Drupal: A Glimpse at Northeastern University Libraries Website

Who is iFactory?•Based in Boston•Interactive design and development company with over 20

years experience•Division of RDW Group, full-service communications agency•Designers, strategic consultants, information architects,

usability experts, developers•Higher ed profiles include:

colleges & universities | public & private | large & small

undergraduate & graduate

ivy league to community colleges | across the country

Where to find uswww.ifactory.com

blog: interactivity.ifactory.com

Find us as iFactoryBoston:

What you’ll learn today:• Configuring some aspects of the Drupal admin to

enable a wide variety of users to create content• Customizing display of complex content types,

including using javascript blinds to show/hide information• Setting up a variety of views for different ways to list,

filter and sort content • Tagging to enable highlighting content which otherwise

does not get enough attention • Using the Field Permissions module to deliver fine-

grained customization of content delivery

Your presenter

Lisa Sawin Solutions Architect for iFactory

Lisa has 10 years experience in software and web application

design. As a Solutions Architect for iFactory, Lisa's role is to be the

technical voice on projects, from the initial client meetings through

planning, construction and delivery of the final site. She is

experienced in developing Drupal and WordPress sites for a wide

variety of clients in various verticals, from libraries to higher ed to

small businesses.

Higher Ed Websites

• Often have a variety of content creators• Content is often added without being screened• Content can be very complex• Users may need a variety ways to access this

complex information• Site may have a lot of information users don’t

even know they would be interested in• Different users may need different views of the

same content

Higher Ed Websites

• Often have a variety of content creators• Content is often added without being screened• Content can be very complex• Users may need a variety ways to access this

complex information• Site may have a lot of information users don’t

even know they would be interested in• Different users may need different views of the

same content

Higher Ed Websites

• Often have a variety of content creators• Content is often added without being screened• Content can be very complex• Users may need a variety ways to access this

complex information• Site may have a lot of information users don’t

even know they would be interested in• Different users may need different views of the

same content

Higher Ed Websites

• Often have a variety of content creators• Content is often added without being screened• Content can be very complex• Users may need a variety ways to access this

complex information• Site may have a lot of information users don’t

even know they would be interested in• Different users may need different views of the

same content

Higher Ed Websites

• Often have a variety of content creators• Content is often added without being screened• Content can be very complex• Users may need a variety ways to access this

complex information• Site may have a lot of information users don’t

even know they would be interested in• Different users may need different views of the

same content

Higher Ed Websites

• Often have a variety of content creators• Content is often added without being screened• Content can be very complex• Users may need a variety ways to access this

complex information• Site may have a lot of information users don’t

even know they would be interested in• Different users may need different views of the

same content

Higher Ed Websites

• Often have a variety of content creators• Content is often added without being screened• Content can be very complex• Users may need a variety ways to access this

complex information• Site may have a lot of information users don’t

even know they would be interested in• Different users may need different views of the

same content

Drupal Strengths & Weaknesses• Admin users have a lot of power• Admin user interface can be overwhelming• Many contributed modules available to help• Extensible by custom modules, too

• Admin users have a lot of power• Admin user interface can be overwhelming• Many contributed modules available to help• Extensible by custom modules, too

Drupal Strengths & Weaknesses

• Admin users have a lot of power• Admin user interface can be overwhelming• Many contributed modules available to help• Extensible by custom modules, too

Drupal Strengths & Weaknesses

• Admin users have a lot of power• Admin user interface can be overwhelming• Many contributed modules available to help• Extensible by custom modules, too

Drupal Strengths & Weaknesses

• Admin users have a lot of power• Admin user interface can be overwhelming• Many contributed modules available to help• Extensible by custom modules, too

Drupal Strengths & Weaknesses

Customizing Admin Features • Constrained page layouts increase freedom

while maintaining unified look & feel• Only give content creators the tools you’d like

them to use• Image styles constrain images to fit layout• Use combination of contrib and custom

modules to constrain WYSIWYG tools

Customizing Admin Features • Constrained page layouts increase freedom

while maintaining unified look & feel• Only give content creators the tools you’d like

them to use• Image styles constrain images to fit layout• Use combination of contrib and custom

modules to constrain WYSIWYG tools

Customizing Admin Features • Constrained page layouts increase freedom

while maintaining unified look & feel• Only give content creators the tools you’d like

them to use• Image styles constrain images to fit layout• Use combination of contrib and custom

modules to constrain WYSIWYG tools

Customizing Admin Features • Constrained page layouts increase freedom

while maintaining unified look & feel• Only give content creators the tools you’d like

them to use• Image styles constrain images to fit layout• Use combination of contrib and custom

modules to constrain WYSIWYG tools

Customizing Admin Features • Constrained page layouts increase freedom

while maintaining unified look & feel• Only give content creators the tools you’d like

them to use• Image styles constrain images to fit layout• Use combination of contrib and custom

