Tridion CMS and SDL TMS Tie-up Announced

Article Details

Global Watchtower

Common Sense Advisory Blogs

Posted by Benjamin B. Sargent on February 6, 2007 in the following blogs: Translation and Localization, Web Globalization, Business Globalization, Technology, Interpreting, Market Data, Global Marketing, Best Practices, Supplier Business Issues
Pages \| \|

This week SDL International and Tridion announced a strategic alliance, right on cue according to our recent research on translation management technology. In that report we pointed out that despite similarities between TMS and CMS, these 2 sectors should no longer be confused. Three things caught our attention in today's announcement:

Joint customers drove the relationship. Tridion looked at active implementations with language technology -- and they were all SDL. So formalizing this relationship made sense. Tridion told us it also wants to focus on fewer, better partnerships rather than spreading itself too thin.

Tridion already leads the field among web content management platforms in support for multilingual process. Some companies manage their entire translation process using only Tridion. As we noted last year: "Multilingual content management is in Tridion's DNA."

This announcement is not simply about integrating server-based TM with a rockstar CMS (something that's been done before). The announcement instead pairs web content workflow with translation management workflow.

How are TMS and CMS different? For one thing, TMS incorporates project management capabilities, ties into translation memory and translator workbench tools, and stores information about individual translation resources. It may also track translation quality ratings of individuals and/or projects.

But today's press release contains no details about what level of integration the companies will execute. Nor were company officials any more specific when contacted. Which left us wondering, where's the beef (or in this case, frikadel)?

Here is how the partners can put meat on the bun: 1) Go beyond technology integration and actively train each other's sales and technical staff; 2) document how/when/why it's appropriate to bring the partner in on a deal; 3) plan a go-to-market strategy, carefully price the joint solution, and properly support it for long-haul customers.

On the coding front, the companies must aim for a higher level of level of integration than in previous matches, like the XyEnterprise pass-through to SDL components. Anybody can do blackbox hookups from one system to another. Functional integration, combined project reporting, and shared services and support will make for satisfied customers and a successful, long-term partnership.

Categories