CMP Media Launches Transform Magazine

Posted on March 7, 2001

CMP Media announced the April 30 debut of Transform Magazine, a new print and online publication for business and IT managers with expertise in content and collaboration technologies. Transform will focus on content and collaboration technologies for the capture, storage, management, delivery, and sharing of business content. Business content can include paper documents (such as invoices or contracts), electronic documents (such as spreadsheets or manufacturing designs), email, Web pages, and multimedia content including graphics or audio and video.

``Transform addresses the need to manage and deliver corporate content across intranets and the Internet,'' said group publisher Dave Kalman. ``It's dedicated to helping businesses make the most of their valuable information by covering a range of content and collaboration technologies, from the capture or creation of a document, to its delivery to an employee, customer or business partner.''

Transform is a relaunch of Imaging & Document Solutions magazine, which, over the last two years, has embraced a broader range of technologies to serve the needs of its readers. The new name and the new direction reflect the integration of multiple technologies to address pressing ebusiness challenges that readers face -- the need for businesses to transform existing paper-based processes to electronic processes or to transform personal knowledge to shared corporate knowledge, and to transform business into ebusiness.

``In the past,'' remarks Transform Editor-in-Chief Doug Henschen, ``content and collaboration solutions existed separately, operating in the back rooms of major corporations and public sector entities. With the emergence of the Internet as the platform for global connectivity, these technologies have taken their place as strategic to business success. Instead of being isolated, these technologies are becoming integrated and interconnected as part of a seamless ebusiness environment.''

A four-color monthly publication, Transform will offer product coverage based on research from an independent product-testing lab for content and collaboration products. In addition to reviews, Transform will provide analysis of technology trends and share case studies from companies that have successfully implemented content and collaboration strategies to improve their businesses. The first issue (which will have a May 2001 cover date) will be available at the AIIM Enterprise Content Management conference in New York, April 30, 2001.

``Many people wonder what we mean by 'content and collaboration,''' said publisher Jody Nurre. ``Imagine an insurance company that maintains paper applications and claims records, accepts premium payments electronically, and works with independent agents and claims adjusters in the field. A customer fills out an application for auto insurance. Some customers might apply online, while others will stick to paper-based applications. Either way, that's content, and it also represents a business transaction. A transaction record in the policy database may include an image of the application. If the customer later dents a fender, an adjuster may snap a digital photo -- more content -- and submit it with the claim -- more content. The claim may be routed electronically for review by several people. That's collaboration. The insurance company could route the photos via the Internet to its authorized independent service partners, who would in turn provide repair estimates. That's more collaboration. Today, businesses are just beginning to take advantages of these kinds of efficiencies.''

Transform's online incarnation offers additional news and features as well as online communities. These communities consist of Content & Delivery, Transactions & Collaboration, Enterprise Solutions, Scan & Capture, Storage & Peripherals and Web & ePublishing. Each section contains editorial coverage dedicated to addressing specific content management and collaboration needs.