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Setting the Groundwork for a Content Management System

Setting the Groundwork for a Content Management System. Track 2 – Enterprise Computing and Information Systems October 20, 2005 (2:20pm-3:10pm) Meeting Room W207A. “Keeping the User’s Needs in Focus”.

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Setting the Groundwork for a Content Management System

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  1. Setting the Groundwork for a Content Management System Track 2 – Enterprise Computing and Information Systems October 20, 2005 (2:20pm-3:10pm) Meeting Room W207A “Keeping the User’s Needs in Focus” Presented by: Robert Brosnan; Director - Web & Digital Communications Nancy Mustachio; Director - Application Development Marie Somers; Manager - Web Development

  2. Session Blueprint • Quick review Seton Hall University’s characteristics • Define the many faces of ‘user’ • ‘Setting the Groundwork’ • Scope, Vehicle Mission, Users & Goals, Features, Architecture, Constraints for Ancillary Communications Tools • Choosing a product

  3. Who We Are….Seton Hall University • Mid sized, Catholic affiliated university in suburban NJ, 15 miles from New York City • Two campuses – comprised of 8 Schools and Colleges • >5,000 undergraduate student • >4,000 graduate students • >1,900 employees, including 400 full-time faculty • 2004-05 Fact Book

  4. Background WebDev Info • FrontPage chosen as web development tool in 1999 • Complexity of template was a stumbling block for most users updating content • Clumsy method of maintaining accounts and sub webs

  5. Background WebDev Info • Over 300 websites, including student organization sites • IT managed 75% of the webs image creation and design layout • IT cycled thru outdated content, ‘reminded’ owners to update • Most major sites (e.g., schools/colleges) have their own “webmasters” with varying skill level • Soft stylistic guidelines (i.e. not ‘enforced’)

  6. Catching the Content Management System Fever • ‘Method’ to manage content – a tool set to support guidelines, policies and procedures • Ease of use, including training (no need for HTML, really?) • Information architecture and scaleable infrastructure • Public image library of approved images • Versioning and track changes (and workflow too!) • Dynamic content feeds and automatic content expiration

  7. Stop, Heal thyself! Think about All Our Users Who ARE our users? What do THEY expect?

  8. Our Users Defined External End Users Prospective students and their parents, Alumni, Donors, Prospective employees… Internal End Users Students, Faculty, Administration University Contributors Info gatekeepers, service personnel Importance PR Image keepers IT User Base

  9. Our Users Defined First and foremost, IT and PR must forge an alliance! Importance PR Image keepers IT User Base

  10. ‘Setting the Groundwork’ • Scope • Vehicle Mission • Users & Goals • Features • Architecture • Constraints for Ancillary Communications Tools

  11. Defining Scope

  12. Browser Accessible Domains

  13. Defining Mission

  14. Mission Statement • Promote University to External Audiences • Serve as a Conduit for Internal Audiences

  15. Users and Goals

  16. Intangible Goals • Bolster Image • Provide Vision • Serve as a Rallying Point

  17. External End Users Provide opportunities for users to learn about SHU and (hopefully) to become members of the University community. External End Users Prospective students and their parents, Alumni, Donors, Prospective employees…

  18. Internal End Users Stay up-to-date with University news and events and provide a hand-off to internal University services. Internal End Users Students, Faculty, Administration

  19. University Content Contributors Provide a single, simple, Web-based content authoring system. University Contributors Info gatekeepers, service personnel

  20. PR Content Contributors Provide a tool for managing marketing communications campaigns across all mediums, domains and sites. PR Image keepers

  21. System and Application Developers Provide a flexible, extensible and rapid development environment that reduces support and content demands on IT. IT

  22. Features

  23. Institutional Information Provide institutional information on the University in a user-centered context.

  24. Dynamic Content Every browsing session must provide a unique experience for the user.

  25. Global Content Every page delivered must provide opportunities for the user to learn more about the University.

  26. Focus on Writing The tool must require little more than the ability to use MS Word.

  27. Universal Platform The tool must extend to encompass the entire Public Web sphere and beyond.

  28. Architecture

  29. Architecture Objectives • Base Structure • Navigation Elements • Global Content • Subsite Structure

  30. Architecture

  31. Subsites

  32. School Subsites

  33. Constraints

  34. Plays Nice with Others Accepts content from and provides content to other systems through open standards, or syndication methods.

