| Content Management Systems (CMS) have | | | | |
| simplified the way content is published on | | | | - Simple to design layout, publish the |
| websites and intranets these days. A CMS is | | | | content, and speedy deployment. |
| an easy-to-use tool that requires minimal | | | | |
| technical skills. Any lay-man can easily | | | | - The ease with which the CMS can be learned. |
| create text and multimedia rich web pages | | | | |
| using content management systems. However, a | | | | - The manner in which the errors are reported |
| content management system is not just | | | | and controlled. |
| confined to designing and publishing web | | | | |
| pages. It also allows maintenance of | | | | - Portability between versions and |
| documents and other content | | | | scalability on various platforms. |
| | | | |
| A CMS can also be used for specific purposes | | | | Apart from easy functionalities, a content |
| like document management, knowledge | | | | management system should ideally include the |
| management, website content management, and | | | | following features: |
| so on. There are many content management | | | | |
| systems available that are bundled with more | | | | - Customizable templates that can readily |
| or less similar features and are equally | | | | applied to content. |
| effective. Many of these can be tailored for | | | | |
| a specific type of working environment and | | | | - Workflow management and document |
| are usually referred to as bespoke content | | | | management. |
| management systems. Broadly content | | | | |
| management systems can be classified as | | | | - Advanced plug-ins and upgrades that comply |
| enterprise level CMS and Open Source CMS. | | | | to latest web standards. |
| Enterprise content management systems have | | | | |
| advanced elements like workflow management | | | | - Content virtualization, where a virtual |
| and security features. Open source CMS are | | | | copy of the content can be worked on by |
| free-to-use tools with all the required basic | | | | multiple users. |
| functionalities. Content management systems | | | | |
| also depend on the type of platform used like | | | | A bespoke CMS is usually employed in web site |
| the programming language (ASP, PHP, JAVA, and | | | | content management. It allows the users to |
| so on) and the supported databases (MySQL, | | | | renew the content on any page or portion of |
| Oracle, and so on). | | | | the website. Bespoke content management |
| | | | systems are best used when there are |
| Much of CMS success can be attributed to its | | | | distinctive requirements like multi-lingual |
| usability aspect. The ease of use does not | | | | support, automatic link check, access rights |
| necessarily mean how simple it is for the | | | | depending on the roles, convoluted database |
| author to get the content published on the | | | | systems, and so on. It is useful to have |
| web page. The usability factor of a content | | | | requirements and implementation objectives |
| management system also takes into account the | | | | clearly defined before selecting and |
| following: | | | | finalizing a content management system. |