Content and Knowledge Management Systems. Huh?
Monday, May 5, 2003
Content and Knowledge Management are two very different subjects. Content Management generally refers to the handling of content on a website while Knowledge Management is used for managing the internal information of a group or organization so that it remains useful and available.
Why combine the two topics then? Because of what they have in common. Both refer to the management of information and both can be handled with the same software, the “Systems.” Most of the time, these systems are created as Content Management Systems (CMS) and are modified for Knowledge Management because many of the tools needed for both processes are the same. From now on the software will simply be referred to as CMSs.
Content Management Systems
In their simplest forms, CMSs take their content and slip it into predefined templates. Anyone who has managed a website already sees the potential time and energy savings. If instructions come down from the powers that be that there must be a link to the organization’s privacy statement from every webpage of every departmental website, all the poor beleaguered web designer has to do is put the link into a couple of templates. They’ve potentially squashed hours of work into 30 minutes or less. Another advantage of templates is that they keep things consistent. If the list of links that appears on every page on the website is in a template, and one of the pages moves, all that is necessary is changing the link in the one template and it is spread consistently to every page in minutes, ensuring that no page gets “missed” in the review.
Most CMSs go farther than that though. The templating tool is incredibly useful but works best when there is a single content publisher who knows what they’re doing. Many times, particularly in libraries and non-profit organizations, the website is an extra duty that has been tacked onto another job. If the organization publishes a lot of changing information, the website developer may not have time to make all of the changes him or herself. If you’ve ever been or had to deal with irate authors wanting to know why their stuff isn’t up yet, you know what I’m talking about. Many CMSs make adding content as simple as filling in a form and clicking submit. Text modifications such as bolding or underlining are handled by MS-type buttons in the form, highlight and click. Changing already posted information is just as easy: login, choose the page, make your changes and save.
Content Management Articles
There are many articles written about CMSs, what they are and if you need one. Some are listed below. I highly recommend also exploring the rest of the content of both sites.
- The ABCs of CMS
- Your clients need a Content Management System
- CMS & the Single Web Designer
- A List Apart: Manage your content with PHP
In addition, “Evaluating your content management needs” is a checklist of things you need to think about as you decide if you need a CMS and which one is right for you.
Also, The CMS Review is a collection of resources about CMSs which includes a search engine based on your requirements.
The best way to learn about CMSs and to examine your organization’s needs to actually use one, or two, or…
There are a lot of CMSs available for free for download. A good source of them is SourceForge.net. SourceForge is a depository for open-source software projects. Open-source is when the underlying code of a piece of software is available for modification by users. You may not have the knowledge or desire to alter the code but open-source projects are usually free (good for trying out) and they encourage tinkering by those who are knowledgeable so that you can more easily find something that does what you need.
I’ve listed a small selection of CMSs available for download which may (or may not) be easier to use than others of their ilk* (see SourceForge.net for a lot more you can try).
*- Note, I haven’t tried any of these systems, I’m just going by the information on their websites.
Two other sites of interest are:
- OSCOM:Open Source Content Management- an international, not-for-profit organization dedicated to Open Source Content Management
- and the Open Source Content Management System List
Back to Knowledge Management
So you’ve chosen a CMS and downloaded it, or worse, you’ve looked at the CMSs and still went “Huh?” What now?
Remember that Content Management Systems can be used for Knowledge Management too. In fact, see Angeles, Michael. “K-Logging: How Web Logs Can Support Knowledge Management”. netConnect, Supplement to Library Journal. Spring 2003. for that very subject.
Michael Angeles talks about using blogging software for Knowledge Management. Don’t be afraid, blogging systems are CMSs. They’re just tailored to a specific purpose, which is basically a current news service. Another good place for information specifically on blogging is “What’s a Weblog, Anyway?” by Shirley�E.�Kaiser. This works very well for Knowledge Management because the odd pieces of information which otherwise clutter up and get lost email accounts can be broadcast and stored in a database searchable by category, date, or keyword. They can start out very simple and grow in complexity as you learn and experiment. Plus, you have real information to work with and a useful end-product to show your superiors
Getting Started
The first thing to do is get space on the organization server for your intranet. It should be password protected and not linked to from the public website. Next is installing the software, most systems come with instructions, though if you’ve worked with UNIX before, that’s a plus. MovableType is my personal favorite blogging software. You’ll notice that it is what I use to run this site. It’s extremely flexible and easy. Once it’s installed, there is no limit to the number of blogs you can create. You could have one for each department, for instance. There is a lot of support from extensive documentation, a very active support forum, and a directory of plugins (small applications others have written to fill their own needs, and perhaps yours). If installation is too scary, for a small fee, the authors will set up yours for you.
Once the software is set up and you’ve created your blog, you’re ready to go. There are several alternate stylesheets you can use to change how your blog looks. All you have to do is copy and paste into your own stylesheet. For the more courageous, you can design your own templates. You can do it by hand, or use an editor like Dreamweaver. The only complication is putting the MT tags you need where you want them. A good way to find out what you can do is to browse the tag list. You can also find great tips and ideas from looking through the support forum. The manual is thorough, if a little hard to read. Some explanatory essays can be found at Caveat Lector.
Why are we doing this again?
Using CMS or blogging system to set up a Knowledge Management section on your intranet is a good and profitable way to get your feet wet with CMSs in general. They all work differently but the basics you learn in a simpler system can make the more complex ones less intimidating. It can be difficult and slow at first, but the more you learn, the easier and more fun it gets. And a good CMS for your public website can save you time and headaches.
Tutorials — laura
