The Perfect CMS: Brass Ring, or Unattainable Goal

The Perfect CMSBrass Ring, or Unattainable

Goal

Robert Rhyne Armstrong November 16, 2011

The Intro.

Hi! I’m Rhyne.

Or Robert…whatever.Thanks for choosing this session.

I screw up, so you don’t have to.

We have a lot to talk about.

• Starting the task• Identifying potential products• Choosing the right one for you• Putting the product to work

I’m ready to begin.

…

1200 CMS listed on CMSMatrix.org

134 Wikis listed in Wikimatrix.org

Oh crap.

Relax. You can do this.

• Limit your options• Build your selection criteria

Ask tactical questions that cut the list down.

How are you going to use it?

Who is going to host it?

What platform will it live in?

Where will your data be stored?

Will you need to connect to other systems?

What are people used to?

Is there a CMS already in your organization?

What can you do with legacy content?

What is your budget? Do you have one?

Hold on…

Open Source vs. Commercial Products

Open Source DOES NOT mean free

Necessarily…

Pros

• Usually less expensive• Large community• Open source code• More flexible• Usable API• Usually high quality and well thought

out

Cons

• No ‘real’ support

• Plug-ins can be slow to upgrade

• Can get expensive with add-ons

• Usually has poor documentation

• The number of options in a space can lead to a fractured community

Evaluate on their merits, not on their origins.

Game on.

Use your list to narrow the field.

Identify 3 that you really like.

Get started with your evaluation.

Look at the product from three viewpoints.

The consumer…

The author…

The administrator…

Work in reality.

It eventually comes down to one thing:

Your preference.

Now you have to live with it.

Look beyond the ‘puppy period.’

Put the time to good use.

Work through all use cases. Don’t take anything for granted.

Don’t assume things work on your system the same way they work somewhere else.

Work on core features first.

You may never have to go beyond that step.

If you do, try one thing at a time.

Join the support community.

Enlist your developers.

Use the tool to plan the tool.

Involve everyone who is going to work on it.

Be careful with upgrades and 3rd party plug-ins.

A mini case study.

3 different CMS in use.

Author-it for our documentation.

Wordpress for our website and Customer Care portal.

Confluence for our Intranet.

Isn’t that overkill?

It works for us.

Can you please answer the question?

Nothing is perfect…

…but it could be perfect for you.

Good luck!

Robert Rhyne Armstrong@ninety7

facebook.com/rhynerhynearmstrong@gmail.com