Steve Rose, an author here at fadtastic, approached me with some questions on Content Management Systems (CMSs.) Rather than simply offer advice to Steve, I thought I’d share it with you, dear reader. These are my opinions and I hope you’ll share your thoughts too. The following isn’t aimed to be a review of the CMSs out there, but an investigation into the issues common to CMSs.

So, over to Steve:

Steve: Is there a particular type of site for which CMSs are more suitable? e.g. large or small, frequently updated or rarely updated, multi-author or single author?

Andrew: A CMS could work with any site in my view. However, it would be wise to make the decision on whether a CMS is necessary by taking into account the amount of content on the site, how often it is updated, the budget of the project and whether the client is comfortable using such a system.

It also comes down to control. If the client requires effortless control over the content of a website then using a CMS will be the likely outcome.

Every site has its own issues and these must be thought through before deciding whether to use a CMS and which one to use.

What is involved with implementing one and training clients to use it?

As with a static site, often HTML/CSS knowledge is a must. Unless you are going to utilise someone else’s theme, you’ll have to skin the CMS yourself.

Secondly, an understanding of setting up and connecting to a database is required. This is often made fairly easy by the host.

Thirdly, patience, patience, patience. Often, time must be spent looking through documentation or contacting the CMSs community to solve a problem. If it’s the first time using a particular CMS, note down where you had difficulties setting it up so you can refer back the next time you struggle.

As for training, ensure that you understand the admin panel (or alike) thoroughly. If you can’t get to grips with it, a client certainly won’t. A good CMS will often require little training. A good idea is to set up a demo site so clients can ‘test the water’ and get used to the functionality of the system.

Are there any common problems with implementing a CMS?

Documentation. Often, with open source CMSs (probably the most widely used CMS types) documentation can be a tad ropey. Prepare to visit many a forum for a solution.

Many, many users: What if the client wants a hundred users? It has to be decided what admin rights each user has and who’s responsibility it is to set this up in the system.

This all boils down to a thorough brief/spec for the system. Get everything down on paper. If an issue crops up, amend your spec next time to overcome it.

Does a CMS run itself, or does the client need to operate it?

In a perfect world, the client (or copyrighter) controls the content and it is the responsibility of the developer to maintain the rest. Again, an in-depth brief should be agreed upon before starting the project.

For relatively static pages with only occasional updates, is a CMS necessary, or are there simpler ways to allow clients to update sites? If so, what are they?

I think the issue here is growth. If the client’s needs are expected to grow, the planning ahead is necessary and maybe using a full CMS is the way to go.

If they are only wanting to change the site once in a blue moon then perhaps a small maintenance contract should be produced or give them your day rate. Don’t fall into the trap of providing constant freebies. If you have ten clients all getting freebies, when will you do any other work?

Conclusion

In conclusion, the questions above address client management, not CMSs. Ensuring both parties are aware of the goals and issues in a project is always good to do. The less sudden shocks, the more satisfied they’ll be.

The issues raised above are just the tip of the iceberg.

Right, the floor is now open for debate. What are your thoughts?

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