Comments on: The Content Inventory: Roadmap to a Successful CMS Implementation http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/ Accessibility, Usability and Web Standards Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:55:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Kirk Biglione http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-122773 Kirk Biglione Wed, 12 Dec 2007 02:16:19 +0000 http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-122773 Uma, if you really know your content very well, then you may be able to get away with only document the content types. However, it's been my experience that those implementing CMS systems are typically not in touch with all of the various content types in any organization. Conversely, the users who really know the content (domain experts) usually aren't involved in the CMS implementation. The content inventory is a chance for the implementation team to collaborate with the domain experts in order to uncover all of the various content types, as well as exceptions and variations. Essentially, the content inventory is a form of content type discovery. Uma, if you really know your content very well, then you may be able to get away with only document the content types. However, it’s been my experience that those implementing CMS systems are typically not in touch with all of the various content types in any organization. Conversely, the users who really know the content (domain experts) usually aren’t involved in the CMS implementation. The content inventory is a chance for the implementation team to collaborate with the domain experts in order to uncover all of the various content types, as well as exceptions and variations. Essentially, the content inventory is a form of content type discovery.

]]> By: uma http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-122772 uma Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:47:21 +0000 http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-122772 Can you explain why we need to identify every content. What significance it has got esp. for a CMS? I had always thought that in a CMS we need to understand only the types of content and their general schema... and the no of individual items based on the schema is typically populated by content users... so how will it affect the implementation? Can you explain why we need to identify every content. What significance it has got esp. for a CMS? I had always thought that in a CMS we need to understand only the types of content and their general schema… and the no of individual items based on the schema is typically populated by content users… so how will it affect the implementation?

]]> By: Stig Andersen http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-7277 Stig Andersen Tue, 07 Feb 2006 13:05:08 +0000 http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-7277 Tomas, Word really isn't an option in my experience. I've tried it once, and will never do it again. Word documents are difficult to handle as they get larger(and they do content inventories do get large). If I feel I'm out of control and elements may pop up, I leave numbers in between like this: 2.00.00; 2.10.00; 2.20.00; 2.20.10; etc. That way I can insert 2.15.00 if something pops up. Next best solution Tomas, Word really isn’t an option in my experience. I’ve tried it once, and will never do it again. Word documents are difficult to handle as they get larger(and they do content inventories do get large).

If I feel I’m out of control and elements may pop up, I leave numbers in between like this: 2.00.00; 2.10.00; 2.20.00; 2.20.10; etc. That way I can insert 2.15.00 if something pops up. Next best solution

]]> By: Tomas Alsbro http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-3791 Tomas Alsbro Fri, 12 Aug 2005 21:53:21 +0000 http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-3791 Isn't it possible to use Words and the index option, then use tabs to separate columns? What happens if you then convert this text into a table? Isn’t it possible to use Words and the index option, then use tabs to separate columns?

What happens if you then convert this text into a table?

]]> By: Kassia Krozser http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-3217 Kassia Krozser Tue, 12 Jul 2005 15:23:10 +0000 http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-3217 I've found it really hard to go back and renumber things using Excel. It, for some reason, doesn't have a smart outline mode (at least that I've been able to discern -- maybe someone else has figured this one out). The best solution I've come up with to leave numbering until last, when possible, and to use the autofill feature for renumbering specific sections. I’ve found it really hard to go back and renumber things using Excel. It, for some reason, doesn’t have a smart outline mode (at least that I’ve been able to discern — maybe someone else has figured this one out).

The best solution I’ve come up with to leave numbering until last, when possible, and to use the autofill feature for renumbering specific sections.

]]> By: sid http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-2956 sid Fri, 08 Jul 2005 14:14:21 +0000 http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-2956 Working with Excel is difficult for the ID column. I enter each item like so... 2.0.0, 2.10, 2.1.1.0, 2.1.1.1., 2.1.1.2, etc... However if I want to later add an item between 2.1.1.1 and 2.1.1.2, and then have to manually renumber all rows subsequent to 2.1.1.2. Any way for the x.x.x.x numbering scheme to be automatic in Excel, and for all items to renumber upon an insert or removal of a row? Working with Excel is difficult for the ID column. I enter each item like so… 2.0.0, 2.10, 2.1.1.0, 2.1.1.1., 2.1.1.2, etc…
However if I want to later add an item between 2.1.1.1 and 2.1.1.2, and then have to manually renumber all rows subsequent to 2.1.1.2.

