RE: ask for help

Bob,

My apologies for not responding sooner - the holidays always seem to slow us
all down.

I think the outline below is very detailed and excellent and I think it
really helps folks see all of the things involved in the 'end-to-end'
process for a CMS deployment but there are a few points that I personally
see differently. ;-) 

My opinions are based on seeing way too many failed or overly complex CMS
projects that just cost too much and are too risky for the organization.  I
speak with so many executives and content management project managers who
think their CMS or their CMS process sucks and need rescue.

I think that it is important to also stress that many vendors would prefer
to see customers adopt the 'end-to-end' approach because it means 'lock-in'
which is very advantageous to the software vendor, but not so for the
customer.  As I see it, it sure is safer to lock yourself into the Open
RDBMS - then you can swap pieces of technology in and out (including the
RDBMS) - then the customer gets all the software vendor looking at things
their way.

As you know from my prior emails - I've got pretty strong opinions about the
Manage - Store - Publish paradigm and how that defines the content
management lifecycle.  Your outline of the 3 phases is: content management -
creation, workflow management, and delivery. (They tend to locate versioning
in the second management phase, with multi-platform delivery in the third.)

I do think many folks look at the content management lifecycle in the way in
which you described but the customers I've spoken with who have looked at
the lifecycle in that manor usually get tied up in overly complex
engineering scenarios and proprietary paradigms.  So a certain "mindset"
develops that this is the "way it's done so it must be right."  (the
combination of all of these processes and technologies into one software
system).  I absolutely love it when customers ask me: "how does your CMS
handle backup?"  Why would anyone EVER want to use a CMS for backup?  If the
content is in the RDBMS - use the backup and security systems already in
place - don't duplicate or make your systems overly complex.

Workflow is a Huge topic in content management and I do Not believe that
workflow should be categorized as the second stage in the content management
lifecycle.  I think most CMS vendors have workflow that is way too complex
and I think the Visio Editor approach to workflow is a Huge mistake (setup
should be point and click) - how many content administrators want to learn
something so complex and how complex should the content workflow Really be
anyway?  Also, content management workflow should Only include the necessary
workflow for content contributors - so a very simple one.  Leveraging
workflow for content contributors, administrators, and the IT organization
(triggers, events, etc.) makes it overly complex.  Look at the parallels
here with how 'end to end' CMS software got so complex by combining content
creation, workflow, versioning, storage, assembly, delivery, syndication,
replication, etc. into one Big Proprietary system.  I'm in pain even
thinking about it.

Also, by separating workflow into a separate category - this adds to the
overall integration, customization, cost, and general hassle for the
customer.

So my view:

Manage (Create, Workflow, Version) - Store (Open/No API RDBMS) - Publish
(RDBMS pull - scripting languages/application servers/wireless &
personalization delivery/etc.)

Notice I combine Workflow and Versioning in the Manage category.  Workflow
and Versioning should be 'built in' and Simple.  So, in this case the
content management software becomes the TOOL and the combination of the CM
TOOL, the RDBMS, and the Open Publishing mechanism becomes the SYSTEM.

The other issue that I wanted to address is that Templating should NOT be
part of the CMS.  Create your templates in your favorite IDE and use
something like ClearCase for workflow/versioning of the templates - using a
CMS to workflow and version templates means that the CMS is (1) Not geared
toward content contributors (2) overly complex, and (3) not focused on
minimizing customer risk and cost.

To stress my point:  If the CMS or the CMS process sucks, then look at it
this way:

Content Management is: Creation, Workflow, Versioning.  Templating, Storage,
Publishing, Backup, Security, or anything else that is combined with or
added to a content management software is absolutely the Wrong approach and
Risky in my humble opinion.

That's it for now - hope I don't stir up too much of a debate today!

________________________
J Graham Zahoruiko
President & CEO
Refresh Software Corporation
51 Middlesex Street
North Chelmsford, MA  01863

P: 978-251-8870 x221
F: 978-251-8872

www.refreshsoftware.com

SiteRefresh - Core Content Management
Free Online Trial & Developers Sandbox



-----Original Message-----
From: cms-list-admin-/[email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf Of Bob Doyle
Sent: Monday, December 22, 2003 11:13 AM
To: cms-list-/[email protected]
Subject: Re: [cms-list] ask for help


Graham,

We can get to more consistent definitions, and this includes taking note 
of the different terminologies.

It's in the nature of language itself to have synonyms and metaphors for 
everything.  Between engineers making up their own terms and marketing 
types seeking a unique jargon to hype otherwise standard products, it's 
surprising we have what little agreement you do find.

In my reading of the major books on Content Management (Boiko, Rockley, 
Hackos, Nakano) there is actually a lot of agreement with the idea of 
three phases of content management - creation, workflow management, and 
delivery. (They tend to locate versioning in the second management 
phase, with multi-platform delivery in the third.)

