SVSU implemented a new content management system (CMS) called Terminal Four over 12 months from issuing a request for proposal (RFP) to launch. They analyzed needs, issued an RFP, selected Terminal Four, planned the project, migrated over 6,000 pages of content, and trained editors on the new system. Key lessons learned included allowing extra time for migration, anticipating broken forms and search, and having content owners review migrated pages for accuracy before launch. The new CMS improved consistency, accountability, and decoupled publishing to prevent losing live content again.

1. HighEdWeb Michigan
A New Content Management System:
From RFP to Launch in 12 Months

2. Your Speakers
Holly LaRose-Roenicke,
Assistant Director
Web Communications
Aaron Maturen,
Programmer
Web Technologies (ITS)
Jason Swackhamer,
Director
Web Communications

3. About SVSU
• Enrollment: 10,500+
– UG: 8,700+
– Grad: 1,200+
• 77% full-time students
• 70% under 25
• 70% of incoming freshman
live on campus
• Alumni: 38,000+
• Regional institution with
some out state and
international students
• Founded in 1963
(50th Anniversary)

4. Our Organization
President
Academic Affairs
Administration &
Business Affairs
ITS
Web
Programming
Training Team
Enrollment
Management
Web
Communications
Student Affairs Public Affairs

5. First . . . A little history
• Began decentralized
Web management in
1994
• Typo 3 was second CMS
system since 1994
– Complicated to manage
– Lack of consistency and
accountability
– Dependence on IT for
providing functionality
• CMS compromised
Superbowl Sunday,
2011

6. Pre-RFP Situation Analysis
• Programming staff
— number and % of time
• Budget
— open source isn’t free
— making the case for $$
• Users
— who will be using daily
• Workflow
— levels of users, approvers
Key Factors in Needs Assessment

7. Web Maintenance
Web Communications
Manages oversight of website as a
whole; sets website standards;
Advises departments on social media
strategy;
Implements and trains editors on
content management system.
IT
Web Programming supports
University departments through
customized-programming requests;
Networking supports the
infrastructure to support the
network and servers
Content Editors
Reviews content with owners
annually, acts as department
gatekeeper;
Ensures pages meet the University’s
standards in terms of design and
best practice;
Attends Terminal Four training.
University Communications
Sets graphic standards and message
themes for University.
Provides images in centralized
repository

8. Needs Assessment
aka, What Does the CMS Need To Do?
 Enterprise System
— higher ed customers
 Decoupled publishing
— so we won’t loose live
content again!
Easy to Use
— Almost as easy as MS Word
 Easy to Create Templates
— flexible, easy for developers

9. The RFP
• A COMPLEX MONSTER
— 162 attributes
questionnaire, 19 pgs!
• Targeted Vendors
— enterprise, higher ed
• Purchasing Led
— managed communication
• Time
— gave a month for
response due to complexity

10. Selection Process
RFP Sent to 15
Vendors
RFP Responses Due
30 days later
5 Responded
RFPs Scored and
Ranked based on
119 criteria, price
Cross-Campus
Committee:
Demos from 3,
selects Terminal
Four
Cross Campus Committee: low, mid and high level web
editors, web programming, web communications,
training

11. Project Planning
Decisions, Decisions
• Design (templates, CSS)
• Sitemap
• Migration Planning
–All at once or phased?
–Who does it?
• Launch (how, timing)

12. Evaluate Current Website
Planning for Migration (Typo3 to T4)
 6,102 Pages
 Find patterns for categorizing content
 Create rules for finding content to
import into templates
 Never logged in to Typo3 back end

13. Set up new Environment
Terminal Four (T4)
 Create new templates for migrating
content into
 Port over CSS and page styles

14. Transform Hierarchy
Build New Site Structure
 Used excel to define the new structure
for the hierarchy
 Used python to create the pages in new
CMS and keep a reference of where they
were in old CMS
Tip: Use this as opportunity to fix site
structure (nested sites)

15. Content Migration
Import Content
 Army of minions
 Created an application
based on the new
hierarchy to assign pages
with links to old page and
new page
 Web crawler using
python and a hierarchy
 Automatically imported
about 3,100 pages…

16. Media Asset Migration
 Media had to initially
be imported by a
minion into T4
 All of the links to
images, PDFs, and
files had to be
relinked manually
Tip: All media will need
to be imported and
linked.

