Maxim Krylov: EDMS is the tool supporting business processes of the organization

Maxim Krylov: The first projects on implementation of EDMS appeared at RDTECH a few years ago, and they were executed for the bank industry. From the current projects as confirmation of the trends sounded earlier in the market would be desirable to note the large project on implementation of EDMS in the large company of federal level. In this project there was demanded both profound technical knowledge of specialists RDTECH, and competences in the field of management consulting as it was required to execute optimization of a large number of the business processes affected by implementation of EDMS.

As for the choice of vendor, assessment of its functionality, it is very difficult question as it is difficult to compare objectively and impartially. The more you work with products of specific vendor, the better you feel its strengths, opportunities its component and nuances of use. If to generalize this experience, then products from market leaders, similar in scale, are similar and it is functional, and distinctions if are, then only on convenience of using of these or those opportunities. Therefore often the choice of the platform at the customer takes place at the level of a name of vendor or if it is about the organizations which already have the developed IT infrastructure, then on the basis of earlier selected single platform for implementation of solutions. It turns out that better known vendors fall into an advantageous state, but less popular platforms can be not less interesting in the functional plan. So, I will note that among our customers we see interest in products open source, such as Alfresco.

TAdviser: What requirements of modern customers to EDMS - what changed in comparison with a situation 1-2 years ago what tools come to the forefront today?

Maxim Krylov: First, this change of understanding by the customer of tasks of the workflow system. EDMS ceased to be perceived as the system providing functioning of administrative document flow, and began to be considered as the tool supporting business processes of the organization. Respectively, to the forefront there were questions of flexibility of setup of processes in a System – customers are interested in a possibility of change of logic of the processes put in a system, ability to integrate EDMS with other ICs of the enterprise. Even more often the customer is interested in automation of processes, any or specific to the industry. For example, management of the electronic file of the client for banks – demand of this solution RDTECH is higher and higher every year.

These trends allow to tell about the increased importance of a stage of business process optimization of the customer, preparation them to the subsequent automation. The customer does not accept option when its processes are automated any more "as is", he wants maximum efficiency from the implemented system and is ready to change the processes.

If to speak about tools, then it is, of course, work on mobile devices. And from this point of view great advantage will be if the vendor supports work from mobile devices "from a box".

TAdviser: How to exercise in the choice of an electronic document management system, what main problems of such projects judgment?

Maxim Krylov: I will not stop now on traditional requirements to any information system which is implemented not for one year. A system should be selected with a view to problems which it will solve not only today, but also tomorrow therefore, as well as in a case from any other IC, to the forefront there are questions of scalability and integration into other ICs of the organization. Attempts save can develop as a result into expenditure for completion of a system now then when it ceases to meet requirements imposed to it. Any business system should have a business customer who will place priorities at implementation according to the requirements and will check result.

TAdviser: Probably, if to follow some rules, it is possible to avoid a project failure?

Maxim Krylov: First, it would be desirable to note that the huge role for a project success is played by process which will be supported by this EDMS, and problem definition clearness at a stage of inspection of the customer. Always there is a risk to try to automate the process which does not have essential value for business. The choice of similar process usually conducts to the fact that not the closest attention from the Customer is paid to it, and even in case of a project success the value of the achieved results is small. The insufficient attention to problem definition can lead to the fact that the created system will not meet user requirements, and the reasons can be the most different: from banal carelessness to fear to recognize that the report with offers on process optimization is simply unclear. And at a stage of acceptance of works contractors will appeal to the fact that everything is made "as it is written", and a system as a result all the same should be remade.

The amount of completions is the second problem. Today practically any system can be finished, but for minimization of implementation cost the number of changes in a system should be minimum. It follows from this that it is the best of all to perform the choice of the EDMS platform how examination of the existing business processes is conducted, and processes "as will" are created and approved as the Customer. It will allow to select EDMS which will demand the minimum amount of completions at implementation, so, to reduce terms and implementation cost.

TAdviser: And what after all is the most important?

Maxim Krylov: The most important in implementation of any EDMS is a complex work which cannot be limited only to implementation of the corresponding IC. Change of business processes at automation requires management of these changes, and it is already separate project. It is necessary to look not only at a functional chain of the automated process which will be implemented in EDMS, but also at other its aspects, such, for example, as structure of responsibility and powers of participants. It should be not the project on automation, but the project of improvement of organization activity.

Work on support to the implemented EDMS and processes which it automates needs to be planned at a system implementation stage. Perhaps, creation in the organization of Competence Center for processes – so-called Process office for this purpose will be required. This structure will have to form the offer on process optimization automated by EDMS as often the functionality of a system is beyond the processes executed by one division.

TAdviser: What now structure of the Russian market of EDMS whether there is an opposition of the Russian and western vendors?

Maxim Krylov: First of all, it is necessary to define a framework of the concept "EDMS". As today the trend of development of EDMS towards functionality of ESM-systems is observed, we will say not so much about EDMS how many about SED/ESM.

By estimates of the different analytical agencies, the market of ECM solutions steadily grows and grows quicker, than the software industry in general. If earlier, first of all, banks, insurance companies and a public sector were the main users of EDMS, then with growth of information volumes understanding of need of implementation of the similar systems comes also to other industries, such as, for example, retail. Along with increase in demand the competition, requirements to the companies developing and implementing EDMS grows. Today they should have not only experience of implementations and sufficient competences on the implemented product, but also deep understanding of business which will use the solution, knowledge of its specifics and nuances. For the potential customer also an opportunity to receive the standard solution which will allow to reduce terms and implementation cost is important.

RDTECH fully considers these trends and can not only offer the technical competences for project implementation of implementation of EDMS, but also, if necessary, perform business process optimization of the customer taking into account their subsequent automation.

TAdviser: What plans RDTECH on development of the direction of electronic document management?

Maxim Krylov: I already noted a number of observed trends, in particular, growth of requirements of the customer to industry expertize of developer company, expansion of functionality of EDMS. RDTECH aims to employ specialists of the high level, and not only developers, but also the consultants having serious work experience in areas, key for us. It allowed to participate to us as to consultants not only in own projects, but also in projects of the third-party companies. Our experience is generalized and analyzed, universal models of processes on the industries form that will allow to reduce afterwards costs when implementing projects, so, and the cost of implementations. And, we are not limited to any one industry – we have solutions, in particular, for processes of issuance of credits in the bank industry, formations of requests for technical connection in power, drawing up plans of repair for the oil and gas industry.