Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Jill Katte, Duke University David Mitchell, Wyeth Vaccines NHPRC Electronic Records Research Fellowship October 2006

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Why this idea? Managing the Digital University Desktop data Websites as containers of archival content (see Pearce-Moses presentation, 2004) Duke University CMS initiatives

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Assumptions and parameters: Assumption: webmasters and archivists may be missing opportunities to collaborate Parameter: focus on website content management, not learning management

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Research questions: How are our peer institutions using website CMS? How will a CMS affect information management at Duke and elsewhere? Do content managers follow official policies for archiving “expired” web records? Is long-term preservation a concern for CMS administrators? What CMS tools could be used to identify archival content and transfer it to an archival repository?

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Project Goals: Identify opportunities/obstacles in collaboration between archivists & web content managers Conduct small pilot program in preserving CMS content in archival repository Raise awareness of archives/preservation concerns to CMS administrators

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Scope and methodology: Duke’s peer institutions: “doctoral/research universities, extensive” Brief initial survey of archivists and webmasters to identify web CMS users, ER policies, interview volunteers In-depth telephone interviews

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Initial Survey Questions: 1.Does your institution use a content management system (CMS) to manage its Web site(s)? 2.Which CMS does your institution use (or plan to use) to manage website content? (Please list all, including home-grown systems) 3.Does your institution have a policy for preserving website content? 4.Would you be willing to discuss the use of CMS in greater detail as part of this research project? (if yes, enter address)

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Initial web-based survey: 95 total respondents = 65 webmasters 30 archivists

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Q1. Does your institution use a content management system (CMS) to manage its Web site(s)? 39% = Yes 28% = No, but we plan to use 14% = No, do not use, do not plan to 0% = Previously used, but abandoned 19% = Don’t know

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Q2. Which CMS does your institution use (or plan to use) to manage website content? Top three responses: 1.Home-grown systems 2.CommonSpot 3.Collage, RedDot, Stellent

Home-grownCommonSpotCollageRedDot CMSStellent Approximate Cost ?Starts at$19,000Starts at $10,000Starts at $55,000? Audit Trail ?Yes Content Approval ?Yes Granular Privileges ?Yes Versioning ?Yes Zip Archives ?No??Yes Static Content Export ?Yes Content Scheduling ?Yes Content Staging ?Yes Workflow Engine ?Yes Metadata ?Yes Document Management ?YesNoCosts ExtraYes Data from CMSmatrix.org

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Q3. Does your institution have a policy for preserving website content? 18% = Yes 61% = No 21% = Don’t know

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Initial Survey Summary: Web CMS becoming more widely adopted Home-grown systems prevalent Most products advertise versioning, metadata, workflow management, of some kind Web records policies either don’t exist, or are not well-known

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? In-depth phone interviews: Five sections 1.Planning and decision-making 2.Implementation and workflow 3.Web electronic records policies 4.Archiving website content 5.Collaboration

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Interview Results and Conclusions

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Sections 1-2: Planning & Implementation Most web CMS… In use for less than 1 year – implementation phase varies Offers workflow management tools, but not being fully implemented Collects metadata about content, but not much beyond standard file maintenance info

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Section 3: Web Electronic Records Policies Most interviewed do consider at least part of website to be an “official university record” About half interviewed had electronic records management policy Most said web content was not included in those policies Most had no metadata guidelines for electronic records

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Section 4: Archiving Do content managers follow official policies for archiving “expired” web records? No formal policies Content owners decide Not saving versions Decision making is widely distributed

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Section 4: Archiving Preparedness 10 of 15 are totally unprepared or unprepared to archive website content 7 are totally unprepared or unprepared to retrieve and reconstruct archived website content

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Section 5: Collaboration Collaboration on policy setting 11 of 15 experienced no or very little collaboration between webmasters and archivists/records managers

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Section 5: Collaboration Collaboration with other campus units regarding guidelines for archiving or setting expiration dates 8 of 15 said “no” (but 5 of 15 said “yes”)

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Sections 4-5: Archiving & Collaboration Hindrances? No direction/communication about policy Lack of interest No perceived need Resource issues

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? No one makes the rules …and… Everyone makes the rules

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Project website: Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules?

Content Management Systems: Who Makes the Rules? Questions?