CMS Architecture

Deliverable

Design and implemenation of a robust, cost-effect content management system (CMS) to support multiple output formats

Primary skills

System design
Workflow management
Stakeholder engagement
Project management

Primary tools

Madcap Flare
Jive community service
Zoomin Connector for Flare-to-Jive bulk transform and publishing

Timeframe

2017-19

When I was brought into Apptio as Senior Content Strategist in 2015, my primary task was to migrate its substantial product help into the just-launched TBM Connect community (Learn more). After I got repeatable bulk help publishing working from Madcap Flare to Jive, I developed a broader strategy to build on our initial work and tools investments.

My primary objectives for the CMS architecture included:

Maintain a single repository of source content in XML format.
Single-source help content to multiple output formats, including a proprietary community platform format, and PDF.
Enable cost-effective content localization.

The high-level diagram below describes the CMS we built to meet these objectives. I have redacted certain details that are proprietary to Apptio.

Business impact: My team was able to substantially build the CMS as designed below. We completed handoffs for Japanese localization by a vendor within planned schedule and budget.