Baby Got Backend: Content Administrators are Users Too

Baby Got Backend:Content administrators are users tooKaren McGraneJeff Eaton

Hi, I’m Jeff Eaton from Lullabot @eaton 2

Hi, I’m Karen McGranefrom Bond Art + Science @karenmcgrane 3

WE FOCUS ON MAKING DRUPALEASIER FOR SITE BUILDERS. 8

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLEWHO USE DRUPAL EVERY DAY? 9

CONTENT ADMINISTRATORS AREMORE IMPORTANT TO THELONGTERM SUCCESS OF THE SITE. 10

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sherlock77/25369435/

BETTER INTERFACE WIDGETSDON’T EQUAL USABILITY 15

BETTER WORKFLOWEQUALS USABILITY 17

DRUPAL PRESENTS A DATAMODEL, NOT A TASK MODEL 19

BUT YOU HAVE THE TOOLS TOCHANGE THE ADMIN WORKFLOWON YOUR SITE 20

HOW TO DO IT

HOW TO DO IT1. Listen to the content administrators. 22

1. Listen to the content administrators.IF YOUR CONTENT CREATORSDON’T HAVE A VOICE, YOU’RETHROWING MONEY AWAY. 23

1. Listen to the content administrators.ANALYZE TASK COMPLETIONLIKE IT’S AN ECOMMERCESHOPPING CART. 24

1. Listen to the content administrators.GET THEM TO ROLEPLAY ANDDOCUMENT BOTH ONLINE ANDOFFLINE WORKFLOWS. 25

HOW TO DO IT1. Listen to the content administrators.2. Don’t just understand the data, understand what they’re doing with it. 26

2. Don’t just understand the data, understand what they’re doing with it.CONTENT CREATORS INVENT ALLKINDS OF WORKAROUNDS. 27

2. Don’t just understand the data, understand what they’re doing with it.UNDERSTANDING HOW FIELDSARE USED WILL SAVE COUNTLESSHOURS CLEANING UP MESSES. 28

2. Don’t just understand the data, understand what they’re doing with it.EVEN NEW SITES EVOLVEQUICKLY. 29

HOW TO DO IT1. Listen to the content administrators.2. Don’t just understand the data, understand what they’re doing with it.3. Keep asking “why?” and iterate, iterate, iterate. 30

3. Keep asking “why?” and iterate, iterate, iterateTHINK LIKE THE BUSINESS.WHY DO THEY NEED TO DO ACERTAIN TASK? 31

3. Keep asking “why?” and iterate, iterate, iterateDON’T JUST REPLICATE EXISTINGMENTAL MODELS. 32

3. Keep asking “why?” and iterate, iterate, iterateFAST-AND-CRAPPY TURNS TOPOLISHED-AND-GOOD WITH THERIGHT FEEDBACK. 33

HOW TO DO IT1. Listen to the content administrators.2. Don’t just understand the data, understand what they’re doing with it.3. Keep asking “why?” and iterate, iterate, iterate.4. Optimize the workflow, not individual screens. 34

4. Optimize the workflow, not individual screens.REAL CONTENT PRODUCTIONIS A PROCESS, NOT A SINGLESCREEN. 35

4. Optimize the workflow, not individual screens.METADATA MAKES FLEXIBLE SITESBUT COMPLEX WORKFLOWS. 36

4. Optimize the workflow, not individual screens.IT’S OKAY TO CREATE DIFFERENTWORKFLOWS FOR DIFFERENTBEHAVIORS. 37

4. Optimize the workflow, not individual screens.BULK TOOLS.EASY TURNS HARD WHEN YOUHAVE TO REPEAT IT 10,000TIMES. 38

HOW TO DO IT1. Listen to the content administrators.2. Don’t just understand the data, understand what they’re doing with it.3. Keep asking “why?” and iterate, iterate, iterate.4. Optimize the workflow, not individual screens.5. Use repeating concepts, not just UI elements. 39

5. Use repeating concepts, not just UI elements.PROPER CATEGORIZATION ANDCONSISTENT LABELING GO ALONG WAY. 40

5. Use repeating concepts, not just UI elements.USE SIMILAR VISUAL CUES FORWORKFLOWS ACROSS THE SITE. 41

5. Use repeating concepts, not just UI elements.PLACE SIMILAR FIELDS IN ACONSISTENT PLACE ACROSSALL SCREENS. 42

NIRVANA! …ALMOST. 43

THE BETTER IT FITS ONE TEAM,THE HARDER IT IS TO REUSE. 44

“There’s a big difference between the ‘site’ and‘shop’ mentalities.Devs who work on a site for a long time alwaysmake some code that no one else can use.Shops and the community usually want stuff thatcan be reused over and over. —Blake Hall 45

ACCEPT THAT MANY GOODANSWERS WILL BE UNIQUE. 46

HOW TO DO IT1. Listen to the content administrators.2. Don’t just understand the data, understand what they’re doing with it.3. Keep asking “why?” and iterate, iterate, iterate.4. Optimize the workflow, not individual screens.5. Use repeating concepts, not just UI elements.6. Accept that many good answers will be unique. 47

Thanks!@eaton & @karenmcgrane 48

What did you think?Locate this session on the DCC website:http://chicago2011.drupal.org/sessionsClick the “Take the Survey” link.Thanks!

Baby Got Backend: Content Administrators are Users Too

by Karen McGrane on Mar 14, 2011

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Baby Got Backend: Content Administrators are Users Too — Presentation Transcript

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