content management @ university of miami © university of miami 2003
TRANSCRIPT
Content Management @ University of Miami
© University of Miami 2003
Daniel Colcher
Associate University Webmaster
Wendy DibeanUniversity Webmaster
© University of Miami 2003
About UM• Coral Gables, FL since 1927
• 14,978 undergrad, grad and professional students
• 9,466 faculty and employees
• 13 Schools and Colleges– Medical School and Law School
© University of Miami 2003
The History
• WWWC created in 1997
• Web policy created in 1997– All sites must have certain components– All administrative units must follow design
• First Webmaster hired in 1997
© University of Miami 2003
The Problem
• 100 departments using “Site Builder”
• Still too technical for users to follow the policy
• Constant support calls
• Complete rewrite with every redesign
• Only Webmaster and student workers
© University of Miami 2003
Goals
• Vendor supported application• Easy updates for non-technical users• Allow technical users to have control• Centrally controlled design with distributed
content• Content Sharing• Up-to-date content• Workflow
© University of Miami 2003
Evaluated Packages
• Vignette StoryServer (V-series)
• Allaire Cold Fusion
• Documentum
• Interwoven
• Selected Vignette StoryServer v4.0
© University of Miami 2003
Reasons for Selecting Vignette
• Flexible
• Leader in Commercial Marketplace
• Expandable development environment• Competitive pricing model
(non-disclosure agreement)
© University of Miami 2003
Reasons Cont.
• Multi-server Support
• Component-level Caching– Performance of static content in dynamic form
• Personalization capabilities
© University of Miami 2003
Implementation Timeline
• Summer 1999 – began evaluation process• October 1999 - purchased Vignette StoryServer• 3 month development• 1 month content migration of 100 existing
departments and Graduate School• March 17, 2000 – launched UM Web
Development Site version 1.0
© University of Miami 2003
Customer Buy-in
• Allowed for non-technical content authors • New site design• Migrated existing pages for Departments
and Schools• Ease of use along with flexibility• “Let students do the work, you just launch
to the site”
© University of Miami 2003
Hidden Agendas
• Untouched content removed after one year• Limited FTP access
– Eased phone calls– Limited file types
• User authentication moved to central user base (Windows NT)
• Lower replication of content throughout• Simplified Future Redesigns
© University of Miami 2003
Where we are today
• 295 departments
• 6 Schools/Colleges
• 580 users– 340 active users– 100 sessions per day
• Content and traffic tripled
© University of Miami 2003
What the Future Holds
• More flexible, scalable environment
• Other Schools (including Medical)
• Publish to multiple locations in multiple formats– Portal– PDA– Cellular Phones
© University of Miami 2003
Problems Faced / Lessons Learned
• Web Content v. Web Page– Navigation complexity– Fixed site layout and types of pages
• Lack of Suggested Practices and Personal Knowledge / Experience
• Application Componentization
© University of Miami 2003
Lessons Learned Cont.
• Take time to plan
• Database Design– History of Changes / Restores
• Optimize ALL database calls
© University of Miami 2003
Suggestions
• Think of content items not pages• Separate data and processing from display
– More difficult than expected
• Flexibility vs. Limitations• Allowing for diverse user levels• Keep workflow simple• Content Taxonomy• Good time to re-architect site
© University of Miami 2003
• Web Development Site
• Calendar
• Major Matcher
• Reporter’s Sourcebook
• Admission Request System
• Directory Update Site
• Off-campus Housing Database
• School of Music Event Management
• Computer Operations Log
• Form Creator – in development
© University of Miami 2003
Questions?
© University of Miami 2003
