1 / 24

Web content management: a centralized service in a decentralized environment

Web content management: a centralized service in a decentralized environment. Kyla Hoffman, Technical Lead Simone Knapp, Business Analyst Earl Fogel, System Administrator. Overview. Introduction Overview of Successes Service Description Service Process Challenges and Responses

doane
Download Presentation

Web content management: a centralized service in a decentralized environment

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Web content management: a centralized service in a decentralized environment Kyla Hoffman, Technical Lead Simone Knapp, Business Analyst Earl Fogel, System Administrator

  2. Overview • Introduction • Overview of Successes • Service Description • Service Process • Challenges and Responses • Measuring Success • Conclusions • Questions

  3. Introduction • Distributed/Federated IT model • 17 colleges and schools, many administrative units • 160,000 public webpages on main webserver • Other units/colleges manage local webservers • Web Content Management System • ~35,000 pages • ~230+ sites • ~1,000 user accounts • 1.7 FTE

  4. Overview of Successes • Six-month pilot (Feb-Aug 2008) • ~ 30 sites started; 22 published • Within 12 months units began moving from local systems • In the last year have seen a shift towards insourcing

  5. Overview of Successes • Clients of service include: • 12/17 colleges and schools • 3 affiliated colleges • Senior Leadership • Main U of S site (www.usask.ca) • University Library • Huskies (Athletic Teams) • 11 Administrative units • 10 Centres • Research groups/labs

  6. Overview of Successes • Publishing to our portal • 10 channels • Managing events for 12 calendars in our Dates & Events calendar • Managing Course Catalogue

  7. Sites Published and in Development

  8. Service Description • Website advising • U of S-branded templates • Desktop and mobile • Training and support • Technical and non-technical

  9. Service Description • System administration • Coordinating WCMS and central webserver • Maintenance and configuration • Support data coordination and integration • Portal channels • Dates & Events calendar • Course Catalogue (in progress)

  10. ServiceProcess

  11. Challenges • Categorized as: • Political • Technical • Resource based • Usually presented as a combination • Philosophy • Partnerships = success

  12. Challenges - Political • Federated IT model • Several units involved in product selection • Free and opt-in • Central support and maintenance • Local site and webserver management • Developer training • Lack official web policy • Free service uses the “official” U of S templates • Focus on partnerships • We are successful only if we all succeed

  13. Challenges - Technical • Varied skills and physical distribution • Group meetings (treats included!) • Code sharing and standards • Official website framework • Code repository • Developers wiki and mailing list • Escalation of issues

  14. Challenges - Technical • Limitations of the system • Provisioning sites • Developed a copy script • Web design vs. technology

  15. Challenges - Technical • Resource restrictions and limitations • Balance ease of use with resource implications • Dynamic banner images • Events publishing • Navigation management

  16. Challenges – Resource Based • Training and support volume (~1,000+ accounts) • Central and local support • Online documentation • Moving to Training Services unit • Development for institutional services • Course Catalogue (in progress) • Dates & Events calendar • Website frameworks – out of the box and a base site

  17. Challenges – Resource/Technical • Non U of S branding • Fee for service • Support and training • New branding – demand and transition • Change in layout • Added complexity • Retraining • Retroactive application • Support doubles for each site

  18. Challenges - Resource/Technical • System Administration • Site management • Local “config” page • Accounts and permissions • Local user and group management • Developed script for CAS authentication

  19. Challenges - Resource/Technical • System Administration – continued • Publishing • Local webserver admins • Developed script for “housekeeping” • Expiration of accounts • Resource audits • Support team wiki

  20. Challenges – Resource/Technical • Mobile • Mobile position created • Lack of awareness and resources • Implementation – official templates • Included with official framework (standardization) • No backward compatibility • Local management of desktop vs. mobile content • Auto redirect managed centrally

  21. Challenges - Combined • Managing expectations • Clarify roles and responsibilities • Clearly scoping the service • In-person consultations • Explicit online documentation

  22. Measuring Success • Definition of a “site” • No institutional standard for “unit” • Use total count not percentage • Developing system for maintaining stats • Survey

  23. Conclusion • Flexibility is key • Manage diversity of user skills and priorities • Relationships with campus web community • Cohesion of our team • All vested in the success of the service • Celebrate successes AND deal with setbacksas a team • Trust

  24. Questions?

More Related