subject: How do I choose a content management system? [print this page] How do I choose a content management system?
The choice ofweb site technology and provider needs to take account of their ability to provide the features you need, that will deliver the quality of service to you and your users at a price that matches your budget. With the right choice, today's service providers can deliver a web site or intranet system which delivers on technical grounds, functionality and usability, and service.
The product itself should be mature and provide you with high technical quality such as:
Be built in a modern programming language that is well supported by an industry-standard vendor
Scalability, to easily handle the amount and type of content that you wish to provide
An upgrade path, that allow you to start where you need to and will grow with your needs without wasting the value of your existing investment
The ability to add new functionality readily and at reasonable cost, preferably without custom development
A high level of security for site contents as well as user information
Use well designed andconstructed program code that has been properlytested, and is compliant with modern programming standards
The ability to integrate a web site or intranet with your existing business systems, with a published Application Program Interface (API)
A good content management system ishighly featured and usable:
Include extensive pre-built features, enabling you to manage documents, static and dynamic content, and interactive web 2.0-type functions
Highly usable and intuitive for both users and administrators, requiring minimal training and technical skill
Modularity, to enable the addition of new features with minimal technical intervention
Extensive searchability, and be optimised for high search engine visibility and/or have built-in complex searching.
Your service provider should provide you with services such as:
Well organised project scoping, management and delivery
Responsive support available in Australia, including training, technical support, administrator support
A predictable total cost of ownership, both upfront and ongoing, without surprises
A return on investment (ROI) that makes sense for your organisation
The ability to deploy and manage the system on your own infrastructure or hosted in a quality data centre
User and technical documentation, online help, user groups
Enough staff so that you are not reliant on a single employee but not so mechanised that you are just a number on the client list
A product development roadmap, so you know that the product is continually being developed
Ask your service company if they provide these at a reasonable price.
