CONTRIBUTECONTRIBUTEDennis Deacon - deconspray@gmail.com

Contribute — What is it?Contribute — What is it?

Client application that allows non-HTML designers or technologists to add and maintain content while leaving the design of the site untouched Can add content without breaking the site Can free up the designer for more

important, project tasks Can allow freedom for the content

knowledge workers

FeaturesFeatures

Allows content contributors to update multiple websites and blogs from a single application without learning HTML

Easily add all types of content (text, images, Flash & rich media)

Uses Dreamweaver templates; insures integrity

Central administration of users, editing/publishing permissions

Quick website or blog edit/posting from other environments (MS Office, IE, Firefox)

Pros & ConsPros & Cons

Pros Frees up a skilled

designer/developer to allow non-techies to add/edit content on a website or blog

No HTML skill required; similar to MS Word

No FTP skill/experience required; publishing is seamless

Integrity of website can be maintained

Allows centralized administration of look n’ feel, contributor roles & editing permissions, etc.

Content rollback Can work on/offline

Cons Client-side application;

requires licensed software to be installed on every user’s computer

Editing tool, not designing/development tool

Meant for management of static content, not dynamic, database-backed content

Word with one document at a time; slower than using Dreamweaver

No access to source code Requires at least basic

administration to be effective Connectivity / corruption

problems

WorkflowWorkflow

Designer/developer creates site via Dreamweaver with Contribute usage in mind

Site Administrator assigns roles & permissions to the people responsible for maintaining the content

“Contributors” in roles with permissions manage content (add/edit/delete) content

“Contributors” either submit the draft for review, or publish the content directly

Designing a Contribute SiteDesigning a Contribute Site

Use Dreamweaver Enable Contribute compatibility Leverage Web Standards

Separate structured content from presentation Leverage Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for

presentation Create templates/pages with Editable

Regions that allow users to edit content. Remaining portions of the page are locked

Publish, then release to content contributors

Designing Templates - Editable Designing Templates - Editable RegionsRegions

Editable

Regions

Editable

Regions

Editable

Regions

Editable

Regions

Remainder of page is un-

editable

Remainder of page is un-

editable

Repeating Editable RegionsRepeating Editable Regions

Repeating Editable Regions

Repeating Editable Regions

Repeating Editable Regions

Repeating Editable Regions

Assigning Roles & Assigning Roles & PermissionsPermissions Site Administrator

Creates the user roles (ex. Publisher, Editor, Approver)

Creates the permissions per role File/Folder access Editing (scripts, images, text only, etc.) Style support (user styles or just pre-determined) New pages (blank, custom pages or pre-determined

templates only) File locations Shared Assets Ability to publish content with/without review &

approval

Creating the End User Creating the End User ConnectionConnection Manually

Via “wizard,” “fill in the form” approach Via a Connection Key

Administrator generates from Dreamweaver

Can be emailed directly to user (not advised) or saved to local computer Best Practice: Admin sends Connection Key file

with instructions, then under separate cover (verbally) communicates the password

Connecting via Connection Connecting via Connection KeyKey

Saved Connection Key

Saved Connection Key

My Connections > Import

My Connections > Import

User enters their

unique informatio

n

User enters their

unique informatio

n

The Contribute Start PageThe Contribute Start Page

List of established connections.

To begin editing/creati

ng, open a connection

List of established connections.

To begin editing/creati

ng, open a connection

ConnectConnect

Open Connection then browse to page to

edit(or File >

Open)

Open Connection then browse to page to

edit(or File >

Open)

Browse to Page, then EditBrowse to Page, then Edit

Editable RegionsEditable Regions

Cannot make changes to

areas outside of Editable

Regions

Cannot make changes to

areas outside of Editable

Regions

Repeating RegionsRepeating Regions

“Repeating Regions” allow for

adding like regions.

“Repeating Regions” allow for

adding like regions.

Can add or delete regions

Can add or delete regions

Can move/order

regions up/down

Can move/order

regions up/down

Formatting ContentFormatting Content

Can add or delete regions

Can add or delete regions

Formatting options …

access controlled by

Admin

Formatting options …

access controlled by

Admin

Either Publish, Review, Save or Either Publish, Review, Save or DiscardDiscard

Publish(If permitted

by permissions)

Publish(If permitted

by permissions) Send for

ReviewSend for Review

Save for Later

Save for Later

Discard Draft(Cancel editing)

Discard Draft(Cancel editing)

Case Study: Mill Brook Case Study: Mill Brook TravelTravel

Case Study: Case Study: Mill Brook Mill Brook TravelTravel Initial agreement with client

was Site designed Client would maintain content

Contribute selected as “best tool”

After templates & pages created, documented created to hand off to client

Client reneged; requesting site maintenance services content for monthly fee

Client eventually dropped due to resource constraints

No reflection on Contribute, the tool

Live Demonstration

Q & A