What's in a name?

In 2000, when I first attended AIIM as editor of this magazine, the organization was beginning to transition from its roots as the Association for Information and Image Management to the Enterprise Content Management Association, and the “atmosphere” of the event has changed significantly every year since then. After all, the group has been around for more than 60 years, which wouldn’t be possible unless it proved itself to change with the times.

At the turn of the century, “e-business” was not the somewhat tired phrase it has become now. “Workflow” was a standalone term, not one that had yet been morphed into “e-process” and, later, “business process management.” And, you can add to those a long list of “i-this” and “e-that” offerings that have been created by marketeers infected with what I call irritable vowel syndrome. Nevertheless, AIIM is always a good place to get a preview of what might appear in the headlines in the months and years ahead. In 2000, records management was barely mentioned, but a year later its voice got louder until it really started roaring in 2002/3.

This year’s meeting of AIIM is April 16 to 19 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center—just a few weeks after this issue of KMWorld is printed, but there is still time to make plans to get a glimpse of the future. And, for an in-depth look at solutions to real business problems, also mark your calendar for the event we sponsor: KMWorld and Intranets 2007, which will be held at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, Calif., Nov. 6 to 8.