Fusion ECM

There is some good discussion going on inside Oracle among the ECM practitioners.  This particular discussion revolves around the strategies for setting up "Contribution Folders".  Basically these are part of our Desktop Integration Suite and utilize WebDAV for things like Windows Explorer integration and the always amazing to end users in demos feature: drag-n-drop.

So while some of these ideas come from me, most (of the good ones) come from others.

• Windows folders maintain two pieces of information.  Location and filename.  Basically like two pieces of metadata.  Two dimensional space.  Full normal contribution is N space, where N is the number of metadata fields.  WebDAV/Contribution Folders is a weird hybrid, in that you are applying a two dimensional model, name and location, on to your N-dimensional space.  So, some obvious best practices might include:
  
  
  
  • Not creating a folder for all cooridinates in N-space, that is N1 x N2 x N3, since that is too many folders.  Rather if you find that there is a lot of contribution to one area, you could create a folder for it, helping to alleviate over clicking on metadata field options.  Of course profiles seeks to solve a similar problem.
    
  • It can help where users are intimidated by the checkin screen but comfortable with the windows folders layout structure.
  
  
• Look really closely at the intended use of Folders for the organization.  Is this a replacement for a jumbled file system share? As you mentioned, don't get too overboard on creating a mammoth structure.  Performance will suffer.  Create what will be used.  Periodically review the structure for usage and relevance.  If some folders have no traffic, eliminate them (or better yet, don't create them in the first place)
  
• Use folders to create a nice bucket to collect similar documents, where as much common metadata can be prepopulated, and PREPOPULATE IT.  The security group and document type will most likely be the same, and if you have a group that is doing nothing but gathering these similar documents and putting them into the repository, dropping them in via WebDAV would be much easier than repetitive checkins.  Many organizations have some function that can benefit from this approach.
  
• Don't allow contribution directly into the root contribution folder if possible.  This is a lazy man's way out of putting items in the intended structure.  Much like the user who fills out no metadata except the bare minimum when checking a document in, and then expects to be able to search on all of the fields.
  
• Don't get hung up along departmental lines for your structure.  Departments change, functions do not.  There are certain core functions that are inherent in any organization.  Consider organizing along those lines, and supplement those folders with departments if there is still a need.
  
• Don't allow just anyone to create folders.  Case in point... look on your own personal computer.  How many obsolete and unused folders do you have on your PC? Some people WILL try to recreate their own "folder space" on your well intended structure, even move some of your well-thought-out organization, because it doesn't fit "their" thought process.  Tough.  This is supposedly going to be an enterprise system.  Being able to create random folders that either duplicate existing folders or creating seldom used folders is wasteful and confusing, as in "does my data belong here or there?".  Lock this functionality down, and let people who understand the big picture purpose for the organization create the appropriate structure and apply the correct metadata.  If folks want ad hoc workspaces then there are other facets and capabilities of the ECM system that can accomodate that (shared workspaces, collaboration/project files, etc)