Trends in Technology for Professional Communicators:

Web Content Management Systems

Tim Roman, College of Continuing EducationBob Rubinyi, UM Extension

Ron White, Office of Information Technology

Web Content Management Systems

I. Scope of this presentation: Web Content Management vs. Document

ManagementII. CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

III. Next Steps: Enterprise WCMIV. Communicators’ Strategies

V. Q & A

Web Content Management Systems

I. Scope of this presentation: Web Content Management vs. Document

Management

Web Content Management vs. Document Management

Focus is on Web Content Management (WCMS).

Related but outside immediate scope of WCMS:

• Document management

• Financial forms management/routing

• Digital asset management

• Blogs and Wikis

• Collaboration and personalization - MyU Portal

• Search engines and statistics – Google and Sawmill

Next Steps: Enterprise WCM

Features:

• Distributed content creation and editing

• Workflow and e-mail notification

• Run in development environment—push to web server

• WYSIWYG Editor—do not need to know html

• Centrally run by OIT; Training and support provided centrally

Web Content Management System/FileNet WCM

Web Content Management Systems

II. CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

• Business case/background

• Number of users

• Types of roles/process

• Workflow process/walk-through

• Administrative strategies and best practices

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Business Case/Background

• Eliminate the “bottleneck” of many content maintenance requests to few web developers

• Free up web developers to develop applications

• Place responsibility for content accuracy and currency in the hands of program directors and program associates, rather than IT department

• Put a quality review structure in place

• Separation of content from form/design

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Number of Users

Site Developers - 3

Content Managers: ~ 40

Content Approvers: ~ 25

Content Observers: ~ 5

Quality Assurance Editors: ~ 2

Managing over 500 web pages

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Types of Roles/Process

Content Managers: Add/Modify content on a web page

Content Approvers: Review the modified content for accuracy

Content Observers: Kept “in the loop” on what pages are changing

Quality Assurance Editors: Make sure content changes are “letter perfect”

Site Developers: Create new sites, administrate the system

Workflow Process

WebContent Manager

Modify

SubmitContent Approver

Read

Reject

ApproveQuality

Assurance

Content Observer

Edit

Receive Alert

Publish

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Content Manager

Browse to the CCE development site:

https://filenet.software.umn.edu:8467/

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Login to the FileNet system:

Click Login to begin modifications.

You will be prompted to enter your University of Minnesota Internet ID (x.500 user name) and password. This is the same information you use to access your pay stub, or the University modem pool.

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Click Content Editor

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Click Editor

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Best Practice: Make your

changes in red font so they are

easy to see – Q/A editors will “fix” the color

before deploying the page to the

web

Click Save

Change the Workflow status to

“Completed”

Click Submit

Enter notes here

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Content Approver

You will automatically receive an e-mail message prompting you to approve content

Click the active link to login and

display the Workflow Wizard

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Notes from Content Manager

Click Next

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Confirm changes

Click Next

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Click Next

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Click Submit

Select “Completed” to Accept Changes or “Rejected” to Deny

Changes.

Enter notes here

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Quality Assurance/ Editor

You will automatically receive an e-mail message prompting you to approve content. Click on the link to login and launch the Workflow Wizard.

Click Next

Notes from Content Manager

and Content Approver

Click Save

Make necessary

text changes –

change font color

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Click Submit

Select “Completed” to Publish Changes

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Administrative Strategies and Best Practices

Pre-launch:

• Complete content inventory, re-write if necessary

• Establish design templates’ look and feel

• Usability testing - relevant terms and categories for your audience

• Determine navigation and cross linking

• Identify content managers and approvers

CCE FileNet WCM Implementation

Administrative Strategies and Best Practices

Daily:

• Site developers monitor workflows for problems and timeliness

• Users can check their “In-box” on the system, or check their e-mail to see what workflows are awaiting their action

• Site developers meet with marketing managers and program staff to plan and develop new web sites

• Have more than one user fill each workflow role, as backup staff

Web Content Management Systems

III. Next Steps: Enterprise WCM

Next Steps: Enterprise WCM

• Team comprised of University colleges and departments

• Currently small team is writing requirements/evaluations

• Need to find vendors, including open-source vendors

• Need to address migration issues—from FileNet, others

Status of Finding a New University-Wide WCM

Next Steps: Enterprise WCM

• Vendors will provide demonstrations, Q&A sessions

• Expect to be centrally run by OIT; training and support provided

• ETA to be in place and operating—by end of 2006

• No Cost to colleges and departments

Status of Finding a New University-Wide WCM (Continued)

Web Content Management Systems

IV.Communicators’ Strategies

Communicators’ Strategies

Do the groundwork for a successful implementation:

• Get initial buy-in and involvement from your unit: “three-legged stool” of administrators, communicators and technologists

• Establish a project team with representatives from each group

• Clearly define roles: e.g. information providers and up-loaders

• Get commitment for staff time and integrate with existing work. Stress ownership and responsibility

• Plan for adequate training and support

Communicators’ Strategies

• Use opportunity to reorganize site, “clean-up” content collection and improve user interface

• Develop consistent style for materials

• Keep workflow as simple as possible

• Provide ongoing integration with existing communication tools (e-newsletters, print materials, etc.)

• Make website and e-communications central to unit’s work

Web Content Management Systems

V. Q & A

Thank you!

Web Content Management Systems