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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Cascade CMS

    Score8.2 out of 10
    N/ACascade CMS (formerly Cascade Server) by Hannon Hill is a content management system, with built-in tools to help users eliminate stale content, increase digital outreach, and promote end-user adoption and accountability. Cascade CMS is designed for decentralized web teams in most major industries, including higher education, government, healthcare, and technology. Included is Clive, an engagement and real-time personalization tool for collecting information and using it to craft personalized…N/A

    Jive

    Score8.7 out of 10
    N/AJive Software, part of the Aurea family of customer experience solutions, provides the gateway to an organization's most important assets – its knowledge and people. Jive's interactive intranet solution promises to connect people, information and ideas to help businesses outpace their competitors. The vendor says the product has more than 30 million users worldwide across every industry, and is consistently recognized as a leader by top analyst firms.N/A
    Pricing
    Cascade CMSJive
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Cascade CMSJive
    Free Trial
    YesNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup fee
    Additional Details——
    More Pricing Information
    Features
    Cascade CMSJive
    Security
    Comparison of Security features of Cascade CMS and Jive
    Feature
    Cascade CMS
    8.0
    19 Ratings
    3% below category average
    Jive
    -
    Ratings
    Role-based user permissions8.019 Ratings00 Ratings
    Platform & Infrastructure
    Comparison of Platform & Infrastructure features of Cascade CMS and Jive
    Feature
    Cascade CMS
    7.1
    13 Ratings
    9% below category average
    Jive
    -
    Ratings
    API7.012 Ratings00 Ratings
    Internationalization / multi-language7.37 Ratings00 Ratings
    Web Content Creation
    Comparison of Web Content Creation features of Cascade CMS and Jive
    Feature
    Cascade CMS
    7.1
    19 Ratings
    10% below category average
    Jive
    -
    Ratings
    WYSIWYG editor6.119 Ratings00 Ratings
    Code quality / cleanliness6.018 Ratings00 Ratings
    Admin section8.019 Ratings00 Ratings
    Page templates9.017 Ratings00 Ratings
    Library of website themes5.52 Ratings00 Ratings
    Mobile optimization / responsive design7.015 Ratings00 Ratings
    Publishing workflow9.019 Ratings00 Ratings
    Form generator6.47 Ratings00 Ratings
    Web Content Management
    Comparison of Web Content Management features of Cascade CMS and Jive
    Feature
    Cascade CMS
    6.9
    18 Ratings
    8% below category average
    Jive
    -
    Ratings
    Content taxonomy8.013 Ratings00 Ratings
    SEO support7.014 Ratings00 Ratings
    Bulk management9.014 Ratings00 Ratings
    Availability / breadth of extensions6.011 Ratings00 Ratings
    Community / comment management4.85 Ratings00 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Cascade CMSJive
    Small Businesses
    Umbraco CMS
    Score7 out of 10
    HCL Connections
    Score9 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Square Online
    Score7.7 out of 10
    HCL Connections
    Score9 out of 10
    Enterprises
    RWS Tridion Sites
    Score9 out of 10
    HCL Connections
    Score9 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Cascade CMSJive
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.9
    (44 ratings)
    9.1
    (37 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.1
    (26 ratings)
    6.6
    (17 ratings)
    Usability
    9.1
    (4 ratings)
    6.1
    (4 ratings)
    Availability
    6.7
    (4 ratings)
    5.0
    (1 ratings)
    Performance
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.1
    (5 ratings)
    6.9
    (2 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    7.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Online Training
    5.0
    (1 ratings)
    5.0
    (3 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    9.1
    (4 ratings)
    3.0
    (1 ratings)
    Configurability
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    6.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    5.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    6.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    5.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Cascade CMSJive
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Hannon Hill
    Cascade Server is well suited with it's WYSIWYG editor being better than most editors that I have used in other systems. In context, editing makes adding content easy compared to the last CMS I used where you had to wing it and view the page outside of the CMS to see if it was correct. The ability mix HTML, CSS, and the Script of your choice anywhere and with ease.
    The scenarios were Cascade Server is less appropriate would be in the use of compilers or programs like Visual studio. You need to go out of Cascade Server and go to other environments to perform tasks and then copy the result to Cascade Server. You can write directly in Cascade Server, but it's easier to do in and editor that is specific to a function.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Aurea
    It's definitely worth considering Jive for the type of application we've developed i.e. a central shared repository for all employees to host and discuss information. I can't say I have ever used a superior tool, but they may exist. I'm just not sure I would want to use it exclusively for file hosting, though. It does integrate with various other tools, so perhaps it would be fine if used in conjunction with another tool for that purpose.
    Incentivized
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    Pros
    Hannon Hill
    • Cascade CMS makes no assumptions about your content. Templates control how the content gets displayed.
    • Workflows are intuitive and allow for one or more people to review content before it is published.
    • The published site is static (no database connection) which allows for faster page loads and reduced risk of attack.
    Incentivized
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    Aurea
    • Individual design
    • Presence of Russian language (localization can be independently established)
    • You can configure several information tapes with different themes. One for work, the second for communication
    • A newly-arrived network user immediately receives a prepared block for beginners. After completing several game tasks, the user will receive the basics of using Jive.
    • There is a template for each scenario. There is even a template for planning R&D, and there are more than twenty of them.
    • Integrates with MS Office, Google Drive, Google Docs
    • There are all platforms (even Winphone and blackberry)
    • You can create forum threads
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Hannon Hill
    • Cascade CMS is not an out-of-the-box pre-built system that you can install, turn on and expect to be serving sites and pages on day one. It's not a blogging system like WordPress, or a drag-and-drop system like SquareSpace (both of which I've used for their own purposes). You need to have someone tasked with management and system administration – and if you implement the on-premise self-hosted version, you ought to have several people. We have the university's IT shop handling infrastructure (server hardware, containers, clustering, operating systems, load-balancing, DNS, database servers, NAS/SAN drives), our Web & Design team managing Cascade CMS (system settings, sites, templates, permissions) and managers coordinating each respective academic unit (A&S, business, education, law, marine science).
    Read full review
    Aurea
    • Search functionality is very weak
    • The information architecture and taxonomy doesnt allow for easy discoverability of content
    • It's hard to navigate the and find spaces/groups that I already know about
    • The main profile/interface does not allow easy access to key tasks or common tasks.
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Hannon Hill
    Changing systems would require too much effort. Our institution is using Cascade Server, WordPress and Drupal but we only serve 2200 students so we have 1 too many content management systems. Reflecting on current technical resources we would like to drop down to 2. This effort hasn't moved forward because of the extensive work required to migrate content and train users in a new system.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Aurea
    There are always external factors that can impact this decision but currently, the Jive platform is maintaining its lead in the market place in this area. If the innovation in this space by Jive continues, then this number will remain high. Integration with other systems and adaptability to changes in the market or in client needs will also make this decision hard to predict more then 6 months into the future
    Read full review
    Usability
    Hannon Hill
    Cascade CMS is completely usable on mobile devices, we can train our content editors in a single 2-hour session, and we support 1,000 users with a very small team.
    There is a level of complexity for the system administrators, site managers and web programmers who implement templates and content types. But the complexity is neither arbitrary nor inconsistent – and once learned provides a powerful environment within which we can develop robust sites that are beautiful and powerful, yet easy for our content editors to manage.
    Read full review
    Aurea
    It was harder to use that expected. The admin needs to be code savvy to truly customize the system. And users need to trained on the system and the setup. Trainings and monitoring need to continue to enforce use.
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    Hannon Hill
    Amazing customer service and VERY customizable.
    Incentivized
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    Aurea
    Uptime was OK. But there was one day that the system crashed for a whole day. Our company was unable to operate. And all the plugins to word/excel froze causing those systems to freeze.

