Before reading further, remember that any 2 CMS specialists will give you different definitions of "content management system". This essay outlines our idea on the problem.

The Core Definition
In the most pure sense, a content management system is what it sounds like it is - a system for handling content. For example, Microsoft FrontPage by itself isn't a content management system. However Microsoft FrontPage joined with a well trained website owner who follows a structured process for sourcing info from business shareholders, updating internet pages, and getting these pages online is a content management system. It isn't an especially efficient or effective one in most cases, but this collection of human and software driven procedures forms a reasonable system for handling content.

More sometimes, the term content management system alludes to a software package (regularly internet-based) that helps to automate the roles concerned with handling info inside an organisation.

What Others Think...

CMS should offer at least four and ideally five of the following endowments:
1. Writing and / or Alteration Services
2. Repository Services
3. Workflow Engine
4. Templating Engine
5. Distribution and marketing

James Robertson of Step 2 Designs says this: A content management system (CMS) supports the creation, management, distribution, publishing, and discovery of company info. It covers the entire lifecycle of the pages on your website, from providing simple tools to form the content, thru to publishing, and eventually to backing up. It also provides the power to manage the composition of the site, the appearance of the released pages, and the navigation provided to the users. Note that we are targeting the most typical use of a CMS: to control web content. In some circles, these systems therefore are called web management systems (WMS).

Content management systems can be wider than this...

We like James's definition best of all the definitions we've found so far, as it is the most complete and wide reaching. However it must be noted that his definition has a spotlight on web content. Many content management systems (including cm3) are far more object-driven - they're going to allow you to control content that's made or delivered not only online but through other channels also.

Extending the dictionary definition of Content Management.
There are several issues that are related to the core definition of content management. We're of the opinion a full specification content management system should provide more than what James Robertson and Tony Byrne outlined above.
Think about "content" as any object of info that's being sent, received, made, stored, or alternatively managed in some form. A great content management software package should supply a framework on which to build the tools needed to connect humans with this info.

A good CMS ought to include following elements:
* Tools to assist in building any sort of content driven web interface
* Forms management
* User management
* Personalization services, i.e. the facility to target content to individual users and groups
* Authentication
* Beginning points for purpose-specific content management applications - e.g. Forums, surveys, shops, internet sites, intranet tools, extranet tools, info input and tracking, for example.
* Index and search (well, James Robertson made public this already)
* Tools to help integration with other info management systems.

How Content Management Relates to DM, KM, DAM, SCM, CRM, and DRM
When thinking about what a CMS ought to include, it is helpful to understand about other types of information management software. Alternate approaches to information management systems are tough to classify, but consider the following kinds of information management systems:
* DAM: Digital Asset Management
* DM: Document Management
* KM: Knowledge Management
* SCM: Software Configuration Management
* CRM: Buyer Relationship Management
* DRM: Digital Rights Management
* CM: Content Management

We think that though a good CMS shouldn't attempt to be all things to all folks (since other software programs provide fantastic support for wants in different niches), it should support the techniques concerned with (and to an extent, give the functionality for) all the subjects published above.