Creating web standards for the implementation and management of web content is a topic that more and more companies are having to face. LaGuardia is current struggling with this issue and is proactively working to address the problem. One of the solutions that the LaGuardia IT department is investigating is establishing a Content Management Systems (CMS) to assist in the management of website updates and presentation. I mention this because today I attended a meeting to look a some of the Content Management Systems (CMS) that LaGuardia is considering.
Due to the number of departments, student clubs, special initiatives and conferences, the LaGuardia (http://www.laguardia.edu) website is expanding exponentially. In addition, as more and more of the marketing and communication of the school becomes intertwined with web, it is critical for the LaGuardia IT department to be able to quickly update and manage content and present a consistent look throughout the site. In order to get ahead of the curve the IT department is looking to implement an automated system to help prevent a bottleneck in responding to web projects.
Now I could lie and say that I went to the meeting (uninvited no less) because I was interested in the technology, but he truth is that I was interested in seeing how these new standards were going to impact the new CIS and New Media websites that I am designing. I was praying that I wasn’t going to have to inform the interns I have working with me this semester that our work would be in vain. Luckily it appears that this won’t be the case.
I am happy to say that LaGuardia has a strong group of IT professionals working on the project. The IT department is currently partnering with faculty members and department heads to ensure that the technical and institutional concerns and needs align effectively. Also, all of the systems that the team is considering will enable a level of customization that will allow us to easily transition our designs and content for the New Media and CIS sites to a new platform. And beyond my own selfish concerns, the implementation of a CMS solution will greatly improve the speed and website management abilities of the LaGuardia IT department, which is a benefit for the college as a whole.