The document discusses the importance of content typing in content management systems. It defines content modeling as the process of converting logical content concepts into content types, attributes, and data types. It provides 7 reasons for using content types, including that different types need to be structured, edited, validated, displayed, managed, searched, and organized differently. It also provides 4 questions to evaluate a CMS's content modeling capabilities and 3 tips for implementing content types.

1. Content Types The Building Blocks of Your Content Model

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4. 7 Reasons… …why content typing is important 4 Evaluation Questions For those of you shopping for a CMS and comparing options. 3 Implementation Tips For those of you implementing or managing a CMS-based Web site.

5. Content Modeling

6. Definition Content modeling is the process of converting logical content concepts into content types, attributes, and datatypes.

7. Logical Content This is the desired end result of a content management requirement. It’s often represented as a design comp.

8. Content Object An XML document A database record

9. Content on most Web sites can be roughly categorized by type.A type shares a common set of attributes and is meant to represent a single, logical boundary around content.

10. Content Item A is a page of text. Content Item B is an Executive Profile. Content Item C is a Press Release

13. Structuring your content requires you to identify your content types.

14. Why care about content types?

15. Reason #1 Because different content types need to be STRUCTURED differently.

16. Content Structure Between Types

17. Content Structure Between Types

18. Content types are made up of content attributes.An attribute is a single, logical piece of information that, when combined with other attributes, describes a type of content.

19. Content attributes have datatypes. A datatype restricts the type of data the attribute may hold. This enables validation and processing

20. Content Model Content Types Content Attributes (bound by Datatype)

21. My Web Site Standard Text Page Press Release Executive Profile

22. My Web Site Executive Profile First Name (simple string) Last Name (simple string) Hire Date (date) Image (file reference) Bio (formatted string)

23. Reason #2 Because different content types have to be EDITED and VALIDATED differently.

24. Automatic Form Rendering Content edit form in eZ publish

25. Input Form Validation Canned and custom validation in Ektron.

26. Reason #3 Because different content types have to be DISPLAYED differently.

27. Display Template Assignment Template assignment by Page Type in EPiServer

28. Reason #4 Because different content types have to be MANAGED differently.

29. Content types often act as functional boundaries for: Permissions Workflow Navigation Search

30. URL Pattern Assignments URL pattern assignment based on Content Type in Drupal

31. Workflow Assignment Automatic workflow initiation in EPiServer.

32. Reason #5 Because different content types need to be SEARCHED and ORGANIZED differently.

33. Organization by Content Value

34. Content Type-specific Search Parametric search based a content type in eZ publish

35. Reason #6 Because different content types are markers for integration complexity.

36. The Ubiquitous “Standard Page”

37. A new content type often means… A new editing interface New validation rules New permissions rules New workflow requirements New display requirements etc…

38. Reason #7 Problems due to inefficient and inaccurate content modeling will often not surface until the project is complete. By that point, it’s often too late….

39. Futureproofing Designing your content model so it can be adapted to new situations with a minimum of pain.

40. Evaluation Question #1 Does your CMS allow content modeling or structuring at all?

41. Evaluation Question #2 How flexible are its content modeling capabilities? (Bring your own content, and ask for a demonstration of how it would be modeled.)

42. Evaluation Question #3 What datatypes are available to structure your content?

43. Evaluation Question #4 Can you write your own datatypes or customize existing datatypes?

44. Implementation Tip #1 Think in terms of content types. Consider the ways different content will need to be edited, validated, managed, searched and organized.

45. Implementation Tip #2 Be careful in re-using content types for logically different content.

46. Implementation Tip #3 To futureproof your content, speculate on and list scenarios in which the content might be used now and in the future.

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