From Vision to Use Cases for CMS selection

from vision to use cases for CMS selection

DC WEB CONTENT MAVENS APRIL 20th, 2010

@jdavidhobbs

what is a use case?

• A description of the business actions that a user needs to take …

• for all types of users … • to enable your site goals

DC Web Content Mavens April 2010

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example use case Jane is a content editor for the Northeast region, and she

needs to enter the latest weather update. She enters the CMS and then selects the option to enter a weather update. She cuts and pastes and then edits the individual reports from the reporting offices. She enters core metadata (defaulting to Northeast region since she is the region’s content contributor) and then submits to workflow. Her boss Lucy then receives notification, and Lucy then accepts the update. The update then appears automatically to all blocks on all pages based on this metadata (for instance, the Northeast home page, each state in the Northeasy home page, and as a flag on the main weather page map). There is not option to override.



why use cases?

• Allow you to see how different systems would implement important user interactions

• Notably not a checklist • Concrete enough for internal team to

understand

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a use case for selection is not:

• implementation details • specification of a solution • complete enough for implementation They should not be any of these



when to apply use cases

• Buy-in • RFP • Demonstrations • Proof of Concepts • Pilot • Implementation

Depends on complexity of implementation


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use cases easier for CMS selections

• Only need use cases necessary to differentiate CMSes

• For each use case, only the level of detail necessary to differentiate between CMSes is needed

• Opportunity to better understand your requirements after concrete demonstrations by vendors



use cases also harder for CMS selections

• Discretion / prioritization needed • Long-standing issues come to fore

(perhaps tempted to ignore them) • CMS use cases a bit abstract for many • Purchasing rush compromises • Often developed without overall vision



so just write the use cases?

Problems with jumping in: • All issues raised above • Lose forest for the trees • After lots of work has been put into use

cases, difficult to simplify later • Difficult for everyone to understand



process to define use cases for CMS selection

Define vision

Set CMS priorities

List use cases

Write use cases



your goals and needs






• Need a tree • Need someone

handy to build it • Can use spare parts • Kids only • Security not issue • Never become castle




• Need roads • Need a driver • Buy pre-built • Families can use • Must lock • Never become

castle

not CMS problem if you acquire based on inappropriate goals



also not core CMS product issue if not implemented well

• Inconsistencies • Uneccessary complexity • Sloppy coding • Not well thought out approach to

standardization



no CMS is perfect

Even “normal” houses have roof leaks



cms selection just part of implementation process

Vision Plan Pilot Implement Maintain


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here

success not just technical


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good CMS selection should help other aspects as well

• One driver to define compelling vision • Developing use cases drives important

discussions (not directly related to technology)

• Gets a bit more concrete than vision alone



vision and use cases

Vision: Why you want to move to a new

CMS Use Cases: What evaluate CMSes against

to see how different tools accomplish them



what is a compelling vision?

A compelling vision is a simple statement, in terms that all stakeholders can understand, of how the migration will result in a substantially improved site.



do you have a compelling vision?

• Most stakeholders say it’s compelling • Vision is for substantial improvement • Translates to prioritization for moving

forward • Justifies doing the migration • Short (a sentence to page max)



example compelling vision

1. Reduce web production cost as an organization by editorial centralization

2. Improve user experience by centralizing template control and automated content pulls from multiple repositories



why a compelling vision?

• Anchors your project • Helps prioritize issues as project

progresses • Creates energy and shared direction • Narrows the scope, indicating what is

not included • Allows useful metrics to evaluate

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@jdavidhobbs 24

how to develop use cases

1. Define Vision 2. Define CMS Priorities 3. List Use Cases 4. Write Use Cases



get buy-in at each step

• One of the reasons for this approach is to get buy-in incrementally

• So make sure to get buy-in at each step before continuing to the next



1. define vision

• Isolate why you want / need to move to a new CMS (using criteria above)

• May involve creative thinking of what is unifying about all the little issues

For large site, may want to develop a high level implementation strategy to confirm vision possible



quick aside: it’s not just the CMS

One reason to do an implementation strategy is to ensure you have sufficient: – Staff – Governance – Consistency in various technical systems – Content Strategy – Taxonomy / IA / Design – Technical know-how



example vision

A. Reduce web production cost as an organization by editorial centralization

B. Improve user experience by centralizing template control and automated content pulls from multiple repositories



2. define CMS priorities

• What are the CMS priorities to enable the vision?

• These should be high level, unifying, and short (perhaps ten total), and prioritized amongst themselves

• Ensure that a) priorities enable all elements of the vision, and b) that anything that does not match the vision is carefully scrutinized



example CMS priorities

1. Centralized hierarchical templates 2. Blocks within templates automatically

pulling content based on metadata 3. Hook to centralized automated concept

extraction engine 4. Dramatically simple (and locked down)

content contributor interface 5. Streamlined editorial interface for small

editorial team 6. Easy to modify templates centrally



3. list use cases

• Map your use cases back to the priorities • Concentrate on ensuring the use cases

will support your priorities • In your RFP, you can also provide this

mapping



example use case list

a. Define hierarchy of templates (including adding functionality to all pages later)

b. Enter content that automatically flows c. Add new subsite based on template

(including concept extraction rules) d. Editor changes automatic pull rules for

specific block on their subsite e. ….



4. write use cases

• Again keeping the overall vision in mind, write the use cases to support that vision



example use case Jane is a content editor for the Northeast region, and she

needs to enter the latest weather update. She enters the CMS and then selects the option to enter a weather update. She cuts and pastes and then edits the individual reports from the reporting offices. She enters core metadata (defaulting to Northeast region since she is the region’s content contributor) and then submits to workflow. Her boss Lucy then receives notification, and Lucy then accepts the update. The update then appears automatically to all blocks on all pages based on this metadata (for instance, the Northeast home page, each state in the Northeasy home page, and as a flag on the main weather page map). There is not option to override.



example flow from vision to use case



Thanks

David Hobbs Guiding CMS Migrations


[email protected]

Define vision

Set CMS priorities

List use cases

Write use cases

From Vision to Use Cases for CMS selection

Technology

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