SDL Tridion is a Windows-based content management system used by the RSPB since 2002. It allows for complex websites through features like content modeling with schemas, reusable content components, templates for layouts, workflow approval, and dynamic linking updated during publishing. Content is managed centrally and deployed to websites through a queue system and deployer software. Personalization and blueprinting help manage different audiences and translations.

1. SDL Tridion
What it is & how we use it
at the RSPB
This presentation relates to Tridion 2009 and it’s usage at the RSPB, a UK conservation charity
Presentation is copyright Graham Bird

2. What is Tridion?
• Windows-based Content Management System
• World #1 in Enterprise Web Content Management (Forrester)
• Using it since September 2002 (and we are still happy)
• Distinct front-end and back-end (separate servers)
• Web-based user interface (access from anywhere)
• Actively developed, well supported product
• Active user and developer community

3. It’s a CMS
Blogging Simple Enterprise
Micro
blogging
COMPLEXITY
Mid-range Upper-range
Source: CMS Watch

4. It’s a CMS
Blogging Simple Enterprise
Micro
blogging
COMPLEXITY
Mid-range Upper-range
Textpattern
Wordpress
Expression
Engine
Twitter
Tumblr
Interwoven
Vignette
Joomla
DotNetNuke
Tridion
Percussion
ezPublish
Magnolia
Drupal
Microsoft CMS
Alterian
IBM
Oracle
Source: CMS Watch

5. It’s a CMS
Blogging Simple Enterprise
Micro
blogging
COMPLEXITY
Mid-range Upper-range
Textpattern
Wordpress
Expression
Engine
Twitter
Tumblr
Interwoven
Vignette
Joomla
DotNetNuke
Tridion
Percussion
ezPublish
Magnolia
Drupal
Microsoft CMS
Alterian
IBM
Oracle
Source: CMS Watch

6. It’s a CMS
Blogging Simple Enterprise
Micro
blogging
COMPLEXITY
Mid-range Upper-range
Textpattern
Wordpress
Expression
Engine
Twitter
Tumblr
Interwoven
Vignette
Joomla
DotNetNuke
Tridion
Percussion
ezPublish
Magnolia
Drupal
Microsoft CMS
Alterian
IBM
Oracle
Sharepoint Server Community Server Database-driven websites
Not Content Management Systems
Source: CMS Watch

7. It’s a code generator
HTML
CSS
Javascript
ASP
C#
VB.Net
XML
RSS
JSON
YAML
KML
POI
XSL
TXT
E-mail
Indesign
Content
Almost
anything
Template
+ =+ Workflow
+ Publisher
+ Deployer

8. Other customers
• Canon
• De Montfort
University
• Derby District
Council
• Emirates
• Goodyear
• Lexus
• KLM
• Ministry of Justice
• National
Curriculum
• Renault
• Ricoh
• Royal Society for
Chemistry
• Scania
• Suzuki
• Toyota
• Unilever
• Visit Britain
• Yamaha
• YHA

9. What do we use it for?
www.rspb.org.uk
intranet.rspb.org.uk
extranet.rspb.org.uk

10. Client requirements
• Internet Explorer 8 (in Tridion 2009)
• Allow browser to access data sources
across domains (for SiteEdit inline
editing)
• Staging sites need to be added to
Intranet zone
• No popup blockers (eg Google Toolbar)

11. The bits of Tridion
Essential
Content management
Component linking
Workflow
Publishing Queue
Deployer
Dynamic linking
SiteEdit
Users and Groups
Content Broker
Useful
Events system
SOAP interface
Personalisation
Blueprinting
Custom scripting
WebDAV connector
Dreamweaver
integration
Not used
Content Porter
Word Connector
Don’t own
E-mail module
Web forms module
Sharepoint connector
Indesign connector
Translation module

12. Content management
The bits of Tridion

13. Content management
Job vacancySchema
The definition of an item
The bits of Tridion

14. Content management
Job vacancySchema
The definition of an item
Components
Items of content
Chief Executive Fieldworker
The bits of Tridion

15. Content management
Job vacancySchema
The definition of an item
Components
Items of content
Chief Executive Fieldworker
Component Templates
Display the same content in different ways
List view Full details view RSS item
The bits of Tridion

16. Content management
Job vacancySchema
The definition of an item
Components
Items of content
Chief Executive Fieldworker
Component Templates
Display the same content in different ways
List view Full details view RSS item
Page Template
Controls the rest of the page
Webpage RSS feed
The bits of Tridion

17. Tridion templates
• Written in C#, Vb.Net, VBScript, XSLT or JScript
• Extremely powerful and flexible
• Component Templates for individual items
• Page Templates for page layout

18. Component linking
Titchwell
(Reserve)
Coastal
(Habitat)
Avocet
(Bird)
• A special field for connecting components to each other
• One way, but can see both ways programmatically
• Creates dynamic links on website
• Can also be used creatively in all sorts of ways
The bits of Tridion

19. Workflow
• Very powerful & flexible
• Uses Microsoft Visio diagrams (plus VBScript)
• Approval & audit trail
• Circular & branched routes
• Makes complex things simple for users (auto-publishing, etc)
The bits of Tridion

20. Publishing Queue
• One queue for all sites combined (OOTB)
• Many simultaneous renderers (usually 2 or 4)
• Immediate or scheduled publishing
• No automatic repeat publishing (but is a workaround)
• One page may require deployment of many items
The bits of Tridion

