Web Site Evolution

1. Electronic Brochure Site Model
- Content coded into the Web page HTML code, any changes to content required
that the Web site code itself be updated.
- Work flow --> one viewable page at a time. Any change to site design,
content or code, required that one or more developers be involved in a mini
(or sometimes major) development project.
- Labor-intensive and time-consuming --> doesn't scale well.
- Knowledge of html or html publishing tool required to publish.
- Minimal cohesive visual consistency and user interface design.
2. "E-Commerce" Web Site Model
- Body of relatively static information.
- Technical knowledge needed to publish.
- But more complex than brochure site. Addition of:
- Virtual includes
- Stylesheets
- Forms
- Shopping cart functions.
- Main focus at this stage of the web sites evolution was the addition of
dynamic transaction capabilities.
- etc.
3. Web-based Business Application Model or (Dynamic Content
Centric Model)
- Content driven.
- Separation of application from content enables content to be freely added
to a site without affecting the design, and allows redesign to occur without
impacting on content.
- An automated publishing process allows content creators throughout an enterprise
to create and contribute their own content to a Web site without relying on
technical resources. Content can be submitted to the Web sites directly from
within their browsers.
- Content and design elements of the Web site are stored in a relational database
on a server. The Web pages are created dynamically as they are requested.
- Collaboration & Interactive capability.
- Converts users from passive viewers into active participants.
- Allows contributors who have little or no technical knowledge about web
site construction and design to contribute easily to a site and to manage
contributions from their web browser.
- Preserves the scope and goals of a site and allows people to contribute
content while preventing a flood of organizational "shovelware."
- Automated content management. Ease of frequent content updates.
- Information is classified correctly and fits into an overall information
architecture.
- Information can be personalized for specific users or user groups.
- Value-added information- (reviews, suggestions, advice etc. )
- Layout and visual design of pages is consistent and of the quality required.
- Separates the underlying application from the content and separates content
from form so Web developers can create a well-designed site, and designers
and content providers can work in "Web time" to make changes as required.
- Treats the site as an application and the content as data and thereby enables
sites to be managed as dynamic business applications.
- Treats the content as application data that can be altered as needed without
any need to modify the underlying site.
- Allows developers to use a formal design process to establish the layout,
style, and behavior of a site while allowing content providers and designers
to make ongoing changes promptly, without affecting the site's performance
or relying on the development process of the core Web site.
- "Write once, run anywhere" nature. Once content is in the content management
system, pushing it out to wireless, the wireless Web, or some future medium
will just require new presentation-layer filters for the content management
software.
- Version control ensures that Web assets are never lost or accidentally overwritten.
Users can also easily retrieve a desired version of a page to ensure accuracy
prior to deployment. Version control in CMS gives the ability to submit, view
and roll back versions of files.
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