Imagine a world where web CMS (content management system) users are lead through a standardized process, ensuring content meets established guidelines and is properly maintained. Lovely idea, isn’t it?
Too often this process flops. Our downfall is overlooking the way people really work. Workflow must be realistic, not idealistic.
Yet, content strategy relies on people and process to succeed. So, let’s talk about making content workflow for your CMS the useful process it should be. (Spoiler: Your CMS may not be the solution.)
17. State of Drupal 2016 Survey
Source: https://www.drupal.org/blog/moving-the-drupal-8-workflow-initiative-along
18. WordPress Industry Survey 2016
Source: https://torquemag.io/2016/12/wordpress-industry-survey-2016-results/
What are the biggest challenges working in WordPress?
47% Concerns around security
29% Lack of easy workflow
20% Lack of robust commerce solutions
19. Workflow helps us wrangle…
Roles & responsibilities
Tasks
Guides & tools
Schedules & deadlines
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#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
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Who’s
doing what?
What do I
need to do?
How should
I do it?
When should
I do it?
21. 21
“Easy.”
“Maximum flexibility.”
“Manage the entire
content life cycle.”
“Exceptional user
experience.”“Instantly publish…
no bottlenecks.”“Built-in logical workflow.”“Easily manage
distributed content.”
“Fully integrated content
workflow system.”
22.
23. Workflow is the single most
overpurchased aspect of any
CMS. An astonishing amount of
money has been wasted in
pursuit of hypothetical workflow
fantasies that will never see the
light of day.
“
Deane Barker
Author, Web Content Management:
Systems, Features, and Best Practices
32. #ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
PublishPlan Create Revise Approve Build
unnecessary tasks
Tasks:
• Determine need
for new content
• Request new
content
Tasks:
• Create draft of
new copy
• Send to content
editor for review
Tasks:
• Copyedit
• Return to author
for rewrite or send
for approval
Tasks:
• Review content for
accuracy
• Return to author
for rewrite or
submit for
development
Tasks:
• Build content
in email or web
template
• Submit for
publication
Tasks:
• Publish
content on
schedule
45. Know your resources
Marketing and Communications at Cedarville University
https://www.cedarville.edu/Marketing-and-Communications.aspx
46. Know your resources
BTSU Student Marketing & Media Team
https://www.bgsu.edu/bowen-thompson-student-union/conference-and-event-services/marketing-and-media-team.html
47. How to make workflow great
Be realistic
Be simple
1.
2.
#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
48. When we created Camera+, the
concept was to have a
professional camera on your
iPhone. As a photographer, you
think you need lots of knobs and
endless things to adjust each
image…
“
Lisa Bettany
Cofounder, Camera+
#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
49. …But we realized people just
want to capture moments and
share them. When we do add
something, it’s like our clarity
filter that brings out the shadows
and contrast on flat photos,
which everyone can use.
“
Lisa Bettany
Cofounder, Camera+
#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
50. What do you need? Let’s talk.
• What does your content planning and publishing
process look like?
• Who requests, creates, edits, approves,
publishes, and measures content?
• What authoring, publishing and measurement
tools do you use?
• What processes work and what don’t?
really
V
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51. Simple things that help make
content happen
• Web publishing guide
• Web writing guidelines
• Content template
• Content calendar
• Content group
• Training
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#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
Single page
Single page
Single page
Google Sheets
Small, purposeful meetings
Content goals, not CMS features
52. How to make workflow great
Be realistic
Be simple
Be flexible3.
#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
1.
2.
54. Technically, I think the biggest
issue with our current CMS
workflow is that it is hard to be
flexible. I’d like to route different
content to different people…
“
Mike Powers
Director of Electronic Communications
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
55. … I’d like to send different sorts
of content to different members
of my team. That’s difficult to
impossible. Same for sending
content back for review: just
reject, edit or decline.
“
Mike Powers
Director of Electronic Communications
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
56. Our CMS is…people?
“
Amanda Costello
Lead Content Strategist, CEHD
University of Minnesota
#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
61. [Collaboration:] It’s not
about latching on to
someone else’s process or
finding the next shiny tool
that will save the day…
“
Rebekah Cancino
Content Strategy and
User Experience Design Consultant
#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
62. …It's about creating the
environment for our own
process to emerge.“
Rebekah Cancino
Content Strategy and
User Experience Design Consultant
#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
63. The goal of workflow is
to help people do great
work.
65. Editor
Web Group
Editor Editor
Author Author Author AuthorAuthor Author Author Author
Content Strategist
Author Author
Web Group
Content Governance Model (Sample 1)
66. PublishPlan Create Review/
Approve
Revise
Multiple
Roles
Author Subject Matter
Expert
Editor Editor
• Departments responsible for
their own content
• Quality control
• More expert content
contributors
• Scalable
Benefits
• Reduced sense of
accountability
• Publishing bottlenecks
• Lots of people to train
Risks/Challenges:
Content Workflow Model (Example 1)
68. RevisePlan Create Publish Review
Multiple
Roles
Author Subject Matter
Expert
Content
Strategist
• No editing/approval
bottlenecks
• Timely content
• Global oversight
Benefits
• Redundant or duplicate
content (short-term)
• Inaccurate or off-brand content
(short-term)
• Additional responsibility and
training for authors
Risks/Challenges:
Content Workflow Model (Example 2)
Author
69.
70. Our new workflow involves
a small group of frequent
users who are empowered
to make regular content
additions and changes…
“
Binky Lush & Charlie Morris
Penn State University Libraries
#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
71. …and a content board led
by a content strategist that
will review these changes
after-the-fact, in batches.
“
Binky Lush & Charlie Morris
Penn State University Libraries
#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
72. Changes to Make it Work
Hired a content strategist
Created and trained a team of “Author Experts”
Worked with HR to formally add
responsibilities
Created intranet for all staff to publish
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#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
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73. Plan for content workflow
How do people work?
What do they need to get work
done?
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#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
Remember…
74. Develop content workflow
Create useful, relevant guides
and tools.
Create content workflow around
common tasks and processes.
Create CMS workflow to support
content workflow.
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#ConfabEDU • @epublishmedia
Remember…