the next-generation cms authors need you to create

Scalable, Adaptive, Agnostic

The Next-Generation CMS Authors Need You to Build

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Meghan SeawellMinneBar - April 7, 2012@m3ggiesue

Everything is content.

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● Shipments of smartphones + tablets exceeded that of PCs in 2011

● 60% of time spent on smartphones comprises new activities

● Global mobile data traffic expected to grow to 26x its current volume over next 5 years

● 5.3 billion mobile subscribers worldwide (77% of the world population)

mobiThinking, “Global mobile statistics 2011,” http://mobithinking.com/mobile-marketing-tools/latest-mobilestats

Proliferation of devices

"Mobile as we know it today is the tip of the iceberg."

Noz Urbina

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● More platforms● Different display● Varying content needs

○ context○ interaction

More devices means...

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CMS today

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"Fragmenting our content across different 'device-optimized' experiences is a losing proposition, or at least an unsustainable one."

Ethan Marcotte

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● Adjusts display

● Suppresses content

● Does not assume context

● Adaptive● Limited

Responsive design

"Resizing visuals is not the solution to platform

proliferation."Ann Rockley

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● Retrofitting content to fit new design● Chasing authors for revisions/adjustments at

back-end● Having non-authors make content decisions

○ what to suppress?○ what to display?

Today, we're still...

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● We built a system that could send content anywhere it needs to go?○ anywhere it might need to go in the future?

● Instructions for handling content were written into the content itself?

● Instead of building containers, then filling them with content, we created "content like water" that flows into anything?

But what if...

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● "Content store"○ Consistent structure○ Well tagged

● Create once● Travels everywhere

The vision

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● Structurally rich○ semantically structured○ structure has meaning○ easily manipulated

● Semantically aware○ tagged with metadata

● Discoverable● Reusable● Reconfigurable

Intelligent content

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"The more structure you put into content,

the freer it will become."Rachel Lovinger

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● Defined primary content type (news story)● Broke it into components

○ headline○ by-line○ copy○ etc.

● Store in CMS, free of code○ code = dirty

● Web publishing tools assemble and send to platforms

What NPR did

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http://blog.programmableweb.com/wp-content/npr_architecture_diagram.jpg

COPE

NPR today

● Primarily an author mentality shift○ from pages to topics○ for multiple platforms○ in granular chunks

● Shift in perceptions about CMS○ inclusion of presentation layer

● Technology can do this already○ but not in a way that's accessible

Dramatically different?

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● Content management system that doesn't generate display○ leaner○ scalable

● Easy to create intelligent content○ structurally rich○ semantically aware

● Author-friendly content creation○ highly usable

What we need to make

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STEP 1

Design the authorexperience.

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"CMS is the enterprise software that UX forgot ."

Karen McGrane

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● Jane, central marketing○ plans elaborate content system

■ structure■ channels■ workflow

○ needs to implement ● Lisa, outbased SME

○ has knowledge about topic○ needs to get her information out

Two employees, one CMS

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● Goal: Get info out● Knowledge areas

○ topic (SME)○ company/organization○ writing (maybe)

● Pain points○ coding○ metadata○ finagling technology

Profile of an author

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● Clarity ○ "My information goes here!"○ "I know what this field means!"

● Simplicity○ "All I need to do is type!"

● Parameters○ "This text can only be 200 characters!"

● Predetermined choices○ "Now I select my editors!"

Lisa's needs

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STEP 2

Workflow –for people.

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● Will workflow be linear?○ writer to editor 1○ editor 1 to editor 2○ editor 2 to publisher

● Route to multiple editors?● How will changes be tracked?● When will display be previewable?

Workflow questions

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The CMS that getspreview right

will win.

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STEP 3

Establish/enable content hierarchies.

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● Jane can establish content structure within the CMS

● XML○ travels○ customizable

● Include standard option○ DITA? RDF? OWL?○ Opportunity to be creative

How to define structure?

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● How to define content hierarchy?○ today, by website navigation○ in structured, hierarchies may vary across platforms○ by company/org structure?

● What information about content needs to be visible? filterable?○ content name?○ last edited? (by whom?)○ where published?

Organization within CMS

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● Supports or related to topic○ images○ documents○ other topics

● Where do relationships live?○ within each topic? ○ in separate location?○ multiple places?

Related content

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● Modified for different applications○ Donate - Original○ Donate - Volunteer Extravaganza 2012

● Parent-child relationship?○ how to differentiate from other content hierarchies

Derivative content

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● Inherent format○ bulleted lists○ numbered lists○ tables

● Can it live in a format-free environment?

Formatted content

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STEP 4

Interact with platform publishing tools.

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● How much capability to include?○ open, available for access?○ preview functionality?○ show "site" maps?○ altogether separate app?

● Any inclusion must be distinctly separate from content creation and management

Platform publishing

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STEP 5

Collaborate.

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By working together, across disciplines,

we can createadaptive content systems

that can go whereverthe future takes us.

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● Managing Enterprise Content, Ann Rockley, http://www.rockley.com

● Nimble Report, Rachel Lovinger, http://nimble.razorfish.com

● Intelligent Content Conference slides, http://www.slideshare.net/intelligentcontent

● Delivering Dynamic Content Solutions Using XML, Noz Urbina, http://www.slideshare.net/nozurbina

● Future-Ready Content, Sara Wachter-Boettcher, http://www.alistapart.com/articles/future-ready-content/

● Content strategy Google group, http://groups.google.com/group/contentstrategy?pli=1

Learn more at...

● Meghan Seawell● @m3ggiesue● [email protected]● linkedin.com/in/meghanseawell

Get in touch

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