Better Practice Checklist - 10. Implementing a Content Management System
May 2004 (organisational details updated January 2008)
Introduction
Australian Government departments and agencies are increasingly using content management systems (CMS) to streamline the management of a variety of materials on their websites. Content management is a complex area. The selection of a CMS is the topic of Better Practice Checklist 9, Selecting a Content Management System. However, the success of the selected CMS will largely depend on how it is implemented and used.
A key role of the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO), Department of Finance and Deregulation is to identify and promote 'Better Practice'. This checklist has been created to help agencies implement their CMS effectively. The items in the checklist, however, are not mandatory.
This checklist is intended to be used by those staff in agencies who have been given the responsibility to implement a CMS. The information within this checklist may also be relevant to Chief Information Officers, Information Management Steering Groups and other senior managers. This checklist focuses on non-technical issues.
It should be noted that the checklist is not intended to be comprehensive. Rather, it highlights key issues for agencies. The checklist is iterative and draws on the expertise and experience of practitioners. The subject matter and issues are reviewed and updated to reflect developments.
Download PDF of Checklist 10 - Implementing a Content Management System [
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Acknowledgments
This checklist was developed with the assistance of Australian Government agencies. In particular, we would like to thank the Bureau of Meteorology, the ACT Chief Minister's Department and members of the Content Management Community of Practice.
In addition, we would like to thank Step Two Designs Pty Ltd.
Overview of implementing a CMS
Implementing a CMS presents a number of challenges, which may include:
- Considering a range of issues associated with content management, including usability, information architecture and information management.
- Actively involving many staff throughout the organisation in content management, as reviewers and administrators.
- Requiring extensive participation from staff to be successful and sustainable.
- Integrating with (or modifying) many business processes.
- Implementing the CMS as part of a broader information or knowledge strategy.
- Implementing a relatively new and immature product within the administration of the agency.
- Interrelating to other information systems, such as document and records management.
- Ensuring long-term viability of the system and supporting processes.
While the benefits of CMSs are well recognised, these challenges introduce risks into the implementation project, which must be managed accordingly. This checklist outlines a number of approaches that can be used to mitigate these and other risks while ensuring that project outcomes are achieved.
Basic issues associated with managing online content are covered in Better Practice Checklist 8, Managing Online Content.
Summary of Checkpoints
In general
Consider the time required to complete the implementation
Focus on business outcomes and goals rather than technical issues
Ensure that the implementation delivers visible benefits
Migrating content into the CMS
Conduct a content audit
Use the opportunity to migrate to a new site structure if appropriate
Check to ensure that all content has an owner
Consider rewriting content if necessary
Consider user-centred design to ensure that the site best meets users' needs
Addressing non-technical issues
Focus on content management processes
Consider an appropriate governance model
Consider change management and internal communications
Develop a network of stakeholders
Mitigating project risks
Constrain initial project scope
Minimise custom development
Identify areas of greatest risk
Build internal capabilities and knowledge
Improve organisational information management
Plan to reassess CMS suitability
Learn from the experiences of other agencies
Ongoing development and maintenance
Increase content management usage
Continue content redevelopment
Checkpoints
In general
Consider the time required to complete the implementation
Industry experience has shown that it may take up to 12 months (or more) to fully implement a CMS. While the deployment of the actual software is becoming increasingly rapid (as little as a few weeks), there remains a range of supporting activities (such as the content migration) to be completed before the launch date.
Focus on business outcomes and goals rather than technical issues
Business goals are often identified for the CMS project, as outlined in Better Practice Checklist 9, Selecting a Content Management System. These goals will also underpin the setting of priorities and allocation of resources during the implementation phase. Agencies may wish to consider how they can ensure that the technical implementation of the CMS does not lead to the business goals being overlooked.
Ensure that the implementation delivers visible benefits
The initial implementation of a CMS may face a number of challenges within an organisation. For the solution to be sustainable into the future, the active participation of staff (as authors, editors or administrators) can be particularly important. This support can only be gained if the initial implementation delivers tangible and visible business benefits.
It may be useful to ensure that the CMS implementation focuses on a broader scope than simply resolving underlying technical issues or improving behind-the-scenes authoring of content. Effective CMS implementation often delivers a solution that can be widely promoted throughout the organisation.