Any way for the x.x.x.x numbering scheme to be automatic in Excel, and for all items to renumber upon an insert or removal of a row?

]]> By: Kassia Krozser http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-1790 Kassia Krozser Thu, 19 May 2005 13:54:38 +0000 http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-1790 Keith, A DMS is a document management system. While others will have better, more technical definitions, I think of them as large electronic libraries. They are geared toward managing large collections of items that would have formally been kept in paper files. Some convert items to a universal format like PDF, some have access restrictions, some have limited workflow. While they are generally designed to be used internally within an organization, aspects of the system can also be pushed to a website. Keith, A DMS is a document management system. While others will have better, more technical definitions, I think of them as large electronic libraries. They are geared toward managing large collections of items that would have formally been kept in paper files. Some convert items to a universal format like PDF, some have access restrictions, some have limited workflow. While they are generally designed to be used internally within an organization, aspects of the system can also be pushed to a website.

]]> By: Keith Free Ellis http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-1789 Keith Free Ellis Wed, 18 May 2005 17:02:46 +0000 http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-1789 What is a DMS? What is a DMS?

]]> By: Bryan http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-1429 Bryan Sun, 10 Apr 2005 04:08:49 +0000 http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-1429 I'm in the middle of implementing a CMS migration for a client that really needs a DMS, so I feel your pain Michael. The wonderful thing for me is that I just have to specify how new content goes in, which is to say, the static files. So I have very few content items to ID and my client handles the migration to the new channel. But Michael, you really should be ID'ing only a few content types which have an attribute of a static file, which is the uploaded document. You can inventory all the individual pages for channel distribution, which is part of your migration plan, but that shouldn't be part of your initial content type creation. I’m in the middle of implementing a CMS migration for a client that really needs a DMS, so I feel your pain Michael. The wonderful thing for me is that I just have to specify how new content goes in, which is to say, the static files. So I have very few content items to ID and my client handles the migration to the new channel.

But Michael, you really should be ID’ing only a few content types which have an attribute of a static file, which is the uploaded document. You can inventory all the individual pages for channel distribution, which is part of your migration plan, but that shouldn’t be part of your initial content type creation.

]]> By: Kirk Biglione http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-1411 Kirk Biglione Fri, 08 Apr 2005 04:08:40 +0000 http://www.alttags.org/content-management/the-content-inventory-roadmap-to-a-succesful-cms-implementation/#comment-1411 Anytime I hear someone talking about 36,000 content items I begin to wonder if maybe they might actually need a document management system as opposed to a web content management system. While there are systems that try to pass themselves off as both, they're really two entirely different beasts. A big mistake we frequently see is clients wanting to use a CMS to solve document management problems. I agree with Jesse in theory. You may find that quite a large majority of your 36,000 documents are not accessed on a regular basis. However, I wouldn't necessarily depend on my log files to tell me which documents are the most in demand by my site's users. There's no guarantee that the content they're finding is actually the content they're looking for. Logs can be misleading that way. They only tell you what users have found. The don't really tell you what the users actually had in mind when they came to your site. Anytime I hear someone talking about 36,000 content items I begin to wonder if maybe they might actually need a document management system as opposed to a web content management system. While there are systems that try to pass themselves off as both, they’re really two entirely different beasts. A big mistake we frequently see is clients wanting to use a CMS to solve document management problems.

I agree with Jesse in theory. You may find that quite a large majority of your 36,000 documents are not accessed on a regular basis. However, I wouldn’t necessarily depend on my log files to tell me which documents are the most in demand by my site’s users. There’s no guarantee that the content they’re finding is actually the content they’re looking for. Logs can be misleading that way. They only tell you what users have found. The don’t really tell you what the users actually had in mind when they came to your site.

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