Content management systems

Implementing a content management system (CMS) can be highly complex. The level of complexity will depend on your business needs and may involve considerable time and expense if you are deploying the system on an existing website.

A clear implementation plan - including, for example, key deliverables, timescales, review dates, user acceptance testing - will help to control costs and time.

CMS implementation plan

As well as creating the website and designing the systems, you also need to take into account staff training within your implementation plan. Although you may work with an agency or a supplier to handle the setup and basic implementation, you may want to update the site using internal resources in the future.

Even if you outsource updating and maintenance, it will be valuable if some people within the business are able to use the CMS. It will help with business continuity, particularly if you need to change suppliers. As part of the supplier selection process, you will have taken into account the levels and types of customer support, and your supplier should provide full documentation, including user manuals.

Read about website maintenance: options and requirements.

Testing and test sites

Migration to a new site is vitally important, and you should consider having a test site working in parallel for some time, with access limited to key stakeholders so that you can investigate any issues. You can also use this test site for user acceptance testing (UAT). This training can involve suppliers, professional advisers, key staff and - if appropriate - key customers. The new site should only go live once you successfully complete UAT.

See how to test and launch your website.

Set up a quality control system

After CMS implementation, you will need to put a quality control system into place, with a review process to ensure that updates are properly created and deployed. You can use key performance indicators for the site and the CMS to review and monitor performance.