8 Keys to a Successful AEM Implementation

Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) is a powerful and flexible content management system. Successfully implementing AEM can be a challenge, and through the hundreds of AEM sites that Blue Acorn iCi has launched, we have noted several key factors that promote successful implementation.

Here are our keys to successfully implementing AEM:

1. Clearly define your strategy

Commit a few weeks to a strategy phase to assess your current state, define requirements, mitigate risks, and create the AEM reuse and implementation strategy across multiple domains.

2. Start with a pilot site

An AEM implementation is complex and carries risks. Manage risks and learn about AEM development, integration, and authoring by first implementing AEM on a pilot site, and then on a flagship site.

3. Maximize knowledge share

Bring in an outside partner for specific AEM expertise and experience. Demand visibility into the implementation process to make sure the functionality can be maintained after the partner leaves.

4. Create an appropriate team structure

Combine your internal team with an experienced implementation partner. The collaboration leads to a greater likelihood of self-sufficiency for your organization following launch.

5. Change your business processes

Adapt and modernize business processes to suit the strengths of AEM. It can improve organizational efficiency and user experience. AEM implementations get expensive when you ignore the business process.

6. Think creatively to satisfy business needs

Think creatively about how AEM templates and components can be built or modified to suit the needs of multiple web pages, websites, and business units. It will lead to less cost overall.

7. Don’t skimp on quality

Quality Assurance (QA) is critical to success, but it is often a bottleneck. Invest in QA resources to increase delivery team throughput.

8. Enroll authors early in the process

Authors provide insights about how AEM and existing processes can be blended, modified, or created to improve publishing. Enrolling authors also help AEM adoption after site launch.