Until recently, I thought CMS stood for something related to managing social media content. I had never really given it much thought. Websites existed, articles appeared on them, information was updated, and somewhere behind the scenes, I presumed it all simply happened.
That changed when I joined a content writing internship.
For the first time, I found myself working behind the scenes. I began to see what was happening backstage and realised there was much more to a website than the finished page a visitor sees.
We often say that behind every successful person or venture, there is someone or something working quietly behind the scenes. The person or venture may receive the credit, but much of the hard work and grind remain unseen and uncredited. Yet these unseen elements are often vital to success.
THE BRAIN
A CMS works in much the same way. It is the brain behind the website, the system working quietly in the background. Like the gears that turn a ship's rudder or the engine that powers a car, the CMS may not be what people see, but it plays an essential role in making everything work.
THE ANALOGY
Perhaps the best analogy, however, is a restaurant.
The customer sees the finished meal. But what goes into bringing that meal to the table?
It begins with procuring the ingredients and planning the menu. Chefs prepare the food while others keep the kitchen clean and organised. Ingredients need to be stored in the right places, dishes have to be checked for quality, and orders have to be managed.
The customer sees only the final result. That is what gets reviewed. But the credit should perhaps go deeper, into the kitchen where everything is working together behind the scenes to make that final dish possible.
A website is no different.
THE KITCHEN
The CMS is the kitchen behind the website. It is the system where the work happens before the finished content reaches the visitor.
Before an article appears on a website, the process begins with an idea. The idea has to be conceptualised, researched and cross-checked. Someone has to write the article. Information needs to be collected and arranged. Images may have to be created or sourced, and other relevant material gathered.
THE ORGANISATION
Just as a head chef ensures that everything in the kitchen has its proper place, the CMS helps organise the different ingredients of a website. Vegetables, spices, utensils and cutlery are arranged so that they can be easily found when needed.
Similarly, a CMS helps organise articles, images, videos, documents and other information.
THE MENU
But organisation alone is not enough.
Once the ingredients are in place, the menu has to be planned. Every dish needs its appropriate place on that menu. In the same way, a CMS provides an overview of the entire website and helps determine where different pieces of content belong.
An article may become a blog post. Product information may appear on a product page. An infographic may have its own place within a larger piece of content.
With the kitchen organised and the menu planned, the chefs can begin their work.
THE CREATION
In the same way, the CMS provides a platform for writers, editors and content creators to bring their ideas to life. This is where the writer can use creativity and flair to give shape to an idea and gradually contribute to the larger website.
THE QUALITY CHECK
But before the meal reaches the dining table, it has to be tasted and checked.
Similarly, content may go through several checks before it is published. These may include accuracy, grammar, spelling, brand consistency, legal issues and whether the information is current and up to date.
THE SERVICE
Then comes the moment when the meal finally leaves the kitchen.
The CMS takes the organised, completed and approved content and presents it to the visitor. What began as an idea may now appear as a blog post, product review, webpage or infographic.
THE KITCHEN NEVER CLOSES
And the work does not end there.
A restaurant cannot simply prepare its menu and then sit back, assuming everything will continue to work perfectly. Ingredients change. Customer preferences change. Some dishes become popular while others have to be reconsidered. The menu may need to be redesigned.
The same is true of a website.
Information changes. Content becomes outdated. Some ideas may not produce the desired results. Pages may need to be updated, redesigned, reorganised or removed altogether. The CMS provides a central place where these changes can be made.
Everything exists in a delicate balance. If one part of the restaurant process is missing, neglected or overlooked, it can affect the final meal. In much the same way, every part of the content process contributes to the visitor's experience of a website.
So perhaps a CMS is not just the kitchen that creates the meal.
It is also the kitchen that keeps the restaurant running, day after day.
Author:
Dr. Francisco Noronha
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