To CMS or Not to CMS?
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The document discusses the complexities and considerations of using a Content Management System (CMS) versus traditional content management practices. It emphasizes the need to identify specific pain points in content processes and provides suggestions for evaluating and improving productivity without a CMS. Additionally, it outlines potential alternatives to a CMS and highlights the importance of proper implementation to avoid turning a CMS into a problem.
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Evaluate your complexity (con’d)
› Change
− Amount of change, not volume, determines complexity
− [Number of components added/updated] x [unit of time]
− [Number of components deleted/archived] x [unit of time]
− Updates easy; locating components to change more difficult](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/tocmsnotcmslww11032008new-140528173351-phpapp02/85/To-CMS-or-Not-to-CMS-17-320.jpg)
![21
The suits want numbers (con’d)
Evaluate your pain points in terms of cost:
200 clients @ 1 personalized manual/client @ $50 = $10,000
› How much of a selling point would personalized
documentation be?
5 new sales/year? 10 new sales/year?
5 @ $50,000 = $250,000
› For purchase of $50,000 CMS, ROI 5 years (current
clients)
› ROI .2/year [10 wks] (potential sales)](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/tocmsnotcmslww11032008new-140528173351-phpapp02/85/To-CMS-or-Not-to-CMS-21-320.jpg)
To CMS or Not to CMS?
- 1. Copyright © 2008 AllscriptsMisys Healthcare, Inc. To CMS or Not to CMS? Leigh W. White Expert Technical Writer November 3, 2008
- 2. 2 What this isn’t… › Info on specific CMSs › Your definitive answer
- 3. 3 What this is… › Ideas and tips for identifying your “pain points” › Ideas and tips for evaluating your complexity › Some examples of how to improve production without a CMS
- 4. 4 Content Management vs. Content Management System › Content Management − Categorizing & characterizing your content − Reusing content for multiple outputs (including localization, personalization) − Managing workflow − Tracking usage, statistical information › Content Management System (CMS) − Set of tools and procedures/processes to help you do the above OR − Application specifically designed to help you do the above
- 5. 5 Do you already have a CMS? › If you track your content & output in any way, you have a CMS! › A CMS is not necessarily a commercially-available system; it's anything that works for you….or not so much.
- 6. 6 Do you need a BETTER CMS? › Is what you’re doing now working for you? › Do you anticipate changes that will make it no longer work? − New/more writers? − New/more deliverables? − Shorter release cycles? − More personalization/localization?
- 7. 7 “Where does it hurt?” › If it’s not working, where is it not working? − Missed deadlines − Less than optimal quality − Limited opportunities for reuse − Redundant/omitted content − Writers stepping on each others’ toes − Content not organized/characterized − No personalization
- 8. 8 “Where does it hurt?” (con’d) › These pain points not a reason to assume you need a CMS › Also not a reason to despair
- 9. 9 Remember: › A CMS is a collection of processes and procedures that enable you to implement the principles of content management. › You can still develop those processes and procedures independent of a specific tool.
- 10. 10 Identify pain points and solutions PROBLEM › Too general: − “We can’t keep up with updates.” › Better: − “We can’t keep the ABC, XYZ and QRS manuals updated and in sync because the content changes so often.” SOLUTION › “We need to identify any content that is used among all of these manuals. Then we need to develop a way to indicate that this content is reused. Next, we need to consider rewriting for reuse. Finally, we need a system that allows us to actually reuse the content and track the reusages.”
- 11. 11 Problems>solutions>implementation Identify the problems Identify the solutions Determine how to implement the solutions
- 12. 12 CMS: solution or problem? › A CMS is not a solution! A CMS is a system or tool for implementing a solution! › If not properly implemented, a CMS can be just another problem.
- 13. 13 Can you handle a CMS? › Cost › Ongoing support › Implementation timeline › Current personnel structure - everyone will have to wear even more hats than they do now: − Manager − Business analyst − Design analyst − Developer − QA tester − Writer − Editor
- 14. 14 Whaddya have? Evaluate your complexity --The Content Management Bible, Bob Boiko Content Contributors Change Publications
- 15. 15 Evaluate your complexity (con’d) › Content − Number of topics? Number of documents? Do you include images & other content? − Number of kinds of items (KB articles, FAQs, checkists, conceptual info, task-based info, etc.) − How much current/potential reuse?
- 16. 16 Evaluate your complexity (con’d) › Contributors − Number of contributors? − Their relationship to you? − Complexity of content they provide? − Conversion from outside sources? − Need to enforce standards & uniformity
- 17. 17 Evaluate your complexity (con’d) › Change − Amount of change, not volume, determines complexity − [Number of components added/updated] x [unit of time] − [Number of components deleted/archived] x [unit of time] − Updates easy; locating components to change more difficult
- 18. 18 Evaluate your complexity (con’d) › Publications − Number of publications − Degree of personalization (none, some, most, all) − How many redesigns per year? (layout changes, navigation changes) − Any current separation of content from presentation?
- 19. 19 Yeah, we need a CMS!
- 20. 20 The suits want numbers Evaluate your pain points in terms of cost: 5 writers 200 hours @ $30/hr. to update 1000 pages = $6000 x 4 releases/year = $24,000 › How much of this time is rewrites/recompiles due to poorly-organized content? 50 hours = savings of $1500 x 4 releases/year = $6,000 › For purchase of $50,000 CMS, ROI 8-9 years
- 21. 21 The suits want numbers (con’d) Evaluate your pain points in terms of cost: 200 clients @ 1 personalized manual/client @ $50 = $10,000 › How much of a selling point would personalized documentation be? 5 new sales/year? 10 new sales/year? 5 @ $50,000 = $250,000 › For purchase of $50,000 CMS, ROI 5 years (current clients) › ROI .2/year [10 wks] (potential sales)
- 22. 22 Alternatives to a CMS › Optimize folder structure
- 23. 23 Alternatives to a CMS (con’d) › Optimize document organization − Chunk for reuse (workflow, audience, etc.) − By menu or window only if product strictly menu- or window- driven
- 24. 24 Alternatives to a CMS (con’d) › If you’re using unstructured Frame, move to structured!
- 25. 25 Alternatives to a CMS (con’d) › Frame 8’s native filtering function − Include/exclude information based on attributes − Can only build filters using attributes in current document − Each user must build own filters
- 26. 26 Alternatives to a CMS (con’d) › ABCM FrameMaker plug-in − Include/exclude information based on attributes − Can build filters using any attributes, for entire document set − Can build filters in central location so all writers can access − Free; http://www.weststreetconsulting.com
- 27. 27 Alternatives to a CMS (con’d) › InsetPlus FrameMaker plug-in − Insert topics from a “topic library” − Source in only one place, can propagate changes across all references − Based on DITA model − Free; http://www.weststreetconsulting.com
- 28. 28 Alternatives to a CMS (con’d) › Create your own tracking tool − For example, Oyster CTS—created for internal team use − Access database for tracking topics, maps, images − Tracks where used, versions, audit trail − Includes project scoping
- 29. 29 Other resources › www.cmsInfo.org › www.CMSReview.com › www.Content-Wire.com › www.Gilbane.com › www.OSCOM.org › Content Management Systems - Tools of the Trade by Dave Addey, James Ellis, Phil Suh, David Thiemecke › Content Management Bible by Bob Boiko › Managing Enterprise Content by Ann Rockley
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