Content Management with WSP 2.0

What is Content?

Content is the term used to describe the information on a Web site, as distinguished from the graphic look and feel (the "presentation layer").  Web site content consists of text, images and various types of media files (video, sound, and interactive media such as Macromedia Flash.).  The presentation layer includes text styles, colors, logos, and other graphical elements that portray the character and identity of the organization.

In a traditional Web "page," content and presentation are mingled in a single file, which typically requires some level of Web programming expertise to produce and maintain.  When the information on the site must be changed, the XHTML file must be updated, which necessitates using an XHTML authoring tool.

What is a Content Management System?

A content management system (CMS) is a software solution that allows qualified users to manage content. A CMS uses database technology to categorize and collate content for quick and easy retrieval. 

A Web CMS allows users to manage content on the Web. Users can designate when content will display, designate how it will display, and when it will cease to display. Content can also be reused, by targeting a given content element to multiple locations on a Web site.  For example, an article that addresses family issues might appear in a section on parent-child relationships, a section on teens, and as a sidebar to an article on counseling options.  If the site navigation is tied to current content, it is virtually impossible to have broken links on the site, since without current approved content, there cannot be any navigation to it.

A CMS supports the typical content workflow.  Typically, a content specialist develops content, a user with editorial authority reviews/edits it, and another user with publishing authority authorizes it to display.

Why use a CMS?

• Small or no dedicated Web staff. If a content management system is integrated with graphic templates, non-technical users can publish Web content that incorporates the look and feel of the site with little knowledge of HTML, XML, or Web multimedia.
• Rapidly changing content. When content must be kept fresh and current, a good CMS allows virtually instant publishing of content. Thus, time-sensitive material, such as policy changes, school closures, special sales, or breaking news events can be displayed on the site as needed. Content can be coded to expire on a given date, or be automatically archived, so the site content is always current.
• Large organization. In a large organization, where the site must support the needs of many agencies, business units or districts, a CMS can be invaluable. Content management tasks can be distributed among many functional experts, and each stakeholder in the Web site can maintain his or her unit's content, preventing an individual Webmaster from being overwhelmed with change requests.
• Large amount of content. If an organization has a large amount of content, whether products in a catalog, online documentation, or information about varied products and services, a CMS can help users find, enter, and update content quickly.
• Need for rapid deployment. If an organization needs a complex site up in a hurry, typically a CMS will enable a much faster implementation by allowing content producers to focus on content generation that is automatically flowed into the presentation layer template without complex XHTML coding.
• Need for accuracy/timeliness. By providing workflow distribution, calendar-driven activation of content, and stylistic control, a CMS improves quality and timeliness.
   

Return on Investment Potential

Content Management Systems are not cheap.  Typically, a CMS is a significant investment for any organization.  But, use of a CMS can provide major dividends to the organization. 

• Cash Flow/Profitability.  Many of the costs associated with an organizational Web site can be reduced by using a CMS.  For example, the cost of updating a Web site can be radically reduced, since content experts or moderately-skilled administrative staff can update content, rather than higher-paid IT staff or outside agencies.  A CMS-based Web site will significantly reduce printing, paper, copying and mailing costs within an organization, since customers can get updated information whenever they need it, and print it at their expense. 
• Improved Customer Service.  Because a CMS-based site can be updated rapidly, content managers can publish in response to customer needs.  Customers can access the information they need 24/7, which can significantly reduce the need to handle phone calls and email inquiries.  Also, a well-designed CMS ensures there are no broken links, since the links are created programmatically based upon content.  This ensures customers have a good experience navigating the Web site.
• Improved branding.  CMS technology ensures that content is flowed into a predefined presentation layer, which can be produced by a design firm to effectively portray the organization's identity.  Since the design firm does not need to produce the entire site, but only a handful of templates, the cost is significantly less, while the quality and consistency of branding is high.  Also, CMS tenchology allows content to be entered in one place and targeted to multiple locations, which allows the use of multiple distinctively branded Web sites with common content.