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Centralized Content in a De-Centralized IT Environment

Presented by: Greg Deitz IT Consultant Texas A&M University Email : Greg-Deitz@CIS-GW.tamu.edu. Centralized Content in a De-Centralized IT Environment. IT Consultant for Computing and Information Services (CIS) At TAMU for 6 years Started as Student Worker in 1999

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Centralized Content in a De-Centralized IT Environment

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  1. Presented by: Greg Deitz IT Consultant Texas A&M University Email : Greg-Deitz@CIS-GW.tamu.edu Centralized Content in a De-Centralized IT Environment

  2. IT Consultant for Computing and Information Services (CIS) At TAMU for 6 years Started as Student Worker in 1999 Lab Supervisor from 2001 - 2005 Started Working with Content Management Team in 2005 Married April 29, 2006 About Me

  3. Texas A&M University • Located in College Station, TX • Student Population ~ 46000 • Home of Many Traditions Including Muster, The 12th Man, Silver Taps • Computing and Information Services (CIS) • Consists of 11 Departments • Serves the Student Body as well as Faculty and Staff • Open Access Labs and Help Desk Central Responsible for 90% of Content for Students, Faculty, and Staff About Texas A&M and CIS

  4. The Catch-up Game • Some Groups Work Well with Customers – Some Don’t • Content not being served to users in a language they understand • Content ends up having to be re-written by numerous groups • Customer Demand = New Content Writing Process Begins • Already starting behind schedule • By the time information is made available it is outdated • Constant cycle of being one step behind The Old Way at Texas A&M

  5. Customer Demand = Content Creation • Need Recognized • Student Worker Assigned to Write Content • Student Worker Writes Content and Passes it to Review Committee • Review Committee Approves or Makes Suggestions and Returns • Item Published or Author Corrects and Resubmits • Tracking System = Excel Spreadsheet The Old Writing Process – IDEAL

  6. Customer Demand = Content Needed • Need Recognized • Student Worker Assigned to Write Content • Student Worker “has” a Life and “Forgets” • Student Worker graduates, quits, ignores assignment • Need Still Exists • Content Assigned to Different Student Worker • The Cycle Continues The Old Writing Process – Reality

  7. Customers Not Happy • Management Not Happy Something Has to Change

  8. A Problem from Two Perspectives • The Smaller Scale • Student Workers Create Content = Tracking Nightmare • Information Not To Customers in Timely Manner • The Larger Scale • Knowledge = Power = Ownership • Silos, Silos, Everywhere • Finding Content Requires Searching of Individual Silos • No Checks and Balances for Duplicate Content The Content Management Problem

  9. Consisted of Reps from various groups within CIS Included Reps from the Groups Responsible for 90% of Content (OAL and HDC) Multiple Content Management Systems Tested Baseline Requirements Agreed Upon A Committee is Formed

  10. Basic Document Editing Process Version Control and Content Control Authentication and Authorization System Control Quality Standard Final Edit Review Desk Committee Recommendations

  11. Plone Selected as Best Option • Open Source • Built on Zope DB • Enterprise Level • Workflow • Active and Expiration Dates • Integration to Current Authentication System • Customizabilitythrough CSS • WebDav Access • Through the Web WYSIWYG Editor Plone to the Rescue

  12. Plone Default Look and Feel

  13. Techdocs Current Look and Feel

  14. Majority of Problems Solved Through the Creation of Customized Workflow • DC Workflow Product • DC Workflow Dump – Dump to XML file for easy importation • DC Workflow Graph – Visual Representation of Workflow • Allows for All Groups to Write Content Independently • Aids in Creating the Final Edit Review Desk Primary Solution - Workflow

  15. The Workflow for all Groups in One Place

  16. Document States Sample

  17. Transitions List

  18. Transition Creation

  19. Student Workers Write Most Content = Tracking Nightmare • Ability to Track Exactly Where a Document is Located at All Times by Username. • Customizable Workflow and Workflow Lists allow Tracking of the Content by the Content Editor • Content Not Delivered to Customers in Timely Manner • Release Dates and Expiration Dates allowed to be set Solving the Small Scale Problems

  20. Document History

  21. A Proactive Approach to Customer Service • New System being Introduced – Have the Content “go live” same day as System • Much Happier User Environment • Cut Down on Calls to Help Desks • Keeps Content Up-to-Date • Email Notification when Content is About to Expire • Review and Update or Republish The Joy of Active and Expiration Dates

  22. Open Source • Cost • Quickly Updated • Fully Supported Development by Plone Foundation • Customizable Workflow • Customizable through CSS • Personal Workspaces for Authors if Desired • LDAP integration, CAS integration or Active Directory integration • Versioning Support • Active and Expiration Dates Advantages of Plone

  23. Permissions Grid can be Overwhelming Speed Out of the Box (Improved in Later Releases) Upgrades to Newer Versions Image Handling Disadvantages of Plone

  24. Questions??? • Contact Information • Email – greg-deitz@cis-gw.tamu.edu Q&A

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