Web Content Management System - A Basic Corporate Need

This article is to provide basic overview on Web Content Management(WCM) system. Let us first discuss why do we need a WCM system. Remember the earlier days websites, where the web pages once created never it was changed. Changing a single line of content would require web developer's help. Now the requirement has changed, no more static web sites are fulfilling user's demand. Today's Internet users want to create their own contents and immediately would like to view the contents in the web site live. The way I would like to view this blog.
Companies have different requirements. Once they create web contents they like to publish the content through multiple channels - corporate web sites, press release, company brochure and emails campaigns. Maintaining the consistency of data across all these delivery channels is a challenge without any robust content management system. Today in the age of globalization, companies also need to deliver the content in multiple languages without redeveloping entire website or Portal. Publishing the content with company standard quality is also important. Companies do not want to depend on the web developers to publish contents, business users should be able to publish content. Collaborative content creation is another bigger demand from business now a days. It not only helps to create content quickly but also with great quality.
To satisfy all these demands we need a robust web content management system. Following diagram explains how an web content management works.

Below are step by step explanation how the WCM system works.

1. Content authors create web content in WCM system. The contents are stored in standard format like XML. Authors can preview web contents based on pre-defined templates called presentation templates. These templates allow to create multiple view of the same web contents, also for multiple delivery channels. Once authors are done with entering content, they forward the content to content reviewers and approvers.
2. Content reviewers review the contents. If they are not satisfied with the content then sends the content back to author for further modification, otherwise send the content to content approver for their approval. Content approvers are the final authority to decide when to publish the web contents.
3. Once the content approvers approve the content the desired format of the content is published to designated delivery channel as per the publishing configuration. The web viewable format of the content is published to web site or Portal.
4. WML(Wireless Markup Language) format of the content is published to application servers that supports WAP(Wireless Application Protocol) enabled devices like mobile.
5. The printer friendly format of the content is published to Print Server, for printing in press.
6. Email friendly format of the content is sent through emails for email campaign or news letters.

Wen content management system allows business to publish right format of the content to right delivery channel at right time.

There are several industry standard Web Content Management Tools available in the market, they provide end to end WCM solution.

Below are few market leaders in WCM space -

• Oracle UCM Web Content Management - This is the earlier known WCM product Stellent. You can develop your web sites very quickly using this product. It provides very good user interface to create or modify content. It provides in context editing of the content. Provides a set of pre-defined templates to jump start your web site development.
• Vignette Web Content Management Solutions - This tool enables us to provide high performing web sites. Currently part of Autonomy and Autonomy has clear focus on this tool to retain it as one of the WCM market leader. This tool provides a robust web content management system with high performing caching mechanism.
• EMC Documentum Web Content Management - Being leader in Enterprise content management(ECM) space, EMC Documentum provides a robust end to end Web Content Management solution too. It provides flexible way to create web contents for multiple devices in multiple format. It provides out of the box integration with industry leading application/Portal server.
• Autonomy Interwoven Web Content Management - Provides a very good user interface to create content. Stores the content in very flexible format. The publishing tool from Interwoven supports wide ranges of sources and target. Allows very good preview feature for the content authors and reviewers.
• There are several Open source WCM products available in the market. Alfresco being at the leaders position. It allows to build a low cost, efficient web site and Portals.