Spring 2011
Content Management System
Project Type: Individual
This project requires that you setup/install, configure, customize and implement TWO of the following content management systems through the hosting account at 1and1.com.
- Drupal
– Joomla
– WordPress
These content management systems will have pros and cons. You’ll want to thoroughly research these issues before selecting the two you want to use. Whichever two you pick, the content, look and functionality of the sites should be similar. In other words, you’ll be creating basically the same site in two content management systems.
I have installed and configured all three of these CM systems on 1and1.com and believe the learning process through problem solving is entirely worthwhile. Over the course of development, you’ll probably utilize the support websites for these products, online forums and good old-fashioned web searches to figures out what you need to do.
Content of the Sites
You get to decide if the sites are for your personal use, client use or for some hypothetical company. In any case, they should be information rich sites that would at least hypothetically benefit from a content management system. You could choose to use information content (not creative content) from some existing site to make sure you have enough content. For example, you could decide to use the basic informational content of the SMAD website where you would have multiple sections, categories and pages/articles.
Project Requirements for Each Content Management System
– Install the CMS: You will probably need to do a manual install of the CMS at 1and1.com. (See note below).
– Template Customize: You can start with a template, but change the look enough to indicate you know how to do this. The more you change the original template look, the better.
– Create a multiple page, dynamic site in which users can create, edit and organize content without any knowledge of HTML or CSS.
– Implementation of the following…
– Photo/Image Gallery
– Embedded video (i.e. YouTube or Vimeo)
– Multiple user accounts and privileges.
– User account for the professor. Privileges must include administrator access.
URLs for the Sites
Use the words wordpress, joomla and/or drupal as the sub-domain for each site. For example, if your domain name is johnsmith.com, the URL for your drupal site would be drupal.johnsmith.com.
Desirable Elements
– Modules/Widgets/Extensions/Plug-ins: These are referred to by different names, but CM systems allow a number of add-ons that extend functionality. In many cases these might fit under the category of social media applications. Credit will be given for those who can implement additional features such as calendars, news feeds, galleries, banner ads, forms, polls, mass emails etc.
– Video/Audio: Besides images, most of the systems allow the addition of video and audio files.
Documentation
You are required to create “QuickStart” documents for each CMS that chronicles what you’ve learned, but that could also be used by others to help them through the process of setting up, configuring, customizing and generally learning to use the CMS. Although it does not need to be as extensive as some of the documents I created for this class, I would like you to create a step-by-step document that could be a guide to others and may serve as your own notes for recalling how you did certain things. (I expect that your document will greatly differ from mine as to content and implementation). I suggest you create the document as you go through the process of setting up and implementing your CMS. The format of your document could be very different from mine, but it should be a step-by-step guide and provide some notes about content and should answer some of the how, why or what questions.
There is no specific assigned length for the documents. Frankly, it could vary greatly based on font sizes, formatting and spacing. Each should be extensive enough to provide information on more than just setup and installation and actually be useful for yourself and others as a guide to utilizing and adding several features within the CMS.
Each document should begin with:
– URL of Site
– URL of the CMS Administrator Page (not the control panel admin page for the hosting account).
– Administrator Login Information for the CMS: (Username/Password)
You will hand in printed versions of this documents by the due date for completion of the project.
* A note on Joomla at 1and1.com. Do not use the one-click (Click-n-Build) installation of Joomla. Doing so prohibits changing the file permissions necessary to edit templates, php and css files. You’ll need to set up your own folder and database, then follow the installation instructions available online.
