A website content management system is used to publish a wide range of content. These can be simple pages, complex pages dynamic information sourced from databases, training materials, online manuals, and general business documents. The websites can range from large ecommerce sites to personal blogs, from school lessons to corporate sites. There can be thousands of pages with extensive linking between pages.
Prior to deciding which website content management system to use, it is advised that you should evaluate what are your needs and what would you would like to accomplish. It should be noted that there isn’t a universal checklist available that spans everyone’s interests. Each person and each organization differs in that each have different standards and concerns.
To make the process easier, the requirements can be classified into groups: Content creation; Content management; Publishing; Presentation; and Contract & business. This list covers the full life cycle of a website content management system, from initially creating the content, through to delivering it to end users.
An author must require content creation functionalities to generate materials on websites. A CMS must be easy to create and maintain in order to be successful. Content management is the foundation of this system. It is generally made up of a central repository and supported by various tools for manipulation and management. Key factors for content management are version control & archiving, workflow, security, integration with external systems and reporting.
The final web pages are generated by the publishing engine, which uses content that has been stored in the repository. Stylesheets and page templates are key requirements for this process. Other requirements may include the ability to support multiple page formats (such as print, pdf, html, and wap). The webmaster may wish to also use personalization and usage statistics for larger sites.
Content presentation is another important aspect that must not be neglected. The appearance and layout of the web pages will be dependent upon decisions made on this facet. To provide the most value to your users, the page presentation must meet certain criteria. They are as follows: usability, accessibility, cross-browser support, speed, navigation and metadata.
The final item of business is the focus on the project management and oversight of the third-party or vendor implementation of the content mangement system (CMS). Items that should be finalized and documented in the contract include (but are not limited to) user training, CMS administration skills needed, specific hardware, software, and database requirements, and all costs.
The success of a website often depends on the selection of the correct content management system. Because this can be a multi-million dollar decision, it is very important that you correctly asses the site’s current and future needs. In any decision this large, the most significant information you gather will most certainly be composed of your goals for the site and must also take into account the goals of all other parties who will be involved.
- Robert Taylor
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