To SharePoint, Or Not, For External Web Site Initiatives

Information and knowledge management (I&KM) professionals have expressed abundant interest in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server — the technology that has a little something for everyone, including document management, search, collaboration, portal, and Web content management (WCM). While SharePoint's WCM functionality can meet some intranet and extranet needs, it does not compare to the capabilities of independent vendors for public-facing, persuasive Web sites. Over-customization can be a major pitfall when using SharePoint for external-facing initiatives. Before selecting SharePoint, I&KM pros need to fully understand just how much customization SharePoint needs to meet their external Web site requirements.