At the CMSML initiative (http://www.cmsml.org), we are hoping to specify 
these phases in greater detail, to help classify different CM systems.  
It's also at CMS Review (http://www.cmsreview.com/Features/Lists.html), 
and in a Gilbane Report 
(http://www.cmsreview.com/Reviews/GilbaneReport1.pdf).

Criticisms most welcome. It's a work in progress.

Here is a recent draft:
____________________________________

Content Creation (Acquisition, Aggregation, Authoring)

    * Acquisition
          o Native support for filetypes
          o Multiple file transfers (FTP, site import)
          o Conversion tools (e.g.,Word to XML "chunks")
          o Rights management
          o Mandatory tagging (force structure and semantics)
          o Supported RDF ontologies (e.g., Dublin Core)
    * Aggregation
          o Incoming syndicated feeds
          o Metadata management (read incoming metadata)
          o Integrated Web services (e.g., currency conversion)
          o UDDI tools
    * Authoring (Editing Tools, Templating, Tagging)
          o Content Element Editors (Naive and Power Users)
                + WYSIWYG Through-The-Web
                + Text-only Forms
                + XML Editor
                + Spell checker
                + Content objects use templates
                + Asset repository (images, sounds, Flash, video, etc.)
          o Template Editor
                + WYSIWYG Through-The-Web
                + Template Gallery
                + XML Editor
          o Tag Editor (semantics and style)
                + Drop-down menus of all tags
                + Metadata Thesaurus
                + Taxonomies/Ontologies online
          o Help online
                + Context-sensitive help
                + Documentation
                + Examples

Content Management Proper (Workflow, Editing, Approvals, Staging, 
Repository, etc.)

    * Workflow
          o Access Permission Levels (Privilege granularity)
                + Number of levels
                + Per User, Per Folder, Per Role, Per Item
                + Flexible assignments to workflow
                + Creator automatic owner
                + User subscription to workflow
          o Check In/Check Out
                + Open page on web (Edit this page)
                + Automatic file lock on open
                + Conflict Resolution (who has it?)
                + Instant Messaging (email, phones)
                + Merge Tools, Diffs
          o Workflow Messaging
                + Email notifications (links to work)
                + Status (stage in workflow)
                + Comments at each stage
                + Audit trail (workflow log)
          o Arbitrary Roles (Writers, Editors, Graphic Artists, Rights 
Managers, Publishers, etc.)
    * Versioning
          o Scheduling, Expiration
          o All elements, templates date/time stamped
          o Archive with rollback (per file or site?)
    * Personalization
          o Relationship Management (History)
          o Actions tracking
          o Session/Click/Behavior analysis
          o Individual visitor ID (cookies)
    * Localization
          o Multilingual server
                + Respond to browser language requests
                + Gist translation option
          o Workflow
                + Automatic notifications
                + Quality checkers
          o UI multilingual
    * Reporting
          o Chrono workflow and by worker
          o WebTrends-style for whole site
          o Specific monitors
          o Performance (page delivery times)
    * Storage
          o Format (text, HTML, XML)
          o Database only
          o Files
          o Files and database
    * Backup
          o Onsite and offsite
          o Files and database
          o To nonvolatile media
          o Disaster recovery plan
    * Security
          o Firewall rules
          o Encrypted sessions
    * Staging Server for QA
          o Testing methodology
          o Replicates publishing environment

Content Delivery (Live Server, Publishing, Syndication)

    * Publishing (Delivery)
          o Separate Delivery from Creation/Staging/Testing
                + Use different server platform?
                + Replication
                + Synchronization of mirror sites
          o Multi-Publishing to different clients
                + PDAs
                + Cell phones
                + Handicap accessibility
    * Syndication
          o RDF Syndicated News Feeds
          o Web services



J Graham Zahoruiko wrote:

>Hi,
>
>That's a really good question.  Having been in this business for 
>several years - I haven't found much consistency, accuracy, or 
>agreement on terminology from anyone.  For instance, many on this post 
>already know my view on what a Content Management System is - and that 
>is - it is Not a storage or publishing system but a system for the 
>"management" of content (create, workflow, version).
>
>Graham
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: cms-list-admin-/[email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] 
>On Behalf Of ÑîÌÎ
>Sent: Monday, December 22, 2003 3:39 AM
>To: cms-list-/[email protected]
>Cc: [email protected]
>Subject: [cms-list] ask for help
>
>
>Hello,all!
>I want to know the difference between content life cycle, content 
>management life cycle and content management system cycle? I also want 
>to know workflow role in the content management sysytem.I read many 
>articles,most say CMS is made up of collection system, management 
>system and publishing system.I also see some article say it should 
>include workflow system.So I want to know which is more accurate? Thank 
>you!
>
>
>  
>

-- 
Bob Doyle, Editor In Chief
CMS Review
http://www.cmsreview.com
77 Huron Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-876-5678


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