Migrating content into the CMS
In many projects, CMSs are implemented to resolve deficiencies in the content and structure of the current site. The implementation of a CMS is a good opportunity to address these issues. However, appropriate time and resources will be required for content migration activities.
& Conduct a content audit
Before implementing the CMS, a full content audit will help to inform decisions. The audit will list all pages on the site, and indicate whether they are to be migrated, revised or deleted. The content audit can also specify where each page is to be placed in the new site structure.
In many organisations, content audits will identify a significant percentage of content that can be immediately removed from the site, both increasing the overall quality of the site and reducing content migration effort.
Use the opportunity to migrate to new site structure if appropriate
Consider whether the existing site should be migrated into the CMS as it is, or whether the opportunity should be taken to migrate only reviewed (and revised) content into a new site structure. By doing this, it is possible to start again with a complete and accurate site, which can then be more effectively maintained using the CMS. Further information about identifying appropriate site structures is available in Better Practice Checklist 15, Information Architecture for Websites.
Check to ensure that all content has an owner
It can be useful to identify an owner for all content that is migrated into the CMS. This can help ensure that the content is kept up-to-date in the future. Ownership can be allocated to a role rather than a specific person, to protect against the effects of future reorganisations.
Note also that the content owner may be different from the original author of the material, depending on the governance model used.
Consider rewriting content if necessary
Beyond simply restructuring the site, it may necessary to rewrite some of the content. The content audit may identify pages that are out-of-date, difficult to understand or not written in a form suitable for online use. It can be useful to address these issues before migrating the content into the CMS.
Consider making use of a professional technical writer to improve the quality of key content areas (such as policy and procedures).
Consider user-centred design to ensure that the site best meets users' needs
Agencies may find it helpful to use best practice usability and information architecture techniques when designing the site that will be managed using the CMS. This will help ensure that the site is effective and easy to use for staff or external visitors. Usability testing the final site before the project launch can also help identify any remaining design or structural issues.
Addressing non-technical issues
Content management is not a technology problem. Instead, a CMS is simply an 'enabler' that supports the improvement of content management processes, skills and strategies. Consider the non-technical supporting activities that may have the greatest impact upon project success.
Focus on content management processes
The ongoing currency and usability of the site relies on the processes put in place to create and maintain content. While a CMS can provide a technical enabler for content authoring, the establishment and support of appropriate staff processes are often key.
The initial implementation project is often the key to determining authoring models and processes. In practice, authoring can be centralised, decentralised or a mix of both. Regardless of the approach taken, it will be necessary to closely monitor the effectiveness of the processes and to revise as required.
Determining suitable authoring processes for the agency may have the single greatest impact upon the long-term viability of the CMS solution and of the project as a whole.
Consider an appropriate governance model
It may be useful if the implementation project determines a suitable governance model for the CMS and the site(s) it supports. This governance model can provide a framework for the processes that are established and can outline the responsibilities of the various business units involved in the project. Multimedia Victoria provides guidance on developing a content management policy at http://www.mmv.vic.gov.au/ [
].
Consider change management and internal communications
The deployment of the CMS can impact upon many areas of the organisation and lead to considerable changes to business practices. For the implementation to be successful, it may be useful to consider change management issues and activities. Internal communications will play an important role in promoting the role of the CMS in the organisation and in gaining the enthusiasm and involvement of authors and reviewers.
Note that these activities will often be in addition to training programs for authors and administrators.
Develop a network of stakeholders
Both business users and web administrators will often be involved throughout the implementation project. The creation of a network of all stakeholders of the project can be useful. This group may take ownership of the implementation process and help determine the most effective way of meeting the desired business objectives.
Mitigating project risks
As outlined earlier in this checklist, CMS implementations are confronted by a number of unique challenges and risks. Mitigation of these risks can help the project to meet business objectives while remaining within budget and time constraints.
Constrain initial project scope
The deployment of content management solutions can require considerable organisational change. Large-scale changes are more difficult, and it may be useful to constrain the scope of the initial implementation. This can help in managing risks and in providing opportunity to determine how best to establish content management processes and policies.
Agencies have used a number of approaches for constrained scope implementation, including:
- Implementing the CMS for only one of the sites maintained by the agency (for example, one website or intranet). Starting with the simplest site allows the initial challenges to be overcome before more difficult site issues are tackled.