    Jive posted a statement to the media saying all customers were up, but we were not.
    Read full review
    Performance
    Hannon Hill
    Does a great job.
    Incentivized
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    Aurea
    The product worked as designed. It just didn't work for our needs.
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Hannon Hill
    They have always regarded any question or problem we encountered as very important. We have never felt that they ignore or downplay any issue and not once has anything been left unresolved. They also hold an annual conference where users are invited to attend and share their experiences and wisdom with the entire Cascade community. And with the care and support the provide, we all feel a part of that community.
    Read full review
    Aurea
    They did an OK job when I needed them. Except for the one day the system went down. Jive pointed the finger at the hosting company, and the hosting company pointed the finger at Jive. No reliable information came to us.
    Read full review
    In-Person Training
    Hannon Hill
    Training was helpful.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Aurea
    No answers on this topic
    Online Training
    Hannon Hill
    Still needed that physical help
    Incentivized
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    Aurea
    Jive online training is there. It is OK/average. I feel some other companies are doing better. It is not a piece that is required to have a successfully implementation, but it could be useful to improve it
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Hannon Hill
    The key to any CMS implementation is PLAN, PLAN, PLAN. Proper planning with Cascade can increase your satisfaction exponentially once the site migration/creation is complete. When all is said and done, your implementation can make your site run like a Yugo or Maserati. Be smart and deliberate in your decisions. Drive the Maserati. It is already paid for.
    Incentivized
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    Aurea
    If I did this over, I would hire out the implementation. They know the best practices and could have guided us to make an easier to use setup.
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Hannon Hill
    We selected Cascade server seven years ago, and the CMS environment at the time was clearly different than it is today. We decided to go with a vendor solution rather than a free solution because the long term cost in hosting a free solution is not, in fact, free; we've found Cascade to have been an excellent choice for us.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Aurea
    We had a Google phone number set up before and Jive was a lot better option than that. It is more consistent and can be configured much easier and with more advanced settings. Additionally, based on the pricing as well as working with the rep on our account, it was a perfect option for us
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Scalability
    Hannon Hill
    I used it only a few times.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Aurea
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    Hannon Hill
    • Initially, ROI was positive - because we completely redesigned the website when we implemented Cascade.
    • Over time, the inability to keep up with the latest interactive tools has reduced visitors time on site.
    • Also over time, the difficulty of use has led to less buy-in by backend users, leading to outdated pages, little timely information, and lower visitors.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Aurea
    • reduce email traffic
    • reduce amount of files/documents scattered & lost across shared drives
    • increased discovery, awareness and interaction of historically more separated individuals & team functions across the organisation
    • from an IT perspective, we've benefited from improved IT operations (e.g. troubleshooting info shared and easily searched/found with all team members - such that even junior team members can solve technical problems outside of business hours, lessening the burden for standby/call-in for more senior team members)
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Jive Screenshots

    Screenshot of Jive's Interactive Intranet software provides a single platform for employee collaboration without complication.