Presentation at J Boye 13 in Aarhus, Denmark on defining business requirements and goals before starting your RFP process for a web CMS selection.

1. Contact info:
patricia.eagan@jax.org
Twitter:
@coastalcandy
LinkedIn:
Linkedin.com/in/patriciaeagan

2. Retooling your CMS
Charting the right course
Patricia Eagan @ coastalcandy

3. The Jackson Laboratory
Who are we:
We are an independent, nonprofit organization focusing on
mammalian genetics research to advance human health.
Along with our research we provide scientific resources,
techniques, software and data to scientists around the
world. We breed and manage colonies of mice to supply
other research institutions and laboratories.

5. Dream destination
So- if you could imagine the
perfect CMS retooling project
….what would it look like ?

6. Experiences I can share
 Successful and unsuccessful implementations
 Navigating without goals or requirements
 No business owner of authority
 No alignment with IT technical direction
 Inexperienced implementation partner

7. Charting your course

8. Why are you retooling?
 Redesign of site dictates broader functionality
 CMS replacement due to IT infrastructure
changes
 Address mobile/responsive needs
 Marketing goals for targeted content

9. Questions to ask
 Is it a replacement of outdated product?
 Is it to meet marketing needs?
 Do you need to be responsive?
 Does it fit your IT infrastructure?
 Do you have in-house web development or outsource
 Centralized vs decentralized authoring model

10. Does it fit overall strategy
 Mobile/Responsive
 Social
 Marketing
 Content authoring
 Governance

11. CMS Considerations
 No longer just a back end support system – not just for
publishing but engagement
 Business needs drive CMS as part of the overall web
experience in today’s content marketing approach.
 Your implementation partner needs to be aligned with your
strategy and be audience focused
 Buy what you need now – don’t get caught up in all the bells
and whistles if not part of your strategy

12. Remember its about the content
 Content everywhere
 No longer just a CMS for web but tablets, phones etc
 Adaptable content
 Structured content
 Author experience

13. Staying on course

14. What is the right course
 Executive level champion
 Define business owner
 Clarify role of IT
 Value in-house expertise
 Utilize industry analysts for validation

15. Strategy influences CMS decisions
Digital
Strategy
CMS
Content
Strategy

16. Charting the course
 Define digital and content strategy
 Select CMS based on well-defined requirements
 Define project charter and scope
 Clearly define roles and responsibilities
 Develop measures of success

17. Who is navigating
 When should you have analysts/consultants involved?
 Strategy
 Technology
 Who should own the project?
 Marketing
 IT
 How do you account for changes?
 Shifts in senior management
 Shifts in strategy/goals

18. CMS Selection
Who decides?
IT
Marketing
Industry consultants
Digital Agency

19. It’s a little tight in here
 Design agency
 Implementation
partner
 CMS vendor
 Industry
consultants
 IT

20. Value of partners
• Make sure you are aligned
internally first
• Agency as well as technology
must be a fit
• Do they understand you and
your needs?
• Have they similar partners?
• Are you ready to be a good
partner?

22. Reaching your destination
 Do you know where you are going?
 Do you have the right people piloting the course?
 Do you have the right navigational aids?
 Is there governance to keep it moored