for the love of the content editors – jam's drupal camp session by pamela barone
DESCRIPTION
So, you're building a content management system - let's talk about the content managers! Simply, it's in the best interest of the vendor to deliver a product that people don't hate to use. Especially if the client doesn't seem to care, it can be really easy to ignore the issue of usability. But even though they may not care during development, they will be made to care once it's delivered. There are a lot of simple things you can do to make life easier for these users, and it doesn't require major customisation. In addition to increasing client satisfaction, it can also make training easier, and reduce support requests that come from not understanding the system. In this session, I'll talk about: Who content editors are, and why they are worth your time Specific modules and configuration options that can make life easier Some general guidlelines and processes you can apply (right now!) to improve usabilityTRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
For the love of the content editors
By Pamela Barone@pameeela
May 15, 2014
![Page 2: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
![Page 3: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Build better websites and get happier clients by
showing some love for the content editors!
![Page 4: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
![Page 5: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Client PM
Content editors
Developers
?
![Page 6: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Who are these people?
![Page 7: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
These people:• Don’t have much
web experience• Are easily
confused and lack confidence
• Perform tasks very slowly and carefully
These people:• Are quick to learn
new systems• Understand
complex user interfaces
• Perform tasks quickly and look for efficiencies
Not technical
Highly technic
alCMS skill level
![Page 8: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
These people:• Have a lot of other
things to do besides update the website
• Rarely log in• Get frustrated
when they can’t remember how to do stuff
These people:• Spend most of the
day using the CMS
• Perform the same tasks over and over
• Get frustrated with inefficiency
Almost never
Almost alwaysCMS use level
![Page 9: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Or, what’s in it for me?
Content editors and you
![Page 10: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
(Insert horror story here)
![Page 11: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
‘It works’ is not enough for a CMS.
Ease of use / Efficiency
Value
![Page 12: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
If they hate to use it, they
won’t use it
(And they will say bad things about
you)
![Page 13: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Client PM
Content editors
Developers
![Page 14: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Why don’t we always do it?
![Page 15: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
At the end, it’s too late
![Page 16: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
So let’s start at the beginning
by building usability into the process
![Page 17: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
http://www.wunderkraut.com/sites/wunderkraut.com/files/field_ns_blog_post_attach/captaindrupal_flying.png
![Page 18: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Tip #1: Don’t settle for core!
![Page 19: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
http://blog.amazeelabs.com/en/periodic-table-drupal-modules-infographic
![Page 20: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Recommended modules1. Views Bulk Operations with
Administration views2. Administration menu3. WYSIWYG4. LinkIt5. Login destination6. Admin theme - Shiny
![Page 21: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
1. VBO with Administration Views
Drupal core:• Two options for
filtering• Clunky to use (one
at a time)• No keyword search
VBO Admin view:• Title search• Better filters• Add your own filters!
admin/content
![Page 22: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
VBO with Administration Views
admin/people
Drupal core:• More clunky filters• Filter by permission??• No additional options
VBO admin views:• Username, email
search• Filter by role• Add your own
filters!
![Page 23: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Bulk operations?
![Page 24: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
2. Administration menu
(Comes with Administration Menu Toolbar Style)
![Page 25: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
With some basic options enabled
3. WYSIWYG
Including Spell Check As You Type!
![Page 26: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
4. LinkIt
Embedding internal links without LinkIt:1. Open a new window2. Find the page you want to link to3. Copy node ID (ideally) or path alias4. Create a regular hyperlink
![Page 27: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
LinkIt
![Page 28: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
5. Login destination
Default login: user profile page
![Page 29: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
Login destination
Pick a better page!
![Page 30: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
6. Shiny admin theme
![Page 31: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
Tip #2: Ask questions
![Page 32: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
Ask questions – any questions●What is the typical content workflow?●What are the biggest pain points in the
current process?●What do you love or hate about your
current CMS?
![Page 33: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
![Page 34: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
Tip #3: Naming things is hard – so make a
plan for it!
![Page 35: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
Naming things is hard
●Leverage existing terminology ●Establish consistent labels for content
types and fields○Teaser: Brief description of this item that
appears on other pages that reference this item
○Intro: Brief description of the item that appears on the top of this page above the main content
![Page 36: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
2 3
1 1.Title2.Thumbnail: Image
that appears on index pages
3.Teaser: Text that appears on index pages
4.Feature image: Image that appears at the top of the page underneath the title
5.Author6.Intro: Text that
appears before the body
7.Body: The main page contents
1
5
6
7
4
![Page 37: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
Tip #4: Help text is your greatest
weapon
![Page 38: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/38.jpg)
Write good help text
• Good help text should:○describe where the field output will
appear○answer any obvious questions○list any limitations or requirements
●Bad help text:○provides no additional information○provides confusing information○does not provide information that is
required to understand how to use this field
○is often worse than no help text
![Page 39: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/39.jpg)
Bad: No additional information
![Page 40: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/40.jpg)
Bad: Confusing information
![Page 41: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/41.jpg)
From bad to good
![Page 42: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/42.jpg)
From good to great
![Page 43: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/43.jpg)
Using features for config?
![Page 44: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/44.jpg)
Bonus!
Writing help text can highlight problems
Copy and paste to create how-to guides
![Page 45: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/45.jpg)
Tip #5: Contextual links – Drupal FTW
![Page 46: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/46.jpg)
In-place administration
![Page 47: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/47.jpg)
Tip #5a: Custom contextual links –
there’s a module for that
![Page 48: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/48.jpg)
Without custom links
1. Click Edit2. Scroll down and
click publishing options tab
3. Untick promote4. Save
![Page 49: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/49.jpg)
With custom links
1. Click Remove content from front page
![Page 50: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/50.jpg)
More custom links
![Page 51: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/51.jpg)
Tip #6: Use common sense
![Page 52: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/52.jpg)
1
3
2 1
2
3
Field order matches display
![Page 53: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/53.jpg)
3
2
1
4
5
1
2
5
3
4
But not anymore
:(
![Page 54: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/54.jpg)
Simplify!
Don’t need
Doesn’t work
![Page 55: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/55.jpg)
Tip #7: You build it, you try it
![Page 56: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/56.jpg)
●Have you tried it?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/briandewitt/2391424578/
![Page 57: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/57.jpg)
Build it into your process1. Set up a base build with contrib2. Ask questions 3. Name things well4. Write good help text5. Use contextual links and make custom
ones6. Don’t forget about common sense7. Peer review pays dividends
![Page 58: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/58.jpg)
It will only get better! And easier!
![Page 59: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/59.jpg)
![Page 60: For the love of the content editors – jam's Drupal Camp session by Pamela Barone](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062313/557d69bfd8b42a7c638b4847/html5/thumbnails/60.jpg)
Content editors are the most important users of
your website(Jeff Eaton says so)