Boston University began tinkering with WordPress in 2007. Today our highly customized web-publishing platform serves 1,000+ websites, ranging from blogs to behemoths, and 60+ themes, ranging from bespoke to basic. BU’s culture of free thought extends to the creative team and has lead to increasingly diverse site designs. But how do we sustain the creation of inventive visitor experiences without overcomplicating content management? Learn about the smart choices and stupid mistakes – both creative and technical — we’ve made along the way to building the most ambitious WordPress installation in HigherEd.

2. Synchronizing
Creativity
+ Content
Management

3. (alternate title)
Designer
vs Developer

4. (alternate title)
Smart
vs Stupid

5. THE Con lict!

6. roles
executive
designer editor
developer help desk

7. The executive needs:
Value, reliability
BUT! high output

8. The help desk needs:
Detailed
documentation
BUT! quick tasks

9. The editor needs:
Ease-of-use
BUT! more features

10. The developer needs:
Features to build
BUT! lean codebase

11. The designer needs:
Total freedom
BUT! quick builds

12. regularity/creativity

13. Meddling with
WordPress
& the organizational divide

14. WordPress is
a service for
everyone
IS&T/MarCom
WordPress is
for big sites
only
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

15. Pilot #1: School of Medicine
= 1 designer
= 0 developers
= 0 editors
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

17. Pilot #1: School of Medicine
= 1 aging CMS
= 136 sites
> 200 editors
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

18. Implementation
> 1 year later
= 0 designers
= 0 editors
= 0 sysadmins
= 2 developers
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

19. Crippling WordPress
- Comments
- Roles
- Categories
- Tags
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

20. “Don't ight WordPress.
Understand it.
Embrace it.”

21. Pilot #2: Admissions
> 9.5 million views
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

22. Pilot #2: Admissions
= 2 designers
= 1 contractor
= 0 IS&T
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

24. Pilot #3: Human Resources
= 3.2 million views
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

25. Pilot #3: Human Resources
= 2 students
= 2 IS&T plugins
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

28. DIY themes:
= 1/8 designer
= 1 developer
= 0 coordination
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

29. 581 sites
342 sites
141 sites
136 sites
0 sites
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

30. Total:
+ 253 In-progress
+ 1,800 Blogs
= 2,732 Sites
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

31. Average Rate since 2008:
= 1.9 Sites/Day!!1
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

32. The Oh Sh*t!
Moment

33. roles
executive
designer editor
developer help desk

34. roles must
understand
each others
executive
designer editor
developer help desk

35. content design
site
tools

36. Collaboration

60. A range of offerings:
1. Fully custom
2. Quick setup
3. DIY tools

61. Can’t support
Effort & cost: 2,732 Custom Sites!
1. High
2. Moderate
3. Low

62. Establish work lows:
1. Sandbox
2. SVN >10,000 commits!
3. Documentation
4. Tools to talk

63. Moving code
sandbox devl pre-prod prod

64. Moving content
live prod
content
design
sandbox + develop
around real
content
in-progress pre-prod
content

65. assemble
teams
that
cross boundaries
(even if it’s awkward)

66. tools
CUS
DIY
sites
TOM
sites
lexible theme framework

67. “ lexi”

68. lexi
= color options

77. lexi
+ content banner

79. lexi
+ layout editor

95. lexi
+ automated setup
+ good defaults
= happy help desk

96. lexi logo variations

97. lexi
= child themes
+ extensible (+/-)
+ widget formats
+ shortcode library

99. lexi
+ mobile themes

104. + plugins

105. How many plugins does it take?
Main Main Integrated
Third-Party BU-speci ic w/ BU apps
Gravity Forms BU Navigation BU Calendar
WP SuperCache Access Control List BU Maps
(w/ Single Sign-on)
Akismet Google Search
User Management Appliance
Networks for (w/ Single Sign-on)
WordPress Course Feeds
Content Banner Training Manager
Post Details Emergency Alert
Advanced Tiny MCE
Site Manager
Cache / Message
Queue Daemon

106. How many plugins does it take?
Main Main Integrated
Third-Party BU-speci ic w/ BU apps
Gravity Forms BU Navigation BU Calendar
WP SuperCache Access Control List BU Maps
(w/ Single Sign-on)
Akismet Google Search
User Management Appliance
Networks for (w/ Single Sign-on)
WordPress Course Feeds
Content Banner Training Manager
Post Details Emergency Alert
Advanced Tiny MCE
Site Manager
Cache / Message
Queue Daemon

108. How many plugins does it take?
Main Main Integrated
Third-Party BU-speci ic w/ BU apps
Gravity Forms BU Navigation BU Calendar
WP SuperCache Access Control List BU Maps
(w/ Single Sign-on)
Akismet Google Search
User Management Appliance
Networks for (w/ Single Sign-on)
WordPress Course Feeds
Content Banner Training Manager
Post Details Emergency Alert
Advanced Tiny MCE
Site Manager
Cache / Message
Queue Daemon

109. Up next» + mobile
+ BU Today
+ libraries
+ magazines
+ responsive
+ wp community

110. (by)
@gcorne
Gregory Cornelius
vs Scott Dasse