The University of OklahomaOU Web Communications

Resources - CMS


Content Management System (CMS)

The current version of the Day Communiqué CMS was implemented in November 2007. This system allows users without technical knowledge to update, manage and maintain sites. Though there are other content management systems currently being used on campus, Communiqué is an enterprise-level CMS that offers:

Scalability

Centrally located hardware

Workflow

Web-based

Integrated with LDAP

Campus Media Library



Migration Plan

There are several steps for migrating a site into the Content Management System. These include:

1. Design

A site can be created from scratch based on existing wireframe templates customized for use in the CMS. Sometimes, a current site can be modified to fit within the templates. Either way, a creative brief must be completed first to help identify the major goals of the site.

Predesigned templates are also available and offer a quicker migration.


2. Information Architecture (IA)

IA is a combination of site structure and content mapping. Departments should consider what pages go where in the site and what content goes into these pages.


3. Content Planning

Unless they're reading a full article, site visitors tend to scan content, forgoing superfluous text. Is your important information easy to find? Is the navigation full of keywords that users expect?


4. Content Migration

Using the Information Architecture and text written specifically for the Web, departments enter content in the CMS.


5. Usability Testing

Web sites can't be launched and forgotten. Usability testing is the key in discovering what works and doesn't work on a site according to a target audience.