Content Types
Defining all the content types proved to be one of the bigger challenges. It was difficult
to identify patterns in the existing site to use as a basis to accommodate all of the content.
For example, not all training courses had the same information; some had a breakdown of
the content, others didn't. It took a number of revisions to be able to consolidate all of the
content into eight content types that would allow CFD to port everything on the existing
site to the new site.
The content types were as follows:
• Overview Article
• Article
• Project
• Training Course
• Publication
• Link
• Client
• News
The next step was to define each content type in more depth. Borrowing from database
definition and OO terminology, we defined each content type in terms of attributes and
datatypes.
An attribute represented each element of a content type: for example, heading and
description. The datatype represented how the information was to be stored, for example,
rich text, plain text, or numeric.
We also provided an example of each attribute as a part of the definition to ensure that
the name of the attribute was meaningful and the datatype was appropriate. This was a
very important step.
In a previous implementation, we found that although the content type definition made
sense during the specification stage, the definition no longer worked when it came to
adding the actual content, and changes had to be made.
Adding an example at this definition stage is a simple but effective way of
checking that you are on the right track.
The end result was a table for each content type. Here is the table for the Publication
content type:
Attribute Type Example:
Title* Text line Design + Environment: A global guide to
designing greener goods
Author* XML text Field Helen Lewis & John Gertsakis with Tim
Grant, Nicola Morelli & Andrew
Sweatman
Date of
Publication*
DateTime No example
Publisher Text Line Greenleaf Publishing Limited, 2001,
Sheffield UK
Image Image Image of front cover of publication
Description of
Contents*
XML text Field There is a scarcity of good, practical
resources for those interested in
minimizing the environmental impacts of
products. A new book, called Design +
Environment from Greenleaf Publishing,
has been specifically written to address
this paucity. The authors—Helen Lewis
and John Gertsakis with Tim Grant,
Nicola Morelli and Andrew Sweatman -
have all been involved in
EcoReDesign(TM), the innovative
program developed by the Centre for
Design at RMIT. The aim of
EcoReDesign(TM) is to collaborate with
Australian companies to improve the
environmental performance of their
products by following design for
environment (DfE) principles.
Download order form as a PDF file.
Cost XML text Field A$50
Attachment
(order form pdf)
File
Attachment
Description
Text Line Download order form
The final step in defining the content types was to work out how the information was to
be displayed. To do this, we created a sample display template for each content type that
would show each attribute. This was an important step, as in some cases seeing the
information laid out suggested changes to the definition of the content type that produced
a better end result. It was far easier and quicker to make changes to the definition or
display template at this point than after the site was built.
The process of creating the information architecture document was long and difficult.
The document went through several revisions and reviews with the client. During these
reviews, we went through every element of the specification until we were sure that we
had captured everything correctly. After each revision, we made sure both the designer
and developer also had a chance to give their input from an implementation perspective.
Overall, this process took approximately two months from start to finish; it took time to
organize the reviews and coordinate getting all the right people together at the same time.
Although it was a very difficult and complex process, it proved to be a wise investment;
the end result required very few changes from what was contained in the information
architecture document.