free to reach out to our team of experts.