Advantages of using a single CMS

 

The current Macquarie University website is spread over a range of different systems. This causes inconsistencies and problems, both for our website users and for web authors. When the  new public website is launched in August, it will be sitting on a single CMS platform, Squiz Matrix. Early in 2016, the staff and student websites will also move over to this platform.

Using a single system for our website offers many advantages for everyone.

For users:

  • Better visual and navigational consistency
  • An integrated mobile website — our website will be the same on both mobile and desktop browsers
  • Information will be easier to find due to
    • improved search
    • easier navigation.

For authors and editors

  • A range of flexible templates that can be used to create different types of web pages
  • Better results can be achieved with less effort
  • Less time spent on site maintenance
  • Reduced content duplication
  • Better version control
  • System security will be greatly enhanced
  • System performance (speed) will be noticeably faster
  • Consistent application of best practices for accessibility
  • The site will have consistent University branding
  • Everyone will have access to future web capabilities that the university develops on this platform.

The Web Transformation Project expects to achieve:

  • Better usability by having a single optimised internal user experience
  • Easier content re-use across multiple areas of the University
  • Improved training since staff will only need to be trained on the same system and not on several different ones
  • Reduced infrastructure costs by having to maintain only one system
  • Consistent governance by setting up consistent procedures, workflows and approval chains where necessary.

Benefit Before a CMS After a CMS
Centralised and shared content Content is scattered throughout the University, resulting in contributors creating similar or duplicate content in multiple formats. Content is consolidated into one powerful repository, allowing content to be shared among different departments.
Accurate content Multiple versions of documentation reside in separate files. Each file must be updated individually through a manual process, leading to errors and inaccuracies. Because each piece of content is only stored one time in a CMS, it can be reused throughout one or multiple documents. The CMS tracks every instance of content reuse and flags all instances when a change is made to ensure all appropriate instances are updated and consistent.
Secure content Anyone can access the content in documents, posing a security threat. User privileges are assigned, so only authorised people can access content with unique IDs.
Shorter editorial cycles The editorial and review process is inefficient. Responsibilities and deadlines are not well-defined and monitored. Daily editorial tasks can be automated to save time.
Quick creation of new web pages Content is rewritten for new web pages because previously written content cannot be found. Content can be searched, retrieved, and reused to create new web pages very quickly.

singlecms

Download our infographic as a pdf file

Margaret Chidgey