- Conducting a 'pilot' project that limits the functionality deployed and moves the more complex issues to post-release activities.
- Deploying a centralised model of CMS authoring for the initial release, with a staged migration to decentralised authoring following the initial 'go-live' date.
Minimise custom development
The customisation and further development of a CMS can be costly and give rise to project risk. By selecting an appropriate CMS product that is installed largely 'off the shelf', agencies can minimise custom development.
Taking this approach can minimise exposure of the organisation to the complexities of the software. This can also protect against a CMS marketplace that is rapidly changing, by leaving the agency less committed to a single product and therefore better placed to change solutions in the future.
Note that certain aspects of the CMS (such as the appearance of published pages) are usually customised to match the unique identity of the organisation. Larger 'enterprise' projects will also require additional development and customisation.
Identify areas of greatest risk
Not all aspects of a CMS implementation entail the same level of risk. Some CMS capabilities install 'out of the box' with minimal effort, while others are more challenging to implement.
The greatest risk in a CMS project may stem from areas of uncertainty caused by:
- difficulty in determining concrete business requirements
- unknown future business directions
- complexity of requirements or implementation
- people issues.
Agencies may need to manage these uncertain aspects closely during the project, to ensure that risks are mitigated while project goals are still met.
Build internal capabilities and knowledge
Agencies can use implementation projects as an opportunity to further develop internal capabilities and knowledge regarding content management issues and approaches. This expertise can help meet the ever-growing information challenges within organisations.
Improve organisational information management
The implementation of a CMS can be conducted in the context of a broader information management plan that includes the other information systems within the organisation (such as document management, records management and database systems). This will allow policies to be put in place indicating how each of these systems is to be used and how they should be integrated.
Plan to reassess CMS suitability
With the CMS marketplace still rapidly evolving, it may be useful for agencies to plan to reassess the suitability of their deployed product after a defined period. This re-evaluation can help determine whether the currently deployed solution is still the best option, or whether the agency would be best served by going back to the marketplace to obtain a more capable or functional solution.
Learn from the experiences of other agencies
One of the best sources of content management knowledge is the experience of other agencies that have already implemented a CMS solution. Best practice approaches (and problems to avoid) can be identified by examining the activities and outcomes of completed projects.
Information about the Australian Government's Content Management Community of Practice is available at www.finance.gov.au/e-government/better-practice-checklists/cop/content-management.html.
Ongoing development and maintenance
CMS implementation projects may be constrained in terms of time; and while considerable work may be undertaken to support the initial project development, ongoing maintenance will also be required. Agencies may wish to allocate resources to further improve and expand the content management solution.
Increase content management usage
While initial implementation projects are often restricted to a single site or subset of the business, in order to constrain scope and mitigate risks, CMSs may also need to grow in order to reach a 'critical mass' of usage to be viable in the long term.
Agencies may wish to consider ongoing 'roll-out' of the CMS after the initial launch date and to resource these activities.
Continue content redevelopment
The content and usability of the site being managed by the CMS may benefit from further development following the initial launch of the CMS solution. By providing simpler editing and improved management tools, the CMS can facilitate this 'continual improvement' of content, thereby enhancing the value delivered to staff or visitors.
Other Better Practice Checklists
- Providing Forms Online
- Website Navigation
- Testing Websites with Users
- Use of Cookies in Online Services
- Providing an Online Sales Facility
- Use of Metadata for Web Resources
- Archiving Web Resources
- Managing Online Content
- Selecting a Content Management System
- Implementing a Content Management System
- Website Usage Monitoring and Evaluation
- Online Policy Consultation
- Knowledge Management
- Designing and Managing an Intranet
- Information Architecture for Websites
- Implementing an Effective Website Search Facility
- Spatial Data on the Internet
- Digitisation of Records
- Access and Equity Issues for Websites
- Marketing E-government
- ICT Support for Telework
- Assistive Technology for Employees of the Australian Government
- Decommissioning Government Websites
- ICT Asset Management
- Managing the Environmental Impact of ICT
Download PDF of Checklist 10 - Implementing a Content Management System [ - 302 KB]
Contact for information on this page: AGIMO Better Practice Team