workflow initiative

Content workflow initiative, the concept map

Roy — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 19:34:52 +0000

Sub title

Must not make spelling mistakes or I have to start over again

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Mapping out the moving parts of the content workflow initiative we arrived at this high level grouping of related activities:

Create content
Review & approve content
Publish content
Manage the creation, review and publishing process
Configure the tools that enable all of the above

For either single items of content or a set of multiple items, bundled in a workspace.

Create content

Everything related to creating new, editing existing content in the first place.

Roles

Author
Copy writer
Photo/image editor

Tasks & activities

Review assignments
Create content
Format content
Preview content
Request review
Edit content based on feedback
Review other people’s content
Review existing, live content

Review & approve content

All the things that need to happen to get new content ready for publication. Here’s a more elaborate example of a moderation workflow using a workspace.

Roles

Editor
Marketing associate
Archivist

Tasks & activities

Review content, give feedback
Edit content
Preview content
Get notified of content conflicts
Adapt content for different channels
Analyse impact of content changes
Review existing content
Recover content

Publish content

Actual publication of content and managing its life cycle from then on.

Roles

Section editor
Legal
Compliance

Tasks & activities

Define/specify content packages
Review content (packages)
Audit (legal, compliance)
Preview content
Approve revivisions
(un)publish content items
(un)publish content packages
Schedule (un)publishing of content
Archive/delete content

Manage content workflow

Set the strategic agenda, coordinate with other business units, oversee all of the above.

Roles

Managing editor
Marketing executive
Support & maintenance

Tasks & activities

Define content strategy
Content planning
Coordinate with the business
Coordinate with IT
Coordinate content delivery
Define content assignments
Schedule content production
Monitor progress
Review audit trail

Configure content workflow tools

Providing the tools and processes to enable all of the above.

Roles

Administrator
Developer

Tasks & activities

Configure workflows for content moderation
Configure content workspaces
CMS configuration: content types, roles & permissions, notification settings…
Technical development

Have a look at the visual definition of a workspace and a more fleshed out example of a moderation workflow as well.

Hope this helps clarify the main concepts, activities and relationships in the workflow initiative.

A scenario for using content workspaces

Roy — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 21:44:25 +0000

Sub title

Preparing the launch of a new campain.

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An example of how to use content workspaces to prepare multiple content items that you want to publish.

Say you want to launch a new campaign (product launch, a sales promotion, a fundraising drive). This means creating new content, updating existing items to link to that new content and maybe archiving some elements of a previous campaign as well. With content workspaces you can create, review, test all these changes on a copy of the live site. When everything is in place and ready to go live, these changes can be published to the live site and you've launched your campaign.

Setup: create a workspace
Create (add, change, archive, delete) content as needed
Review your work. While working inside your workspace, the content on the live site will likely have changed. Blog posts were added, products were updated, typos got fixed, etc. So, you can import (“pull”) these changes into your workspace. Maybe these changes interfere with your own work. Now is the time to fix those conflicts.
Happy with your work you set the workspace to “needs review”. This sends a notification to your team lead or editor who reviews your work as well. If it needs works till, she can set it back to “needs work” which means you’re back at step 2 to make the necessary changes.
All is well and ready to be published. First a final “pull” of any changes from the live site to make sure there are no conflicts, then the actual publishing of all the new items and changes you prepared in the workspace get “pushed” to the live site.

Content workflow initiative: what is a workspace?

Roy — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 21:47:53 +0000

Sub title

Similar to git branching but for content

/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/workspace%20definition.gif?itok=MsIvJkaN

A workspace is a copy of the live site, that exists in parallel to the live site.

Use a workspace when you want to prepare multiple new content items, that you want to go live at the same time, in a controlled manner.