FAQ
Answers to common questions about CMS and the UC Davis Web Content Management Initiative. To submit a specific question or add to this FAQ, please click here.
1. What is content management?
In the context of this initiative, content management involves all aspects of the creation, publishing, sharing and storage of information that eventually appears in a UC Davis Web site.
2. What is a content management system (CMS)?
CMS is software that stores and organizes content, and information about how it can be used and presented. CMS integrates and centralizes tools and mechanisms for accessing, editing and publishing information.
3. How does a CMS work?
CMS applications are based upon databases that offer flexibility in the ways that content can be accessed and published. Generally, users of the system create, access, and publish content from a centralized Web-based interface that provides all of the tools necessary to manage the information and structure associated with a Web site.
4. How will a CMS benefit me?
The CMS will make it much easier for non-experts to develop and maintain Web sites that meet campus guidelines for branding and accessibility, and will streamline the publication workflow for experts and non-experts alike.
5. How will a CMS benefit my department or business unit?
At UC Davis, responsibility for Web site maintenance falls to many people in different locations and with varying skills. The CMS will greatly reduce the number of technical staff and other resources required to maintain a site, and will empower staff who already author and manage content to do so directly without specialized technical training.
CMS separates the Web creation and update processes from the design and technology needed to maintain a site. By making content management less dependent upon technical coding skills and local IT resources, the publication process is streamlined and the maintenance workload greatly reduced.
Additional benefits include:
- Speed and ease of content updates
- Content stays timely
- Permission-based publishing (improved security)
- Compliance with federal laws concerning access to information for people with disabilities
- Automatic link maintenance
- Design and branding consistency
- Version control
- Workflow and staffing
6. Will the system be difficult to use?
Most CMS software is significantly easier to master than Web authoring tools such as BBEdit, DreamWeaver or Frontpage. Most CMS applications allow content editors and authors to make changes to site content from within their Web browser, using tools that are very similar to common modern word processing applications. In fact, almost every feature of a CMS is devoted to simplifying and streamlining the processes associated with site creation and management.
7. Will training be offered?
Comprehensive training will be provided to all users of the CMS. Look for additional information about training programs and other group sessions here over the course of the initiative.
8. When will the system be offered?
The UC Davis Web Content Management Initiative aims to select and implement an organizational CMS for pilot testing early in 2008. Initial implementation will include the deployment of select partner Web sites. The CMS will be made available across UC Davis shortly thereafter.
9. How do I sign up to use the CMS?
We are currently in the middle stages of selecting and implementing a CMS solution for UC Davis. During this process, you may ask to be added to the list of interested adopters here. You will also be added to our e-mail distribution lists and recieve periodic news and updates pertaining to the initiative.
10. What will the CMS setup process be like?
The specific steps involved in the integration process will depend partly upon which CMS is selected and implemented during this initiative. Our aim is to develop an implementation process that is as smooth, expedient and efficient as possible, Overall, the CMS integration process will generally procede as follows:
University Communications and IET will work closely with your department to develop templates that fit your needs. These templates will reflect UC Davis' design, identity and branding standards, as well as the diverse needs of your department and your many and varied audiences. In order to take full advantage of the CMS, sites must be created using these templates. University Communications and IET will provide account management and workflow design support throughout the site development cycle, allowing your department to establish a base of users that will control its Web site content directly. After receiving training, department staff will be able to build and maintain Web pages as necessary.
11. Will all UC Davis sites have to look the same?
While CMS Web sites are template based, it is possible for different sites to be based upon different templates. Certain UC Davis branding, identity, and content requirements will need to be met for all sites, but the capacity for individuality in distinct Web sites will be retained.
12. What is CMS workflow management?
In the context of CMS, workflow management refers to built-in mechanisms that support logical and efficient content creation and publishing processes. Most CMS allow the creation of different user "types" with distinct functional permissions. These user types may dictate who is able to author, edit, review and eventually publish and/or delete content from a live Web site. CMS workflow features standardize and often automate steps in these processes, such as by notifying editors when new content needs to be reviewed or by notifying publishers when content has been approved for distribution.
13. Who is responsible for the UC Davis Web Content Management Initiative?
The UC Davis Web Content Management Initiative is a joint project managed by a team of individuals from University Communications and Information and Eductational Technology. Learn more about our project team here.