Content Management Systems and Their Potential for Use

Content Management Systems and Their Potential for Use at Miramar College Presented by Bill Smith

The Issue • Miramar’s website needs constant updating • Most departments must now depend on Web staff • Some departments still not in template • PLACe • TRIO

What does a college website need?

1. Consistency • 1995: Anarchy • • • Large websites = collection of small sites Little design cohesion Navigation difficult Confusing to Web users CSU Fullerton, 1996

1. Consistency • Now: • Many non-techies are online • One website, one design • Consistent navigation • Information delivered more efficiently • Users less likely to leave site • Website promotion is easier • Less confusion • No more “What site am I on? ”

2. Scalability • College websites tend to expand • Ex: New sites for graduation, athletics • • Often seasonal, must be changed/removed Web staff must plan for expansion • Rapid addition of in-template materials • Easy changes to navigation

3. Rapid Change • College information changes constantly • Academic requirements • Department hours • News • What if…? • Departments could update their own area • No HTML or programming needed

4. Technical Concerns • 508 compliance • Total compliance required • Multiple designers = multiple 508 issues • Security • Control non-Web staff server access • Code injection—a common attack

Content Management Systems • • Help large entities manage their information 1960’s—Document-focused • Manage, share, restrict documents • 1996—Web-based • Central management for large websites

Content Management Systems • Characteristics • Skinnable using style sheets or third-party themes • Authorized users can update pages • • Images, some formatting Little technical training required • All depend on server-side code, database • Many now free, open source

Drawbacks • Migrating existing content • This is the #1 issue (Information Architecture Institute, 2003 ) • NOT an out-of-box solution • Every organization has different needs • Themes are often cookie-cutter, recognizable • Learning curve can be steep

Content Management Systems Requirements for Miramar College

Requirements • Fully customizable appearance • Stylesheets • Logical, understandable navigation • 508 • Allow custom code • Database access • Document display

Requirements • Department updatable • • Users can upload, manage their area Thin-client (browser based) Area-specific user permissions Images, formatting No HTML or scripting Brief training sessions Document management

Requirements • No cost • Must also be well documented • Scalable • Handle large number of documents • Secure

Three Candidate Systems • • • All are free, downloadable All are skinnable to some extent All feature structured navigation

Dot. Net. Nuke • One of the few free CMS’s using Microsoft™ technology • . NET framework • Code is written in Visual Basic • SQL Server • Runs on a Windows® server

Dot. Net. Nuke • Installation & Configuration • Required several hours • Many permissions issues • • Had to grant total rights to Everyone This may be a quirk of using Localhost

Dot. Net. Nuke • Appearance • Many free themes • Difficult to modify • CSS and code must be edited • Many separate sections (“modules”) when a few will do

Dot. Net. Nuke • Navigation • • • Third-party menu is required Items must be added individually Shows entire site by default Dropdown/pop-out requires additional coding Data access • . NET data controls

Dot. Net. Nuke • Usability • Form interface • • • Not intuitive Much technical language Many areas to update • Issues with admin hierarchy • Two classes of admin • Admin and Host • Only Host can change appearances • Only Admin can change global settings and menu

Dot. Net. Nuke • Advantages • Known quantity (Windows, . NET) • Large user community • Many themes • Disadvantages • High maintenance • Mediocre navigation • May be difficult for non-techies to use

Drupal • In top three for popularity • Linux-based but can run on Windows • Written in PHP • Very learnable; similar to C++/Java/Perl • My. SQL database • Also free • Many downloadable code modules

Drupal • Installation & Configuration • Easier than DNN • About 1 hour on localhost • Database permissions were only issue

Drupal • Appearance • • Highly skinnable Many themes Mostly CSS-based This one: • • “Four Seasons” Many modifications

Drupal • Navigation • • • Native menu system Dropdown module can be downloaded Items can be placed in menu when created Submenus must be assigned manually Data access • Can be scripted using PHP

Drupal • Usability • Users can be assigned page-level rights • Form interface • More intuitive than DNN • Rich text module formatting • • Can include images Limited placement • One Admin to rule them all • Can be tweaked for 508

Drupal • Miramar’s Big Issue: Documents • Web File Manager • • Free Drupal module Files can be uploaded Allows drag/drop Developer then links to files as usual

Drupal • Advantages • Flexibility • Many educational sites in use • Ex: http: //www. augie. edu • Easier to train non-techies • Disadvantages • Best operation requires Linux & My. SQL • Readable URLs may be an issue

Tiki. Wiki • Newer entry • Wiki-specific • Mostly user-generated documentation • PHP & My. SQL

Tiki. Wiki • Installation & Configuration • Easiest to install • Ran “out of the box” • One level of admin

Tiki. Wiki • Appearance • Available themes are very plain • Less layout flexibility • Use of logos, etc. , requires a good deal of modification

Tiki. Wiki • Navigation • • • Menu is logical; easy to read Items must be added manually No dropdown option for sidebar Formatting difficult to change Data access • TW is not designed for this • No real way to use custom PHP code

Tiki. Wiki • Usability • Form interface • • • Easy to understand; minimum tech Formatting requires knowledge of Wiki markup Limited images • Access is Wiki style • • Registered users can edit all editable pages Can also create page (as with DNN) • Probably too much access

Tiki. Wiki • Advantages • Easy install & upkeep • Highly readable & updatable • Disadvantages • Inflexible compared to other two • 508 is a real problem • Difficulty with dynamic pages • Might prove useful for Intranet

Conclusions • • Some sort of CMS will eventually be needed at Miramar There is no perfect CMS solution • Miramar has unique needs • An in-house CMS would be redundant

Conclusions • Three popular CMS’s • Dot. Net. Nuke • • Extra power not worth the complexity Problematic for non-techies • Tiki. Wiki • • • Very easy to maintain Not flexible enough for a full website Might be useful for a College intranet

Recommendations • Drupal—A good compromise • • Free to install and use Appearance can be modified Very accessible to non-techies Multiple content areas • Provide compromise between information and PR • Code can be written for Miramar’s needs