17. Quality Control
 Minions were
responsible for checking
their assigned pages
 Web Communications
also spot checked pages
Tip: Have content owners check
their content and website before
launch

18. Training for Admins
“Train the Trainer”
• Training from
vendor
• Training done on
“training accounts”,
not live sites
• Began converting
our own websites

19. Content Editor Training
Required for Login
• Login access given at end of training
- no exceptions
• Conducted using “training accounts”,
not live sites
• Conducted (25) 90-minute trainings
in 6 months, training 145 people
• Any changes made to live sites
between conversion and training
were done by minions, but from
training to launch were their
responsibility to update

20. Tips To Training Success
• Holding back login access
• Encourage users from same
department to go together
• Improved documentation –
ask vendors to see if they
have documentation to build
from
• Empower users with choices
and tools to improve websites
• Continuous help “T4
Tuesdays”

21. Redefining Roles
Web Communications (Content)
• Meet with every department annually
– Review content for accuracy
– Set goals/ priorities
– Review analytics
– Provide “report card”
• Assist Content Editors
• Provide training
• Administer access rights

22. Redefining Roles
Web Technologies (Programming)
• Administer template improvements and technical
aspects of CMS support
• New process for project requests
– New content templates
– Forms
– Special programming
• Clearinghouse for all online forms
• Cross training within department

23. Lessons Learned
Have a Communications Plan
• Set expectations
• Squelch the rumors
• Communicate process,
timing
• Consider a content freeze

24. Lesson Learned
Conduct a Crisis Plan
• Brainstorm worst-case scenarios and
solutions
 Search broken
 Links to all media files broken
 Server space maxing out

25. Lessons Learned
Know URL Structure
Tip: Try not to change it!
• Legacy Links are
persistent
— Scheduled Emails
— Google
— Bookmarks
• At minimum, have a
great 404 page

26. Lessons Learned
Anticipate What’ll Break (Forms)
• Some forms were processed by old CMS
 These broke
• Some were “included” with php on page
 These broke
• Some were external links
 Worked!
Tip: Include forms in migration schedule

27. Lessons Learned
Triple-Check Server Setup
 If you don’t want a phone call
at 4 a.m., make sure that there
is enough space on your
server for the website.

28. Lessons Learned
In Summary: 3 Key Takeaways
 Even though we moved fast, there were
times that could have moved even faster
because in the end, we needed three more
months
 Search engines take time to crawl
 Each site should have been reviewed and
signed off for accuracy by editors during the
training process

29. 12 Months- RFP to Launch
- Selection
- Editor Training
RFP Responses Due!
Vendor Notified
-Project Planning, Install,
-Development
- Content Migration
- Quality Review
OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG
- Selection
- Editor Training
RFP Responses Due!
Vendor Notified
-Project Planning, Install,
-Development
- Content Migration
- Quality Review
SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG
Selection
Editor Training
RFP Responses Due!
Vendor Notified
Project Planning, Install,
Development
Content Migration
- Quality Review
Launch!

30. Lessons Learned
In Summary: 3 Key Takeaways
 Even though we moved fast, there were
times that could have moved even faster
because in the end, we needed three more
months
 Search engines take time to crawl
 Each site should have been reviewed and
signed off for accuracy by editors during the
training process

31. Questions, Comments, Discussion
Holly LaRose-Roenicke,
Assistant Director
Web Communications
hmlarose@svsu.edu
Aaron Maturen,
Programmer
Web Technologies (ITS)
atmature@svsu.edu
Jason Swackhamer,
Director
Web Communications
jjswack1@svsu.edu
@jswacky
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