Avoiding CMS PitfallsPresented by

John Piechowski, Managing Director – Northwoods Software

A little about myself

• My first computer was an Apple IIc• Computer programmer in the Army• Live in Jackson• Student Pilot• Worked in many areas of IT for over 20

years• Implementing Content Management for 8

years• Briggs and Stratton Dealer Extranet• Medical College of Wisconsin• Boy Scout Troop and Little League

Website

What We’ll Cover

• The goals of using a CMS• My top 10 list• Minimize the impact• Reap the benefits

Goals of a CMS

• Better website• Consistent look• Improve accuracy• Easier to manage• Reduce duplication• Improve search

• Personalization• Security• Control• Workflow• Distribute workload• Add Functionality

Pitfall # 10The Team gets too big and

can’t make effective decisions

#10 – Form a Small Team

Pitfall # 9CMS isn’t flexible enough

(or is too flexible)

• Page Creation• Editing• Linking• Images• Placement• Metadata• Tagging

#9 - Flexibility

With tamed exuberance

Pitfall # 8Doesn’t allow for tight

integration

#8 – Assess Integration Needs

• External systems/data

• Dealer Locator• eCommerce• Business System• Inventory• Order status• Warranty System

#8 – Assess Integration Needs

#8 - Integration

Pitfall # 7Poor Information Architecture

• You can’t use it if you can’t find it• Do it from your user’s perspective• It’s not just a CMS problem

“The art and science of organizing and labeling web sites, intranets, online communities and software to support usability and findability.” - IA Institute

#7 – Efficient Information Architecture

Pitfall # 6Keep adding to Scope

#6 – Think in Phases

• Set a 3 month or less goal• Max of 6 months• Business change• The web is flexible• Manage scope• Phase II and III

Pitfall # 5The effort to create new

content is underestimated

#5 – Plan Early for New Content

• Inventory• Assign responsibility

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HomeHOM.00 www.jeffersonwells.com Home Page 1 1

About Jefferson WellsABT.00 www.jeffersonwells.com/about Jefferson Wells Overview Landing Page 2 2ABT.01 www.jeffersonwells.com/experience The Value of Experience 3 3ABT.02 www.jeffersonwells.com/offices Offices/Geography LINK - OFF.00ABT.03 www.jeffersonwells.com/leadership Leadership Team Introduction/Overview Page 3 3ABT.04 Owen Sullivan 4 4ABT.05 Mike Touhey 4 4ABT.06 Mark Bealin 4 4ABT.07 John LeBlanc 4 4ABT.08 Michael Nelson 4 4ABT.09 Ted Young 4 4ABT.10 Industries Served LINK LINK IND.00ABT.11 Partners 3 3

IndustriesIND.00 www.jeffersonwells.com/industries Industries Landing Page 2 2IND.01 Agriculture 3 3IND.02 Communications 3 3IND.03 Construction 3 3IND.04 Education 3 3IND.05 Financial Services 3 3IND.06 Utilities 3 3IND.07 Insurance 3 3IND.08 Manufacturing 3 3IND.09 Mining 3 3IND.10 Public Administration 3 3IND.11 Real Estate 3 3IND.12 Health Care 3 3IND.13 Services 3 3IND.14 Trade 3 3IND.15 Transportation 3 3

#5 – Plan Early for New Content

“Get rid of half the words on each page, then get rid of half of what’s left” - Krug, Don’t Make Me Think

• Inventory• Assign responsibility• It’s not just pasting from Word• Learn writing for the web• Example of scanning

Pitfall # 4Existing Contentisn’t any easier

#4 – Migrate Existing Content

• Planning process• Very easy to underestimate• Old Content• Remove• Refresh/Rewrite “We just need to copy and

paste our existing content and we’ll be done”

Pitfall # 3Believing that

Training isn’t needed

#3 – Plan for Training

• Goals• Distributed publishing• Easy to manage• Empower the Users

• Content Entry• Content Approval• Administrators

Pitfall # 2Paralysis

(preventing go live)

#2 – Knowing What is Good Enough?

• Compare new site to current site

• 20% better• Phase II

Pitfall # 1Thinking that Go Live

means the work is done

#1 – Planning for Care and Feeding

• You’ve Just Begun• Maintain content• Monitor SEO• Monitor Analytics• Keep the content fresh• Train new users

Join us for Upcoming Lunch & Learn Seminars

http://learn.northwoodsoft.com