Content Management Systems: Who Makes the
Rules?Jill Katte, Duke University
David Mitchell, Wyeth VaccinesNHPRC Electronic Records Research
Fellowship
October 2006
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Why this idea?Why this idea?
• Managing the Digital University Desktop data
• Websites as containers of archival content
(see Pearce-Moses presentation, 2004)
• Duke University CMS initiatives
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Assumptions and parameters:
• Assumption: webmasters and archivists may be missing opportunities to collaborate
• Parameter: focus on website content management, not learning management
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Research questions:
• How are our peer institutions using website CMS? • How will a CMS affect information management at
Duke and elsewhere?• Do content managers follow official policies for
archiving “expired” web records?• Is long-term preservation a concern for CMS
administrators?• What CMS tools could be used to identify archival
content and transfer it to an archival repository?
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Project Goals:
• Identify opportunities/obstacles in collaboration between archivists & web content managers
• Conduct small pilot program in preserving CMS content in archival repository
• Raise awareness of archives/preservation concerns to CMS administrators
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Scope and methodology:
• Duke’s peer institutions: “doctoral/research universities, extensive”
• Brief initial survey of archivists and webmasters to identify web CMS users, ER policies, interview volunteers
• In-depth telephone interviews
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Initial Survey Questions:
1. Does your institution use a content management system (CMS) to manage its Web site(s)?
2. Which CMS does your institution use (or plan to use) to manage website content? (Please list all, including home-grown systems)
3. Does your institution have a policy for preserving website content?
4. Would you be willing to discuss the use of CMS in greater detail as part of this research project? (if yes, enter email address)
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Initial web-based survey:
95 total respondents = 65 webmasters30 archivists
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Q1. Does your institution use a content management system (CMS) to manage its Web site(s)?
39% = Yes28% = No, but we plan to use14% = No, do not use, do not plan to 0% = Previously used, but abandoned19% = Don’t know
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Q2. Which CMS does your institution use (or plan to use) to manage website content?
Top three responses:1. Home-grown systems2. CommonSpot3. Collage, RedDot, Stellent
Home-grown CommonSpot Collage RedDot CMS Stellent
Approximate Cost ? Starts at$19,000 Starts at $10,000 Starts at $55,000 ?
Audit Trail ? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Content Approval ? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Granular Privileges ? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Versioning ? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Zip Archives ? No ? ? Yes
Static Content Export ? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Content Scheduling ? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Content Staging ? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Workflow Engine ? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Metadata ? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Document Management ? Yes No Costs Extra Yes
Data from CMSmatrix.org
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Q3. Does your institution have a policy for preserving website content?
18% = Yes61% = No21% = Don’t know
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Initial Survey Summary:
• Web CMS becoming more widely adopted• Home-grown systems prevalent• Most products advertise versioning,
metadata, workflow management, of some kind
• Web records policies either don’t exist, or are not well-known
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
In-depth phone interviews:
Five sections1. Planning and decision-making2. Implementation and workflow3. Web electronic records policies4. Archiving website content5. Collaboration
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Interview Results and Conclusions
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Sections 1-2: Planning & Implementation
Most web CMS…• In use for less than 1 year – implementation
phase varies• Offers workflow management tools, but not
being fully implemented• Collects metadata about content, but not
much beyond standard file maintenance info
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Section 3: Web Electronic Records Policies
• Most interviewed do consider at least part of website to be an “official university record”
• About half interviewed had electronic records management policy
• Most said web content was not included in those policies
• Most had no metadata guidelines for electronic records
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Section 4: Archiving
Do content managers follow official policies for archiving “expired” web records?
• No formal policies• Content owners decide• Not saving versions• Decision making is widely distributed
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Section 4: Archiving
Preparedness
• 10 of 15 are totally unprepared or unprepared to archive website content
• 7 are totally unprepared or unprepared to retrieve and reconstruct archived website content
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Section 5: Collaboration
Collaboration on policy setting
• 11 of 15 experienced no or very little collaboration between webmasters and archivists/records managers
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Section 5: Collaboration
Collaboration with other campus units regarding guidelines for archiving or setting expiration dates
8 of 15 said “no” (but 5 of 15 said “yes”)
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Sections 4-5: Archiving & Collaboration
Hindrances?
• No direction/communication about policy
• Lack of interest• No perceived need• Resource issues
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
No one makes the rules…and…
Everyone makes the rules
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
Project website:
Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?
http://www.duke.edu/web/CMSproject