Michael Hostad

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Implementing UWMs Web Content Management System
Michael Hostad Web Architect mhostad_at_uwm.edu 229.3
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Presentation Overview

• Purchase/vendor selection
• Initial roll-out
• UWM homepage
• Campus-wide Implementation
• How you can prepare
• Project Timeline
• Questions

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PURCHASE/VENDOR SELECTION
Why Invest in CMS?

• Removes web developer bottleneck
• Puts content updating back into the hands of the
  content owner regardless of web skills
• Encourages cohesive branding and navigation
• Content re-use
• Workflow helps ensure correct accurate content
  appears online
• Portal integration
• Taxonomy creation (a set of controlled vocabulary
  terms, usually hierarchical. Once created, it can
  help inform navigation and search systems. Ex
  United States, Wisconsin, Milwaukee, North Shore)

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PURCHASE/VENDOR SELECTION
Vendor Selection

• Core Service Team formed to recommend vendor to
  campus administration
• Evaluated 5 vendors IBM, Percussion, PaperThin,
  Northwoods, Serena
• Initial in-depth demos, then half hour demos with
  defined criteria to demo
• Called references
• One vendor selected for detailed technical
  analysis PaperThin. Back-up Serena
• PaperThin provided proof of concept

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PURCHASE/VENDOR SELECTION
Authoring Tools
Proof of Concept
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PURCHASE/VENDOR SELECTION
Authoring Tools
Proof of Concept
Edit Icons
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PURCHASE/VENDOR SELECTION
Proof of Concept
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PURCHASE/VENDOR SELECTION
Proof of Concept
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INITIAL ROLL-OUT
First Site UWM.edu

• Complete site overhaul - new design, new
  navigation
• Current site was over 5 years old
• Dynamic content, AJAX-based directory search
• First real test of CMS capabilities

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INITIAL ROLL-OUT
Challenges

• Timeline
• Final approval of templates and content left us
  with only 3 1/2 weeks to implement
• Parallel-launch 12/22/06, final launch 1/11/07
• Holidays presented unique challenge
• Understanding new CMS
• Template creation
• Finding most efficient way to import content
• Training developers who have never used the
  system
• Last minute performance tuning, architecture
  changes

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INITIAL ROLL-OUT
What We Learned

• Planning is key
• Content ownership
• Site structure
• Template assignments
• Metadata fields
• Make sure template hierarchy is clear
• Always monitor and tune performance
• Persistence pays off

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CAMPUS-WIDE IMPLEMENTATION
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CAMPUS-WIDE IMPLEMENTATION
Implementation Team

• Implementation Team consists of 30 members
• Reps from schools/colleges/divisions
• Varying degree of technical ability
• Sub-teams exploring training, marketing, general
  administration, support

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CAMPUS-WIDE IMPLEMENTATION
Informational Web Site

• www.cmsinfo.uwm.edu
• Announces CMS to campus
• Explains what CMS is and how it may affect
  content owners
• Provides best practices, tips to prepare for
  migration
• Explains the campus-wide roll-out process and
  Early Adoption Program

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CAMPUS-WIDE IMPLEMENTATION
Early Adoption Program

• High demand for CMS use
• Early adoption program started to find CMS pilot
  projects
• Applicants submit proposals in a two step process
• 1. Initial survey
• 2. Pre-work packet/worksheets

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CAMPUS-WIDE IMPLEMENTATION
Early Adoption Program

• Initial survey
• Provides background/site history
• Determines willingness of user to participate in
  user groups or assist others when CMS goes live
  to campus
• Pre-work packet/worksheets
• Prompts user to plan migration
• Determine content ownership, site structure,
  dead/out-dated content
• Promotes web standards/best practices, usability,
  accessibility

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CAMPUS-WIDE IMPLEMENTATION
Early Adoption Program

• What early adopters get
• Early access to CMS
• Personalized, one-on-one training to jump start
  migration
• On-going support throughout migration process
• What the implementation team gets
• A solid foundation of CMS users trained in the
  product, ready to assist others
• A gallery of cms-based sites other than
  university homepage
• Ability to test training/migration processes
  prior to campus-wide launch

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CAMPUS-WIDE IMPLEMENTATION
Preparing for CMS Migration

• Consult CMS informational site
• www.cmsinfo.uwm.edu
• Identify content contributors
• Think about workflow
• Plan for design/navigation changes
• Usability, accessibility, focus groups
• Planning documents available soon

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CAMPUS-WIDE IMPLEMENTATION
Support and Training

• On-going support/training critical
• Online support site
• Forums, knowledge base, documentation, podcasts,
  customized training
• Classroom-based training
• User groups

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PROJECT TIMELINE
Implementation Timeline

• Early Adoption process underway
• Early adopters notified 3/26/07
• Work will begin with early adopters in April
• Campus-wide launch Summer 07

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Questions? For more information www.cmsinfo.uwm.
edu mhostad_at_uwm.edu