Implementing Web Content Management in a Multicampus,

Geographically Dispersed Environment

Rick CoonsIT Manager

Commonwealth Campuses

Dan MrozDirector, IT

Penn State Mont Alto

Introduction

• Background/Planning

• Implementation

• Lessons Learned

• Current State

• The Road Ahead

Background/Planning

• Penn State’s Commonwealth College– 12 Undergraduate campuses located

throughout the state

Background/Planning

Background/Planning

The Problem:– Inconsistency– High quality variance– Spotty compliance with policies & standards– Responsibility for content generally resides

with one person on campus– Designs lacked appeal

Background/Planning

Vision:– “One University Geographically Dispersed”– Provide a unifying theme while bolstering

quality of content and appealing to prospective students

Background/Planning

Goals:– Appeal to target market– Establish common navigation elements– Make experts responsible for content– Provide unifying theme– Allow flexibility to retain local flavor– The usual CMS goals:

• Ease of Editing• Standard Templates• Version Control

• Backup/Archive• Workflow Mgmt• Metadata Mgmt

Background/Planning

Fringe Benefits for Techies:– Consolidation of resources– IT staff freed up to do other things

Existing Infrastructure

Planned Infrastructure

Existing Organization

Unified Web Team (UWT)

Background/Planning

• Campus Perspective– Top > Down Approach

• Chancellor – Campus Project Manager– Introduction to campus community (buy-in)– Why we needed this: Congruency, Disability Laws,

Human Resources, Economies of Scale, Marketing, Greater Autonomy, Decentralized Control.

– Developing a Local Team• Mixture of talent and perspectives

– Marketing, Academic Affairs, Admission, Technical

• Charged by the Chancellor

Implementation

• Design– Focus Groups– Usability Studies– Site Maps

• Identification and Review of Content– Existing– Desired– Storyboards

Implementation

• Campus Perspective– Campus Web Team

• Training of local web team– Technical Caveats of RedDot CMS

» Web Team» ITS Support Team

– Organizational Requirements» Formatting» Policy» AD Requirements (ALT Tags)

• Development of Initial Procedures– K.I.S.S. Rule– Flow Charts / Storyboard Presentations– Naming Conventions– Team Assignments

Site Map / Breakdown

Content Areas / Tools

Implementation

• RedDot Content Management System (CMS)– Why RedDot?

• Fit our timeline• Relative ease of use

– Ag - Partnership

Presentation Prior to Implementation

• Why not train prior to rollout!• Background on the project (reinforcement / buy-

in)• Site Map / Storyboards• Project Contact (Team Member)• Support Sources

– ITS Helpdesk, Email Support

• We will train you later! – What you can expect!

Presentation After Implementation

• Background on the project– (reinforcement / buy-in)

• Site Map(s) / Storyboards• Project Contact (Team Member)• Support Sources

– ITS Helpdesk, Email Support

• Training – Let’s take a closer look…

Training• Tiered Training Approach

– Group Training (Hands On - Lab)

– Reinforced with Video Presentations

– Online Q&A Sessions

– Paper Documentation (.pdf / .doc)

– Website – Offering• Additional Recorded Video• Written “How-To” guides

– Email / Telephone Support

– Campus Web Team Contact

– One-on-One

– You may need to quit!

Frankly, Sometimes It Drove Us All Nuts!

The Technologies We Used to Be Successful

• PowerPoint/Visio– Provide it visually!– Explain it with examples!

Centra / Breeze (Adobe Connect)

• Break – The Visual Communication Barriers• Recordings• Geographical Barriers• Remote Control

Teaching with Technology

• Camtasia– Visual and Voice

Instruction– Can be used by the

community– Accessible and convenient

• Written Instructions– Offered by many– Illustrations were key– Helpful with new versions– Initial RedDot Manual

More Tools – Web AppsWebsite

• Also integrated into SharePoint

• An attempted to share training documents

• Provide updates on new software revisions

• Contact information

FootPrints• Helpdesk ticket

system• Tracking

• Time to resolve• Issue per campus• Need for Increased

Training• Problem areas• Knowledgebase

Microsoft

SharePoint• Facilitated Online

Collaboration

• Document Sharing

• Centralized Storage for Administrative and Training Documents

Administrative Tools

• Urchin

• Access Logs

• MarketingInformation

Campus – Lessons Learned

• Buy-in / Trust / Top-Down Support was imperative!• Tiered Training Works• Learning Curve – Overall Acceptance• Some just weren’t comfortable• Continued Support

– Technologies• New Versions• Web Technologies

– People• Need a reminder to update now and then• Refresher course on RedDot• Network of users that collaborate and assist others

– Project Managers & Web Team• Continue to meet and improve

Global – Lessons Learned

• Simultaneous re-design/CMS implementation– Tech Team: Significant Challenges– Campus: Smart Move

• Culture Change– Common Look / Feel – Still Individualism– Resistance to decentralized control– Learning Curve– Over time / accepted / enjoyed

Current State

• Re-organization– New Leadership– Loss of Marketing Director– Gained 7 Campuses

2005 Campus Reorganization

Reorganization

X

Reorganized Web Team

Central Technical

Team

Web Standardsand Design

Team

The Road Ahead

• Shared Governance– Continued Support– Central Investment in Continued Development

• Shared Infrastructure

Summary• Dan’s Thoughts

– Initially well planned and thought out– Buy-in, understanding of need – essential– Well presented & Supported = Success– Collaboration and culture was an added bonus!– Rick and I get to have a beer together every now and

then!

Summary• Rick’s Thoughts

– Created illusion of being well planned and thought out– 3Cs– Tools can make a difference, but …– … it’s still the people that make it happen– Dan and I get to have a beer together every now and

then!

Questions?

Rick Coons – coons@psu.edu

Dan Mroz – dmroz@psu.edu