21. Work folder
Deployer
• Part of the Presentation
Server software
• Listens for ZIP files in
Work folder
• Deploys content
• Now or scheduled
File system Database Custom
PRESENTATION SERVER (pres1-corvus)
CONTENT MANAGER (calypso)
In progress
DEPLOYER
Success
The bits of Tridion

22. Work folder
Deployer
• Part of the Presentation
Server software
• Listens for ZIP files in
Work folder
• Deploys content
• Now or scheduled
File system Database Custom
PRESENTATION SERVER (pres1-corvus)
CONTENT MANAGER (calypso)
In progress
Job
DEPLOYER
Success
The bits of Tridion

23. Work folder
Deployer
• Part of the Presentation
Server software
• Listens for ZIP files in
Work folder
• Deploys content
• Now or scheduled
ZIP file
File system Database Custom
PRESENTATION SERVER (pres1-corvus)
CONTENT MANAGER (calypso)
In progress
Job
DEPLOYER
Success
The bits of Tridion

24. Work folder
Deployer
• Part of the Presentation
Server software
• Listens for ZIP files in
Work folder
• Deploys content
• Now or scheduled
ZIP file
File system Database
Pages
Images
Custom
PRESENTATION SERVER (pres1-corvus)
CONTENT MANAGER (calypso)
In progress
Job
DEPLOYER
Success
The bits of Tridion

25. Work folder
Deployer
• Part of the Presentation
Server software
• Listens for ZIP files in
Work folder
• Deploys content
• Now or scheduled
ZIP file
File system Database
Pages
Images
Custom
MetaData
Link info
PRESENTATION SERVER (pres1-corvus)
CONTENT MANAGER (calypso)
In progress
Job
DEPLOYER
Success
The bits of Tridion

26. Work folder
Deployer
• Part of the Presentation
Server software
• Listens for ZIP files in
Work folder
• Deploys content
• Now or scheduled
ZIP file
File system Database
Pages
Images
Custom
MetaData
Link info
Run script
PRESENTATION SERVER (pres1-corvus)
CONTENT MANAGER (calypso)
In progress
Job
DEPLOYER
Success
The bits of Tridion

27. Work folder
Deployer
• Part of the Presentation
Server software
• Listens for ZIP files in
Work folder
• Deploys content
• Now or scheduled
File system Database
Pages
Images
Custom
MetaData
Link info
Run script
PRESENTATION SERVER (pres1-corvus)
CONTENT MANAGER (calypso)
In progress
Job
DEPLOYER
Success
The bits of Tridion

28. Work folder
Deployer
• Part of the Presentation
Server software
• Listens for ZIP files in
Work folder
• Deploys content
• Now or scheduled
File system Database
Pages
Images
Custom
MetaData
Link info
Run script
PRESENTATION SERVER (pres1-corvus)
CONTENT MANAGER (calypso)
In progress
Job
DEPLOYER
Success
The bits of Tridion

29. News homepage
Dynamic linking
• Keeps hyperlinks up to date
• HTML link tag replaced with
VBScript or C# function
• Used in navigation and also
component links
Component X
(List template)
Press release
Homepage
Component X
(Full template)
Component X
(List template)
The bits of Tridion

30. Content Broker
• A front-end SQL database
• But, only contains meta-data and chunks of rendered HTML
• Basic querying
• Basic caching
• Improved in Tridion 2011
The bits of Tridion

31. Personalisation
Implicit personalisation:
update profile as user browses
Explicit personalisation:
update via user preferences
Create groups based on criteria
Personalise pages
News home Press release
Tick
checkbox
News reader
Homepage
The bits of Tridion
News fanatic
Homepage
+ extra news

32. Personalisation
Implicit personalisation:
update profile as user browses
Explicit personalisation:
update via user preferences
Create groups based on criteria
Personalise pages
News home Press release
Tick
checkbox
News reader
Homepage
+1
The bits of Tridion
News fanatic
Homepage
+ extra news

33. Personalisation
Implicit personalisation:
update profile as user browses
Explicit personalisation:
update via user preferences
Create groups based on criteria
Personalise pages
News home Press release
Tick
checkbox
News reader
Homepage
+1 +5
The bits of Tridion
News fanatic
Homepage
+ extra news

34. Personalisation
Implicit personalisation:
update profile as user browses
Explicit personalisation:
update via user preferences
Create groups based on criteria
Personalise pages
News home Press release
Tick
checkbox
News reader
Homepage
10
+1 +5
The bits of Tridion
News fanatic
Homepage
+ extra news

35. Personalisation
Implicit personalisation:
update profile as user browses
Explicit personalisation:
update via user preferences
Create groups based on criteria
Personalise pages
News home Press release
Tick
checkbox
News reader
Homepage
10
+1 +5
The bits of Tridion
News fanatic
50
Homepage
+ extra news

36. Blueprinting
• Share content downwards but not up or sideways
• Very useful for language translation
Master Schemas & Components
IntranetWebsite Extranet Templates & Pages
The bits of Tridion

37. What doesn’t it do?
• Lots of small sites (too expensive)
• Other languages on the presentation side (C# only)
• Search (we use Google hardware)
• Community (we use Telligent Community Server)
• E-commerce