"The Benefits of Using Web Content Management Systems"

Gregory L. Koch II

Gregory L. Koch II earned his Bachelor’s degree in Technical Communication from New Mexico Tech in May of 2009 and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Information Technology at Rochester Institute of Technology. His interests include visual design, Internet and web communications, and single sourcing, server and network management. Greg has developed several web applications using Web Content Management Systems and recently served as Lead Web Developer and Designer for New Mexico Tech’s website redesign project. 

Contents

Abstract and Introduction

Background

Web Content Management Survey

Results and Discussion

Implications

Conclusions

Work Cited

Appendix A: Survey Questions

Appendix B: Survey Data

Abstract 

In my thesis I review literature on the subject of Web Content Management Systems and discuss a survey I conducted to evaluate the use of Web Content Management Systems in Technical Communication and the benefits provided to organizations when using them. There is a significant amount of information about the features of Web Content Management Systems, but not a lot of research about the benefits, making it difficult for an organization to convince management the investment is worthwhile.  My survey helps bridge this gap, providing primary research that illustrates the utility of Web Content Management Systems.

Introduction

Creating an impressive online presence for an organization is critical, but can be costly. There are many obstacles to overcome when creating a website, such as difficulties working with multiple developers, consistency, and technical knowledge of employees. Typically, organizations find it easiest to build a website by having each department create content and then send the content to the information technology department for uploading to the website. However, this disjointed process can lead to pages that are not uniform, represent the organization poorly, and cost the organization valuable time and money. A recent technology development, a Web Content Management System (WCMS), offers a valuable solution to these problems and many more. A WCMS is a database-driven website system that generates web pages per request, creating each page from a template and the desired content from the database.

An organization can save time and capital by reducing the dependency on others within the organization, increasing the amount of employees with the skills needed to manage the website, and creating a professional, uniform web page. When using a WCMS, content is created using a simple web-based form with editors similar to those found in common word processing software.

Implementing a WCMS can also save an organization time and money by solving workflow problems. When creating complex websites, development teams commonly include technical communicators and programmers or other individuals experienced with HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and other web markup languages. Using this type of team may seem like a great way for a company to produce web content; however, it requires content developers to either program the HTML themselves or give it to a programmer, generating an unnecessary additional step. Using "What You See is What You Get" editors (an editor that works like a word processor to generate HTML) can also be inefficient because these editors typically generate larger files and require users to enter server connection information they may not know or understand. WCMSs can assist organizations with these problems by eliminating the need for employees to have HTML knowledge or to know the proper server settings to create a page.

Even though WCMSs can make creating a webpage easier, they are still a relatively new technology and are not yet widely used. Many organizations may hesitate to switch to a WCMS because the initial costs can seem high, but the long-term benefits are obvious. Technical communication literature about WCMSs provides information about using, selecting, or implementing a WCMS; however, there is not much primary research to show the benefits of using a WCMS in an organization.