Interlab 2003 November 6, 2003

Interlab 2003 November 6, 2003

A CMS for Energy.gov


DOE’s Implementation of a CMS for Energy.gov



www.energy.gov

Getting from here……tothere.



The Task

• Redesign Energy.gov

• Reorganize Site Content

• Improve Search Engine

• Implement a Content Management System

• Implement a Taxonomy

• Plan for a roll-out to other DOE entities



The Plan

1. Get DOE Buy-in

2. Define Roles and Responsibilities

3. Establish Technical Infrastructure

4. Create templates / pages

5. Develop / Convert Content

6. Develop a Taxonomy

7. Implement / Test / Deploy



The Plan

1. Get DOE Buy-in

• The Committee– 34 DOE staff members representing a cross-

section of the organization– Questionnaires– Initial planning sessions– Responses:

• Support• Indifference• Skepticism• Enthusiasm• Hostility



The Plan

2. Define Roles and Responsibilities

• Create a Content Team

• Working Relationships: IT / Multiple vendors

• Management v. Web Staff

• CMS is a New Animal: Who’s Who?

• Decision-makers



The Plan

3. Establish Technical Infrastructure

• Requirements– Web Server– Application Server– Database– CMS Software– Search Engine

• Test / Staging / Production

• Roles and Responsibilities

• Acquisition of HW / SW



The Plan

4. Develop Templates / Pages

• Magic!• Magic…?



The Plan


• Magic…?• Programming

• HTML Templates

• JSPs

• Wiring to Admin / Authoring Engine

• Wiring to Display Engine



The Plan


• Content Management Wiring– Templates

• Content “Chunks”

– Users• Authors, Editors, Approvers, Admins

– Workflows• Steps in the Publishing Process



TILES

- “Content Containers”

- Reside within Layouts

- Page or section-specific

- Reusable

LAYOUTS

- Some have editable “behaviors.”



TILES

LAYOUTS

Group tiles to use with Workflows

Workflows relate to groupings of content

Workflow 1

Workflow 3

Workflow 2

Author 3

Author 2

Author 1



The Plan

5. Develop / Convert Content

• “Moveable” Content

• New Content

• Disposable Content

• Formats and Formatting

• Automating Conversion



Content Plan

6. Develop a Taxonomy

• What is a Taxonomy?

• Office of the CIO Taxonomy

• “A to Z list”

• Topics

• Offices and Facilities



The Plan

7. Implement / Test / Deploy


• Testing– Functional– System– Regression– Stress– Acceptance

• Deployment: An Environmental Concern– Testing / Staging / Production



Executing the Plan

Redesigned the Site

Got DOE Buy-in

Wired the Templates

Developed a Taxonomy

…? Develop / Convert Content



Executing the Plan

IT Words to Live By:

• Expect the Unexpected

• Plan for Failure



Executing the Plan

Redesigned the Site

Got DOE Buy-in

Wired the Templates





Executing the Plan

Redesigned the Site

Got DOE Buy-in

Wired the Templates


…? Develop / Convert Content- No Web team established (Cost not built into

project)- Dependence on others caused delays- No plan for automating conversion



Executing the Plan

Redesigned the Site

Got DOE Buy-in

Wired the Templates



…? Define Roles and Responsibilities

…? Establish Technical Infrastructure…



Executing the Plan

Remember…:





Executing the Plan

3/1/20032/17/2003 3/31/2003

Establish Technical Infrastructure• Acquisition of HW / SW



Executing the Plan

3/1/20032/17/2003 3/31/2003




Executing the Plan

3/1/20032/17/2003 6/1/2003

4/1/2003 5/1/2003




Executing the PlanEstablish Technical Infrastructure• Acquisition of HW / SW

6/2/2003 6/20/2003

3/1/20032/17/2003 6/1/2003

4/1/2003 5/1/2003



Executing the Plan Redesigned the Site

Got DOE Buy-in

Wired the Templates


Develop / Convert Content


Establishing Technical Infrastructure delay =

- System Configuration delay- CMS Software Deployment delay- Training delay- Content Entry delay



Executing the Plan

Redesigned the Site

Got DOE Buy-in

Wired the Templates




Establish Technical Infrastructure

• Implement / Test / Deploy



Executing the Plan

Murphy’s Law:

• Program Manager Change Shortened Deadline

• Timeline Crunched

• Content Creation Fell Behind, Delaying Testing

• Other IT Projects Demanded Resources

• The Site Launched …



Executing the Plan

Murphy’s Law

A driver incompatibility between application server and search software…

…the site was slow due to connection pooling issues…



Executing the Plan

Murphy’s Law

A high-visibility public site with multiple players and something goes wrong…

…? Define Roles and Responsibilities• Fingers Pointing• Hands Wringing• Too Many Fingers In the Pie• Multiple Solutions Tried• Testing Needed• IBM, Oracle Contacted…



Executing the Plan

A driver incompatibility between application server and search software…

…was resolved.



Executing the Plan

Redesigned the Site

Got DOE Buy-in

Wired the Templates


Developed / Converted Content

Defined Roles and Responsibilities

Established Technical Infrastructure

Implemented / Tested / Deployed

Launched and Relaunched



Executing the Plan



Lessons Learned

• Manage Your Project

• Be a Team

• Give Too Much Time to Content Conversion

• Know Your Software

• Clarify Roles and Responsibilities

• Document Everything





Lessons Learned

Manage Your Project

• Set Reasonable Goals

• Use a Phased Approach

• Regard Each Project Element As a Project

• Can My CMS Make My Coffee?

• Be a Team



Lessons Learned

Give Too Much Time to Content Conversion

• Analyze Your Content Carefully

• Be Ready To Jettison Outdated Content/Methods

• Look for Automated Conversion (*but be careful)

• Clarify Roles And Responsibilities

• Staff Up To Handle The Job



Lessons Learned

Know Your Software

• What’s New?

• How Will This Change Our Processes?

• Be Sure Your Vendor Can Tell You What Is Really There

• Exception Handling



Lessons Learned

Clarify Roles and Responsibilities

• Decision Makers

• Publishing Staff, Authors, Admins

• System: Staff, IT, Vendors

• Figure It Out Up Front

• Communicate Weekly (at least!)

• Document Everything



Lessons Learned

Document Everything

• Statements of Work (SOW)

• Change Control


• Technical Documentation

• Training

• Updates and Upgrades



The Good News

It Works…

…If You

• Manage Your Project


• Plan for Success





Documents

Interlab 2003 November 6, 2003