Giving Your CMS Users a Content Strategy and a Positive UX

Giving Your CMS Usersa Content Strategyand a Positive UXRachel Vacek, @vacekraeUniversity of Houston LibrariesTechNet - The North TexasConference on Library TechnologyAugust 3, 2011

Do you have to edit HTML in order to updatecontent on your library’s website?

Do you have to edit HTML in order to updatecontent on your library’s website?Do you use editors like Dreamweaver to helpmaintain the content on your library’s website?

Do you have to edit HTML in order to updatecontent on your library’s website?Do you use editors like Dreamweaver to helpmaintain the content on your library’s website?Does your library use a content managementsystem (CMS)?

Do you have to edit HTML in order to updatecontent on your library’s website?Do you use editors like Dreamweaver to helpmaintain the content on your library’s website?Does your library use a content managementsystem (CMS)?Do you enjoy the process of managing contenton your library’s website?

What’s a CMS?A Content Management System:• Allows for workﬂow in a collaborative environment• Uses a database to create, edit, and store HTML content and other ﬁle types in a manageable way• Provides templates to help with design and layout

CMSs can still bechallenging to use

10 Tips on choosing the right CMS for your library

#1Determine whether you can host your CMS in-house or if you have to do it remotely.

#2 Decide whether you cansupport an open-sourceCMS or need to purchase a commercial product.

#3 Do your research. Just because many libraries are using a particular CMS, it does not make it the best solution for your environment.

#4Check that the CMS you are lookinginto does include extensions with the functionality you will need.

#5 Outline functionality that isnt currently being fulﬁlled by yourexisting website management plan.

#6You know youwant it to beeasy to use. Deﬁne what that means for your staff.

#7Get the opinions of yourIT staff by providingthem with a list offunctionality and userinterface requirementsthat you want, and thenhave them present youwith CMS options.

#8 Test out the CMS’s searchfunctionality. Will your CMS users be able to ﬁnd what they are looking for?

#9 If you have multiple users editing content, a CMS should let you set roles and permissions to havesome control over who an edit what.

#10 Never sacriﬁce the user experience for functionality.

User Experience User experience (UX) is about how a person feels about using a product, system or service.Usability is the ease in which people can use a particular tool to achieve a goal.

Usability

User Experience

A CMS with a good UX allows youto apply what you know about yourusers to the creation and delivery of a more personalized experience.

An CMS example... 20

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Switching gears a bit...

User Visual Experience DesignInformationArchitecture Using a We make CMS decisions when we create websitesCreation of Usability metadata User research Testing

Content

Content StrategyIt encompasses everyaspect of content, includingits design, development,analysis, presentation,measurement, evaluation,production, management,and governance.

“The main goal of contentstrategy is to use words anddata to create unambiguouscontent that supports meaningful,interactive experiences.”- Rachel Lovinger, author ofContent Strategy: the Philosophyof Data

An investment in the right CMS, a respect for the user experience,and taking the time to create a content strategy can yield a system that is run by happy library staff for happy library users.

Thanks!Rachel VacekHead of Web ServicesUniversity of Houston Librariesvacekrae@gmail.comhttp://rachelvacek.com@vacekraePresentation available online:slideshare.net/vacekrae

Giving Your CMS Users a Content Strategy and a Positive UX

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