  35. Tool Selection

  36. Who’s Out There? • IBM > Lotus Workplace • PaperThin > Commonspot • Vignette > V7 • Percussion > Rhythmyx • RedDot > ECMS • Minds Eye > Element • Open Source > OpenCMS • circa 2003-2004

  37. Vendor Summary • Why each vendor was chosen for comparison • Summary of company and application description • Customer base • Collected pros & cons of the system • Detailed side by side comparison grid • Customer questionnaire

  38. Sample Explanation of Why We Choose the Vendors • IBM > Lotus Workplace • Due to our relationship with the company and our current infrastructure. • The Lotus Workplace would be an extension of our current Lotus Notes environment. • PaperThin > Commonspot • History with university clients. One of the few CMS vendors on the market who has taken the extra step to understand Hi-Ed. • Scaleable and fits within out current infrastructure. • Vignette > V7 • Flexibility of their system and scaleable. • Growing number of Hi-Ed clients. • circa 2003-2004

  39. Sample of Application Summary • OpenSource > OpenCMS • An enterprise-ready content management solution built in JAVA and XML from open source components. OpenCMS can be deployed on almost any existing IT infrastructure and provides feature suited for medium to large internet/intranet applications. • Runs in a “full open source” environment (e.g., Linux, Apache, Tomcat, MySQL) as well as on commercial components (e.g., Windows NT, IIs, BEA, Weblogic, Oracle RDMS)

  40. Sample of Customer Base • RedDot > ECMS • Educational Customers include: • Penn State AIS Dept, San Jacinto College District, Southeast Missouri State University, Trident Tech College, University of Arkansas, University of Albany • Commercial Customers include • Federal Express, The New York Times, March of Dimes, Kraft, Honda, Starbucks

  41. Sample of Pros & Cons • PaperThin > Commonspot • Pros include: • Editor interface is browser based and would not require client software to operate. • Offers full control over page elements for editing, flexible levels of security. • Full training is offered for the product and tailored for the role of the user. • Cons include • Does not offer dynamic environment for Lotus Notes

  42. Comparison Grid • Demo’s conducted – vendors required to follow a script (i.e. apples to apples)

  43. Comparison Grid • System Availability Specs (e.g., Websphere, Linux, Windows, Apache, IIS…) • Database Support (e.g., SQL, DB2, Oracle, Domino, Sybase…) • Primary System Language (e.g., ColdFusion, XML, JAVA, ASP, JSP…) • Support Options (e.g., Trial Period, Available Training, Phone support, Manuals, Online Help, User SIGs, Forums, Conferences, Feature Request Process…)

  44. Comparison Grid (continued) • Security Specs (e.g., LDAP integration, File Authoring Control, User Administration for Various Roles…) • Content Flow (e.g., Versioning, Approval, Audit Trail, Reporting, Expiration/Scheduling…) • Communications/Messaging Elements (e.g., Weblog, Discussion Forums…) • Development Features (e.g., Templates, User Interface, Photo Gallery, Personalization…)

  45. Sample of Customer Questionnaire(16 questions) • City College of New York on CommonSpot by PaperThin • Did you experience any difficulties during the implementation of the product? If yes, what were they? • Not at all, the whole installation went very smoothly. We are running the system internally right now. We are hoping to have the full launch by the beginning of July. • What platform are you running the product on? • We are running Windows 2000 server with an SQL database. We also have Cold Fusion MX 6.1. • Which version of the product are you currently using? V3.2, though we are getting ready to finalize the upgrade to V4. • We are working on setting up the replication system before we install V4. • With regards to the site templates, how many do you currently use? • 1 base master template and then 5 page layout templates. The colleges and departments can then copy over the templates for use on their sections. • Did you experience any problems with the design or implementation of the templates? • Not at all, the system basically takes care of the creation for you. It is a very smooth process. The original thought was to have a whole library of templates, but after a lot of research and discussions, we agreed on 5. • Do you use workflow to track changes to the site? If yes, how was your experience setting up the workflow process? • We set up the workflow process for our own development right now. Each college has its own admin rights to set up their unique workflow. The system is very easy to use.

  46. “It’s important to understand that a CMS is more than just new software; it represents a culture shift for your organization.”– John Kovacevich; Tendo’s Thought Leadership Newsletter

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