As you may already know, imagin8 is releasing a workflow module in iCMS Version 2.1. So, before you take the plunge we thought it would be a good idea to supply you with some background to workflow and the system that imagin8 has implemented.
What is Workflow?
Workflow is the movement of information or tasks through a work process. The process could be anything from publishing an edition of a magazine to the approval of a loan.
While this may sound quite straight forward, it manages to cover quite a large subset of processes including:
- Throughput measurement;
- Task delegation and distribution;
- Coordination;
- Systems optimisation, etc.
The information technology world has managed to grab hold of many of these aspects with the goal of making everything a little easier with varying degrees of success.
Some of the challenges faced in implementing an automated system to deal with various workflows include:
- Ensuring the system will be used;
- Ensuring it will actually make the process easier;
- Ensuring the process is accurately matched to the current one;
- Ensuring the system can accommodate unforeseen alterations in the process.
Effectively meeting these challenges can be an expensive and time consuming process, and it isn’t hard to find projects that have drastically exceeded their budget and still failed to produce a usable outcome.
Workflow in Content Management
There have been a number of different approaches to supporting workflow processes in content management systems. In the examples below Jenny (who works in external relations) is attempting to post a press release onto the website.
Most systems use a very straight-forward user role based system. In this type of system, there are usually a number of content generators which submit content for approval by the reviewer, usually the webmaster.
Simple Workflow
- Jenny (contributor) creates the content and categorises it as a news item.
- Jenny does not have the permission to publish pages directly to the website, so she submits the item for approval to the webmaster.
- The webmaster reviews and approves the content, making it live on the site.
If the content is not approved, the content generator is usually notified via email with a reason why the content could not be published.
This system will work and it is quite simple to learn and understand, however what happens if Jenny’s manager Sophie wants to review the content before it is submitted? A true workflow system should be able to accommodate this and other extra steps.
Other content management workflow implementations take this on board and allow a full workflow process to be mapped out detailing the flow of content passing through several people prior to being released.
Mapped Workflow
Unfortunately this too has its drawbacks:
- There is often a large investment in training to ensure the workflow processes can be effectively mapped out by the webmaster.
- If a person critical to the workflow is on leave, the system administrator will be required to either modify the workflow or perform the task of the person who is on leave.
- The user is easily confused with the number of different paths along which content travel.
- It adds an extra barrier to the effective use of workflow.
The success of these systems does depend considerably on the actual implementation of these paradigms and many implementations manage to accommodate these and other shortcomings.
How does iCMS support workflow?
Prior to implementing workflow, imagin8 conducted extensive research into many workflow approaches to find a way of minimising possible problems in the concept, rather than depending on the implementation to address the issues.
What we discovered is that most workflow in regards to content management is more of a collaborative process rather than a series of steps to produce the content.
Collaborative Workflow
Jenny’s manager would not just review content that she produces; she would also request the content to be produced. She would not just accept or reject the content, but offer suggestions like “This paragraph should start with…” or offer alternative wording.
Attempting to reduce this dynamic behaviour to a few steps performed in series is quite difficult and some could say fundamentally flawed.
Excellent. We have decided to provide a collaborative environment for content production. So, what key features did we want this environment to have?
- Simple and easy to use
Minimum difficulty in initiating the process and understanding the steps involved.
- Content change logging
We needed a way for people to quickly see the changes the other person has made.
- Multiple publishers
Ability for several people with appropriate permissions to approve content. This would accommodate people going on leave and changes in responsibilities.
- Compulsory Review Mode
The choice of requiring a consensus on a piece of content prior to it being published.
- Communication via in-built Email
The content management system should use email to communicate with participants. We wanted the system to reflect the way people currently work; we didn’t expect the system to replace simple collaboration by email.
So, a quick run-down on how to initiate workflow on some content in iCMS:
- Jenny (contributor) creates the content but instead of clicking save, she clicks “Send for Review”
- Jenny selects the people who are to participate in the workflow and the time by which she would like feedback. She ensures there is at least one person participating with permission to publish the page.
- Jenny types some instructions into the Email field.
- She clicks “Save and Send for Review”
The system will then send emails containing the message from Jenny to the various participants alerting them that they are taking part in a review of the content. The email will also contain a link into iCMS.
Once the reviewer logs into the system, they are presented with a listing of items they are currently reviewing on their home page along with links so they can jump right in and start making modifications and offering suggestions.
If the reviewer has “publish” permissions, they have the ability to publish the content once they are happy with it. If the review type is “compulsory”, each participant in the review must approve the content before it will go live.
Administrators have the capability to add and remove participants in the review at any time and we have produced an elegant solution to multiple people editing the same piece of content at one time.
We hope that this simple approach will allow the system to:
- Be easy to learn and use;
- Simplify the process of collaboration and change logging;
- Not interfere with existing processes;
- Accommodate unforeseen alterations in the workflow process.
In other words, address all the issues commonly associated with automating workflow processes.
Workflow support will be part of
imagin8 Content Management System 2.1 as an opt-in extension.
If you have any questions about workflow and our implementation, please feel free to contact us.
+61 7 3871 1787
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