The document discusses why Drupal should not be used as a word processor for editorial work. It describes a case study of working with the organization SWOG to restructure their content before migrating it to a new Drupal site. Key steps included inventorying existing content, creating a new site map, using GatherContent for editorial work, and establishing a workflow for content creation and approvals. Separating editorial work from content entry makes the process easier, improves content quality, and helps balance functionality with inspiring users.
5. method+imagination
● Boston-based interactive agency with a
passion for UX
● Serving higher ed since 1992
● Acquired by RDW Group in 2004
● Broad, national higher ed client base
○ Community colleges. State. Ivies.
Grad. Undergrad.
○ ... and healthcare, not-for-profit,
publishing, K-12
iFactory
6. Introduction
● Caroline Roberts, content strategist
● At iFactory:
○ 30+ inventories
○ 20+ content planners
○ 15+ site launches
○ … plus writing and editing
● And who are you? Editorial?
Development?
8. Sledgehammers vs.
Screwdrivers
● If you’re using Drupal for editorial purposes, you’re
using a sledgehammer instead of a screwdriver.
● You’re probably also waiting too long before
preparing your content, meaning that you’re editing
and entering content at the same time.
● Editing and entering content at the same time is a
health hazard.
9. What If ...
We admitted that Drupal is not a word processor
and
split the editorial process from content entry
completely?
11. Reason #1: The
Copy & Paste
Switcheroo
● Imagine you work at an understaffed school or
business.
● Then imagine someone asked you to “forklift” or
“just copy and paste” content from your old CMS
into a new Drupal CMS.
● You’d freak out, too, right?
12. Reason #2: Surprises Are
Inside
On top of managing the schedule, soothing
stakeholders, and adding the copy, you’ll also be
expected to upload the following:
● Images
● Downloads
● URL Redirects
● All the metadata that goes with images and
downloads
13. Reason #3:
The Brain Drain
From the perspective of the trainer, when it is time to
train a content team on Drupal, you want them to be
focused.
If the editorial is ready, or close to ready, editors can
work with real content, meaning the training is more
likely to stick … and they will ask you fewer
questions and all teams will save time.
15. SWOG’S Team
SWOG* is saving lives by connecting cancer patients
to clinical trials.**
● Physicians: Leading the charge
● Clinical Research Associates: Managing clinical
trials
● Advocates: Representing current patients
● Our Main Point of Contact: Managing all PR
● Other Busy Editors: Putting together a
conference for researchers and writing for the Hope
Foundation, the organization’s fundraising arm
16. iFactory’s Team
● UX designers, visual designers, and producers:
Made SWOG’s new site more inspiring and usable.
● Developers: Threaded together complex
databases to simplify matching patients to trials.
● Me: Helped SWOG’s team figure out how to get
their content up and running pre-Drupal and make
their site update process easier in general
21. Content Inventory
● Our first step was to inventory the content* that the
team had accumulated over 12 years.
● You can only imagine what was under this hood.
22. Content Inventory
● Then we needed to share that information with them
in an actionable way.
● Eventually, they could go through and determine
what to keep, revise, or archive at the page level.
24. Content Planner
● Once the client knew what they wanted to keep and
what to update, we began realigning the remaining
content to the new sitemap
● This process exposed gaps so the editorial team
could prioritize what pages to create
● We also took some pressure off the editorial team
by working with developers to determine where
database content was coming from so the editors
could focus on the site’s message
26. GatherContent
● Once the content was reorganized at the macro-
level, it was time to make adjustments at the page
level … which is work you cannot necessarily do in
Drupal.
● Enter GatherContent, which allows editors to work
on content well before they have access to Drupal
● If you are working with Drupal 7 or 8,
GatherContent also features a CMS integration
that automates migration*
28. Workflow Consultation
● Using GatherContent’s workflow features, we
helped our main contact determine a workflow /
content plan that included
○ Who needed to approve what
○ Who was responsible for adding content
○ When these tasks needed to be completed
● Then she could use GatherContent to make these
assignments
30. "We cut out clutter, bushwhacking a
lot of content, better ordering the
content we have, and presenting it in
an intuitive way to both members
and the public. This is, perhaps, the
genius of the site. It works for
everyone."
Wendy Lawton
Communications and Public Relations Manager
SWOG
32. Takeaways:
Simplify
By separating editorial work from content entry, you’ll
● Make your life easier with faster content creation
and migration
● Help you balance what is functional with what
inspires and motivates
● Improve the quality of the content that goes on
your website, which will ...
● Improve the user experience and outcomes
33. Takeaways:
Process Words the Right
Way
● Bring writers and editors into the design process
earlier
● Give the writers access to tools like GatherContent
● Manage your project so that editors start working on
major site content several weeks before they
access the CMS (80/20 rule)
● Maintain open channels of communication
between editorial and development teams
35. Your Thoughts?
● Questions?
● Concerns?
● Your own personal stories of using Drupal as a
word processor?
● And perhaps how you avoided this problem?
