CMS Completion

Seattle University successfully transitioned all of its websites to a content management system (CMS), which allows us all to create, edit, manage and publish online content with ease in August of 2009.
 
The implementation process took only a year to complete and progressed smoothly and seamlessly, thanks to the support and collaboration between the Marketing Communications and OIT Application Services teams. A big thank you goes out to the core team members who worked on this project and completed it in record time – Don Sullivan, Eric Larsen, Mike Dommer, David Castillo, Kevin Chang, Hiroko Narimatsu and Natalie Greco.
 
I also want to thank all our colleagues from the colleges, schools and administrative units who formed the CMS implementation team for their patience and collaboration in streamlining the rollout strategy, scheduling the content migration and trouble-shooting its execution (when needed). We could not have done this without you.
 
If you have any questions about the completion of the CMS implementation, please do not hesitate to contact me at 296-6112 or
christoe@seattleu.edu.

Eli Christopher
CMS Project Lead
Marketing Communications

What is a CMS?

CMS, or content management system, is an application designed to empower non-technical individuals to create, edit, manage, and publish content without difficulty, or with the help of Webmasters or IT developers.

Benefits of Using a Content Management Solution:
- Easy to use
- Anyone can use it. You don’t have to know code or be an HTML or XML expert to add content.
- You can publish content anywhere
- Faster updating
- Effective and efficient workflow management
- Process Flow of Web Content
- Saves time and money

Web Site Visitor Benefits:
•    Content can be changed easily and promptly giving visitors timely and valuable content.
•    Fresh content will create repeat visitors
•    Content that is fresh and in-depth will encourage longer site visits
•    Site branding will be more consistent

CMS Real World Examples – From Ektron
Below are examples of how three companies and organizations, each with unique requirements, are currently using CM solutions and Web editing tools to manage content on their Web sites:

• Large University based in the U.S.
The Web developer for this university’s Community Affairs department recently integrated a content management solution into the department’s Web site to allow local businesses and neighborhood associations to publish on the Web site. Linked together via their Web contributions, the various constituencies are beginning to coalesce as a community. Effective Content Management: Empowering the Business User 11
• Accounting association
Needing a more fluid Web site, a national accounting association in the United Kingdom is adding a content management solution so headquarters can publish a regular column on the site.
• New England law firm
This well-known law firm needed to increase the number of contributors to its Web site. The Web developer installed a CM solution and encouraged attorneys, paralegals, and other office staff to modify the site as necessary. The firm’s de facto Webmaster could concentrate once again on his primary job responsibilities.