How do you train and support CMS users and stakeholders on customization and extension features?

1. Know your CMS and what it can and cannot do, and be prepared to explain why to users and external stakeholders. 2. Clearly explain the value of the system to users, especially if it’s a change. Be clear how it benefits them, not just your company. If you’ve not already considered incentives for your users, stop and build them. Their buy-in is critical. 3. Provide specific instructions based on the contribution level. You can merge this information with other onboarding tools. For example, create (or add to) an onboarding website where contributors can easily access your style guide, HR documents - and quick or detailed references to FAQs about the CMS. 4. Make it easy to receive feedback and adjust accordingly.

In addition to individual user roles and needs, it's important to consider the collaborative aspect. Identify how different user roles interact and collaborate within the CMS. For instance, content creators might need to work closely with designers or developers when customizing templates. Understanding these collaborative workflows helps you design training and support mechanisms that facilitate effective teamwork and communication, ensuring that the CMS can be used efficiently and cohesively by all stakeholders involved.

It is essential to identify user roles, their corresponding permissions, and overall access architecture to ensure secure and efficient access management.

Identifying user roles and needs in a CMS means understanding who will use the system and what they require. It's about recognizing users' different roles and ensuring the CMS meets their specific needs effectively.

1. Training and supporting CMS users and stakeholders on customization and extension features is vital for maximizing the platform's capabilities and ensuring efficient use. 2. Example: For instance, providing step-by-step tutorials and hands-on workshops can help users understand how to customize themes and install plugins on WordPress. 3. Effective methods include creating detailed documentation, offering online tutorials and webinars, providing one-on-one training sessions, and setting up a responsive support system for ongoing assistance.

User guides serve as aids for different audiences to understand custom features in the Content Management System extensions clearly.

Documentation is only effective if it's consistently maintained and up to date. My approach starts by outlining the business case, demonstrating how the CMS can solve the stakeholder's problem, and introducing relevant out-of-the-box features. Customization or extensions are only considered when standard features fall short. Once the solution is implemented, we conduct hands-on training and provide clear user guides. It's crucial to keep documentation aligned with ongoing updates and ensure the training team stays informed

In order to help users develop their skills (on the cms effectively, it is essential to provide them with practical training and constructive feedback. To achieve this, you can make use of various methods and tools such as live demos, workshops, tutorials, quizzes, or peer reviews. These hands-on training techniques will enable users to apply their skills in relevant scenarios and improve their performance.

Creating a support system and community in a CMS is about building a helpful and welcoming space. It's like setting up a neighborhood where users can ask questions, share knowledge, and support each other.

Another thing to consider is creating a naming strategy for your topics. We broke up our content into DITA-style chunks of concept, task, and reference and included a code for that and versions and other metadata. After training colleagues, we created a file-naming "cheat sheet" to make it easier to remember.