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Client Name: Hotwire


Intranet and extranet solution with integrated document and content management improves business processes at Hotwire

 

Leading public relations company implements ECM solution delivering business benefits

 

This case demonstrates 1Tech's expertise in customising and delivering open source Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solutions. With a brief covering a number of areas, 1Tech were able to address all requirements with the implementation of Alfresco a leading open source alternative for enterprise content management.

The Company


Our client; Hotwire is an international PR consultancy. Since the agency was launched in 2000 our mantra has been ‘next generation PR today'. Hotwire has become one of the world's leading PR agencies due to a number of clear differentiators. One differentiator is their industry insight; through practice based structure specific teams address selected industries and verticals.

The Problem

Hotwire started out with an aim to provide employees with information from disparate disconnected data stores including e-mails, news feeds, contact information and files along with automation of key business processes within an intuitive ‘dashboard' style environment.

Hotwire were looking for ways to manage documents within their various business departments, with supporting workflow and features like document and content management. Both internal employees and clients should have access to the system, with fine grained controls over what can be accessed and modified by either party. They needed a system that was both modular and upgradeable, adhering to industry standards. With a rapid timeframe for delivery speed of delivery would be vital.

The Solution

  • Delivery of a portal style system supporting both internal employees and customers providing a personalised ‘At a glance dash board' of information and options relevant to knowledge workers
  • Perform a detailed options analysis of open source solutions to determine the most appropriate components. Solution included an assembly of the following key open source components:
    • Alfresco (Enterprise Content Management System)
    • MySQL (Database)
    • Apache Web and Tomcat (Application Server)
    • Desktop Integration (CIFS and Web DAV)
    • Eclipse Software, subversion, svn, trac (Development Environment)
  • Provide expert consultancy to architect, design, manage and implement the solution
  • Personalised user interface with business process automation using Alfresco jPBM engine. This allowed for content syndication from journalist, publications and press lists
  • Data aggregation and presentation of contact management, blogs and news feeds
  • Single Sign On integration with internal employee active directory
  • Maintenance and training throughout the life of the system including documentation and on-site training

The Result

  • Alfresco's ECM platform implemented to deliver a combined intranet and extranet capability with document management, data aggregation and presentation capabilities : 1Tech have performed many implementations of Alfresco
  • Ease of use - the document management system could be accessed by a virtual file explorer which employees loved
  • ‘Instant' full text search facility throughout the system and all linked data stores
  • 1Tech were able to deliver a solution to meet all core requirements within 8 weeks using 1Tech's assured open source integration methodology (1TechOSIM) based on RUP
  • The open source model allows Alfresco to use best-ofbreed open source technologies and contributions from the open source community to get higher-quality software produced more quickly at much lower cost
  • No licensing or core software fees. The assembly was based only on proven open source software using well established components
  • Multi-language enabled with English currently and possibility to easily extend to support French, German, Spanish (Castilian) & Italian currently in the future
Conclusion

Open source software can entirely meet business needs and this case study demonstrates how many requirements could be addressed through the implementation of a single ECM solution. Alfresco was able to eliminate information silos, organise content through document and content management, and integrate internal business processes that would improve the way clients and employees worked together.

 

1Tech handled the solution delivery, implementation, deployment, and training. 1Tech are able to leverage experience of many previous Alfresco implementations. Alfresco couples the innovation of open source with the stability of a true enterprise-class platform. Alfresco offers true open source enterprise content management (ECM) - document management, collaboration, records management, knowledge management, web content management, and imaging. Hotwire were very pleased with the end result meeting all the required objectives. 1Tech's unequivocal industrial strength ECM and Alfresco design and implementation knowledge ensured that the final solution was delivered on time and within the client's budget.

 

For further information on our Enterprise Content Management solutions please visit: www.1tech.eu/solutions/suites/ecm