I’ve previously written about adoption as a primary key to CMS implementation success. The KISS method was highlighted as a central point in user adoption. If the system is easy to use, your user base will readily learn how to use it, one step at a time. If its difficult, many will throw their hands up in frustration. This happens because they feel more work is now required to complete the same task. In effect, they are working for the CMS, not the other way around.

Things to look for in a CMS.

One big ticket item to look for in a CMS will be a hookable event handler. Why? This simple addition allows the CMS to work for you in previously unimagined ways. For example, Bridgeline’s iAPPS Content Manager contains an event which is fired each time a user saves a piece of content. Since developers are allowed to hook up to these events, great things can happen. Automation of content entry is now possible based on limited information provided by your users. Why would we allow users to enter limited information? Most of the time its because this is all the information they have. Additionally, given this information, we can normally automate a process of deciphering the content we really want.

Google Maps Example

Lets take a look at Google Maps. Its a fantastic application with many mashups available. It can provide a fantastic user interface for personnel and office locator search tools on your website. However, anyone who has played with the Google Maps API knows that you cannot place your pin point using an address. Points of latitude and longitude are required. This information is readily available from Google (through their API) using a process known as Geocoding.

OK, so our end goal is to generate a list of searchable office locations and render our findings on a Google Map. We create a custom template within our CMS which requires the user to enter the office address, a photo, a description, and some hidden values for the latitude and longitude. One page is created per office location utilizing this template. By hooking into the content save event, we can now utilize the Google Maps API to Geocode the address only when required. That is, we make one call to Google each time the address is saved, thus saving the overhead of Geocoding in real time.

Event Handler Function Example

Result

The result is a system that is easy to use for your users, the content authors and subject matter experts. Going the extra mile up front when developing the website to keep things simple for your users will pay large dividends in adoption down the road. And, when a CMS is adopted, it is working for you!

Other examples of making your CMS work for you

• Calculating related pages by any means (not limited to keyword)
• Dynamic content updates via third party database integrations
• Content push into third party systems (On Publish Event)