RUL Web Content Management System Thinktank

Charge:
This group will develop a list of functional and technical requirements for an RUL Web CMS and make recommendations regarding the selection of product(s)/architecture and the process of implementation.

Members:

Rick Anderson (facilitator)
Sam McDonald (chair)
Grace Agnew
Ka-neng Au
Ruth Bogan
Jeanne Boyle
Mike Giaralo
Dave Hoover
Ron Jantz
Brian Hancock
Ann Montanaro
Samson Soong
Jeffery Triggs
Ryan Womack

Day 1: Requirements Gathering

Wednesday, November 13. 9 a.m. - 12 a. m. Nicholas Rutgers Room, Alexander Library, Central Admin.
Coffee service begins at 8:30 so we can start promptly at 9 a. m.

Introduction of facilitator, Rick Anderson - Manager of Computer Systems for the Office of the Vice President for Continuous Education & Outreach
Overview of process and goals
What is a Web CMS?
- Create a working definition.
Questions and issues
- Develop list of functional requirements. Consider areas such as:
  - Instruction
  - Online reference
  - Administrative support: assessment, calendars, schedules, reports, committees, procedures
  - Scalability / adaptability
  - Personalization / portals
  - Preservation
  - Digital projects
  - 'Scholarly communication'
  - Interactivity
  - Resource discovery. Searching etc.
  - Management of online (web) information (creator, timeliness etc.)
  - Others? meta-data support, 'self-maintenance', file format handling, 'print this page'...
Conclusion: Overview and preparation for Day 2
Readings (prioritized)
1. Content Management Systems: Who needs them?
  
  Paul Browning and Mike Lowndes
  
  Ariadne, Issue 30, December 2001 [ISSN: 1361-3200]
  
  - Discusses Library Managment System (LMS) and then defines CMS's and their functions and features are.
  
  - Note: FE = 'Further Education'; HE = 'Higher Education'
  
  - ~14 pages
2. CMS Feature List
  
  Paul Browning
  
  - A table of features and descriptions. Useful for assessing products/solutions.
  
  - ~4 pages
3. Content Management Systems: Getting from Concept to Reality
  
  Chris Kartchner
  
  The Journal of Electronic Publishing June, 1998 Volume 3, Issue 4
  
  - Discusses 4 main topics: 1) When to Consider a CMS; 2) Components of a CMS; 3) Return on Investment; 4) Barriers.
  
  - ~7 pages
4. Content Management
  
  Microsoft techNet; Jim Reynolds & Arminder Kaur et al.
  
  - Ignore the Microsoft marketing and e-commerce bias, focus on the bulleted list of issues, functions, and features
  
  - about 4 pages requiring reading
5. Personalization and Content Management
  
  Metatorial Services
  
  - clearly lists 9 basic ways personalization is done, how the data is collected, and outlines the personalization process
  
  - less than 2 pages

Day 2: Analysis

Tuesday, December 10.9 a.m. - 12 a. m. Nicholas Rutgers Room, Alexander Library, Central Admin.
Coffee service begins at 8:30 so we can start promptly at 9 a. m.

Overview of process and goals
Review of Day 1
Translate functional requirements into technologies and strategies

Technical requirements/restrictions:
Create a 'shopping list' of selection criteria covering areas such as:
- Products: Open Source, Commercial, Hybrid?
- Programming languages
- Standards (DTDs, metadata, etc.)
- Others?

Next Steps...
- Process of selection
- Assessing products for suitability
- Unanswered questions. What needs further research?
- Creation of a Web CMS selection team?
- Process of implementation
Wrap-up
Readings (prioritized)
1. Possibilities for Open Source Software in Libraries
  
  Eric Lease Morgan
  
  Information Technologies in Libraries Volume 21, Number 1, March 2002
2. Draft report of a meeting convened by the Digital Library Federation on October 5-6, 2001 in Washington DC to consider Open Source Software for Libraries
  
  Notes by D Greenstein October 22, 2001
3. Open Source, Open Standards
  
  Karen Coyle
  
  Information Technologies in Libraries Volume 21, Number 1, March 2002
4. Open Source Library Systems: Getting Started
  
  Dan Chudnov
  
  http://www.oss4lib.org

Other Resources

General CMS

Content Management Systems (see PDF): Paul Browning and Mike Lowndes; - JISC (Joint Information Systems Commitee), Technology and Standards Watch; - Essentially the same article as their article 'Content Management Systems: Who needs them?' (above) without the initial LMS discussion.; - ~ 25 pages

Library orientated portals solutions see PDF: Andrew Cox and Robin Yeates; - JISC (Joint Information Systems Commitee), Technology and Standards Watch; - Discusses what a library portal is, its functions, products, and developments and assessment.; - A key article.; - ~ 52 pages

Web Application Servers and CMS diagram: - original reference lost; - A useful visual aid to see the relationship between a Web Application Servers and a CMS

'CMS Feature Onion' diagram: - original reference lost; - A useful visual aid showing the layers of the major elements that a CMS might embrace (content integration and versioning, workflow, data repository, user management, user interface, applications, deployment).

Content Management Concepts: Metatorial Services; - Especially useful to read 'Essential Parts of a Content Management System'.; ~9 pages

You need a Content Management System: Martin Burns; - a from-the-trenches story with some good suggestions. The comments and links embedded there are worth reviewing.; ~3 pages with 4 pages of comments

The Difference Between Document and Content Management: Metatorial Services; less than 2 pages

CM Domain Concept of the Week Archive: Metatorial Services; Read articles that pop out at you (you may have to use Internet Explorer to see all of the concepts)

Content Change Management: Problems for Web Systems: Susan Dart, Dart Technology Strategies; skim this quickly attending to the diagrams, tables and bullet lists

Navigating the Content Management Jungle: A Survival Guide: Barry Schaeffer; What is CMS and why do you want it.; ~6 pages

A Powerpoint presentation about a Library CMS(Intranet) project that used ZOPE: 22 slides

The Concept of the Portal: Paul Miller; Ariadne, Issue 30, December 2001 [ISSN: 1361-3200]; - A quick overview of what a portal is and common features of a portal. Be sure to see some of the sites/projects in the 'refernces' section.; - ~ 6 pages

Java Portals (see PDF): Matthew J Dovey; - JISC (Joint Information Systems Commitee), Technology and Standards Watch; - Specifically discuss JAVA as the language, however the article is useful and intersting even if JAVA is not the language you will use.; - See the references for the range of Java solutions/products (open Source and commercial).; - 19 pages

Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology; Silver Spring, Oct/Nov 2001; Vol.28, Iss.1: Available thru ProQuest..Use IRIS; 3 articles on Content Management

Open Source vs. Commercial solutions. AKA 'Buy or build'

Why Getting Laid Off Is Better Than Building a Proprietary CMS: Barry Bealer; ~3 pages

Content management systems: short-lived satisfaction: David Walker; Evidence suggests CMS's, in many cases don't deliver what you need; <2 pages

About Salon.coms choice to use OpenSource components: but built their own; using various pieces of Java, PERL and other things

A PDF of Powerpoint slides discussing OpenSource CMS for the ST. Louis Web Developers Organization: 15 pages

Outsourcing, Component Development, and Competitive Advantage Trade-offs

Trends Favoring Outsourcing

Selection Requirements/Process

The 10 Critical Elements in Choosing a Content Management Platform (PDF): Whitepaper by Merant (creators of commercial product: PVCS Professional); - Counsels against developing your own CMS, however, the features discussed are useful in selecting/reviewing pruducts/solutions.; - core document; - ~ 24 pages

SDSU Rubric for Rating Commecial Portal Vendors [PDF]: Charting a Smooth Course for Portal Development [PDF], James P. Frazee, San Diego State University (SDSU)

CMS Buy or Build diagram: - original reference lost; - A very large digram showing the qustions and issues for deciding to 'buy or build'.

Complete Buyer's Guide Web Content Management Software: In advance of reading the following articles skim this table (very incomplete) and note some of the features, platforms, and costs

Ten Things to Know About Selecting a Content Management System: by Ed Ort (October 17, 2000); ~5 pages

Content Management System Evaluation: Un-credited author at Australian Telescope national Facility; - Part of a set of documents discussing some needs, pruduct reviews and recommendations (build own CMS slowly); ~6 pages

How to evaluate a content management system: ~10 pages

Content Management Systems - The Selection Process: Metatorial Services; ~6 pages

Untangling Web Content Management - Intranet, Extranet and otherwise: Nancy McCluskey-Moore of NCompass Labs, Inc.; Determining requirements and other issues; ~12 pages printed (narrow column)