Surviving the content management jungle

With so many content management tools moving around, any prospective user is faced with a mind-boggling array of them and indeed, finds it extremely difficult to make the right choice.

This article describes the basic features of any content management tool and what are the key areas that it should address.

Content types today have multiplied and it is the user who dictates what goes into a page on a website. When we talk about content types we are not just restricting ourselves to content on a web page but also talking about the host of applications that come from various sources and are driven to a number of destinations.

What does a content management system do? What it does in its simplest terms is self-service. In its most complex description, it offers enterprise and global collaboration.

Web content management is a cool tool that creates, deploys, manages and tracks content. The core of any CMS tool is the workflow engine -the workflow process that connects the document from the author to the production staff in the smoothest and easiest possible manner. It breaks down every step of the process and can be managed by the administrative staff regardless of their technical expertise. A workflow engine helps organize content from inception through deployment to eventual archiving and deletion - the complete life cycle.

Content grows with any organization. As the organization spreads its wings and takes root globally, content contribution takes on a gigantic scale and so does the production process. Workflow collaboration and streamlining the production process go hand in hand.

The typical uses of a CMS are in large corporate web sites, portals, e-commerce, and Intranet and knowledge management applications. In wireless applications, a CMS delivers relevant and targeted content in a timely manner to mobile computing services like PDA and cell phones. Read on for more…