modules to constrain WYSIWYG tools

Contrib + custom = just right

• CKEditor gives us control over WYSIWYG options per text format

• Better formats can restrict a user’s ability to change text format

• A custom module adds the missing puzzle piece to restrict WYSIWYG options

• http://drupal.org/node/1192062

Contrib + custom = just right

• CKEditor gives us control over WYSIWYG options per text format

• Better formats can restrict a user’s ability to change text format

• A custom module adds the missing puzzle piece to restrict WYSIWYG options

• http://drupal.org/node/1192062

Contrib + custom = just right

• CKEditor gives us control over WYSIWYG options per text format

• Better formats can restrict a user’s ability to change text format

• A custom module adds the missing puzzle piece to restrict WYSIWYG options

• http://drupal.org/node/1192062

Contrib + custom = just right

• CKEditor gives us control over WYSIWYG options per text format

• Better formats can restrict a user’s ability to change text format

• A custom module adds the missing puzzle piece to restrict WYSIWYG options

• http://drupal.org/node/1192062

Contrib + custom = just right

• CKEditor gives us control over WYSIWYG options per text format

• Better formats can restrict a user’s ability to change text format

• A custom module adds the missing puzzle piece to restrict WYSIWYG options

• http://drupal.org/node/1192062

Mitigate risk, increase freedom

• Remove the option to “break” the site• Encourage content creators by giving them an

easy-to-use interface

Mitigate risk, increase freedom

• Remove the option to “break” the site• Encourage content creators by giving them an

easy-to-use interface

Mitigate risk, increase freedom

• Remove the option to “break” the site• Encourage content creators by giving them an

easy-to-use interface

• Databases, services, software, courses, etc• Lots of associated information• Users may be confused about what these

content types really are

Complex content

Complex content

• Databases, services, software, courses, etc• Lots of associated information• Users may be confused about what these

content types really are

• Databases, services, software, courses, etc• Lots of associated information• Users may be confused about what these

content types really are

Complex content

• Databases, services, software, courses, etc• Lots of associated information• Users may be confused about what these

content types really are

Complex content

Thoughtful presentation is key• Consistent, structured layout• Understandable terms• Expected interactions: a link should do what

the users expect it to do• Graphic design: use of color, font, spacing

Thoughtful presentation is key• Consistent, structured layout• Understandable terms• Expected interactions: a link should do what

the users expect it to do• Graphic design: use of color, font, spacing

Thoughtful presentationis key• Consistent, structured layout• Understandable terms• Expected interactions: a link should do what

the users expect it to do• Graphic design: use of color, font, spacing

Thoughtful presentation is key• Consistent, structured layout• Understandable terms• Expected interactions: a link should do what

the users expect it to do• Graphic design: use of color, font, spacing

Thoughtful presentation is key• Consistent, structured layout• Understandable terms• Expected interactions: a link should do what

the users expect it to do• Graphic design: use of color, font, spacing

Creatively remove excess info• Blinds to hide some of the content• Icons• Link intuitively

Creatively remove excess info• Blinds to hide some of the content• Icons• Link intuitively

Creatively remove excess info• Blinds to hide some of the content• Icons• Link intuitively

Creatively remove excess info• Blinds to hide some of the content• Icons• Link intuitively

Use a variety of list styles• A-Z index• Exposed filters• Break down into menu items

Use a variety of list styles• A-Z index• Exposed filters• Break down into menu items

Use a variety of list styles• A-Z index• Exposed filters• Break down into menu items

Use a variety of list styles• A-Z index• Exposed filters• Break down into menu items

Related content blocks

• Sitewide vocabulary to connect content• Blocks to display on single node pages• Context to place blocks

Related content blocks

• Sitewide vocabulary to connect content• Blocks to display on single node pages• Context to place blocks

Related content blocks

• Sitewide vocabulary to connect content• Blocks to display on single node pages• Context to place blocks

Related content blocks

• Sitewide vocabulary to connect content• Blocks to display on single node pages• Context to place blocks

Altering site content for users• Field Permissions for displaying individual

fields for specific roles• Context module handles display of blocks

on a per-role or per-section basis• Custom context conditions for block

presentation based on page views

Altering site content for users• Field Permissions for displaying individual

fields for specific roles• Context module handles display of blocks

on a per-role or per-section basis• Custom context conditions for block

presentation based on page views

Altering site content for users• Field Permissions for displaying individual

fields for specific roles• Context module handles display of blocks

on a per-role or per-section basis• Custom context conditions for block

presentation based on page views

Altering site content for users• Field Permissions for displaying individual

fields for specific roles• Context module handles display of blocks

on a per-role or per-section basis• Custom context conditions for block

presentation based on page views

Higher Ed Websites• Use the power of Drupal to help your content

creators feel empowered to keep content up-to-date• Present complex content thoughtfully to make it

easier to for users to understand and find what they need

• Target information to users, so they only see what they need

• Harness serendipitous discovery to show content to user who may not even know they were interested

Higher Ed Websites• Use the power of Drupal to help your content

creators feel empowered to keep content up-to-date• Present complex content thoughtfully to make it

easier to for users to understand and find what they need

• Target information to users, so they only see what they need

• Harness serendipitous discovery to show content to user who may not even know they were interested

Higher Ed Websites• Use the power of Drupal to help your content

creators feel empowered to keep content up-to-date• Present complex content thoughtfully to make it

easier to for users to understand and find what they need

• Target information to users, so they only see what they need

• Harness serendipitous discovery to show content to user who may not even know they were interested

Higher Ed Websites• Use the power of Drupal to help your content

creators feel empowered to keep content up-to-date• Present complex content thoughtfully to make it

easier to for users to understand and find what they need

• Target information to users, so they only see what they need

• Harness serendipitous discovery to show content to user who may not even know they were interested

Higher Ed Websites• Use the power of Drupal to help your content

creators feel empowered to keep content up-to-date• Present complex content thoughtfully to make it

easier to for users to understand and find what they need

• Target information to users, so they only see what they need

• Harness serendipitous discovery to show content to user who may not even know they were interested

www.ifactory.com

interactivity.ifactory.com

info@ifactory.com

617.426.8600

Find us as iFactoryBoston: