Content management or CM is a set of processes and technologies that support the evolutionary life cycle of digital information. This digital information is often referred to as content or digital content. Digital content may take the form of text, such as documents, multimedia files, such as audio or video files, or any other file type which follows a content lifecycle which requires management. High-end content management systems apply workflows, and enable the use and reuse of content and content collections.
The digital content life cycle consists of six primary phases: create, update, publish, translate, archive and retire.
Content management is an inherently collaborative process. It often consists of the following basic roles and responsibilities:
• Content author - responsible for creating and editing content.
• Editor - responsible for tuning the content message and the style of delivery.
• Publisher - responsible for releasing the content for use.
• Administrator - responsible for managing access permissions to folders and files, usually accomplished by assigning access rights to user groups or roles. Admins may also assist and support users in various ways.
• Consumer, viewer or guest- the person who reads or otherwise takes in content after it is published or shared.
The recognized types of Content Management Systems are Web content management systems, Transactional content management systems (T-CMS), Integrated content management systems (I-CMS), Digital Asset Management systems (DAM), Publications management systems (P-CMS), Enterprise content management systems (E-CMS or ECM) , Platform Content Management Systems (PCMS) ,Document imaging systems and Learning management systems (L-CMS).
Content management system is a set of automated processes that may support the following features:
• Import and creation of documents and multimedia material
• Identification of all key users and their roles
• The ability to assign roles and responsibilities to different instances of content categories or types.
• Definition of workflow tasks often coupled with messaging so that content managers are alerted to changes in content.
• The ability to track and manage multiple versions of a single instance of content.
• The ability to publish the content to a repository to support access to the content. Increasingly, the repository is an inherent part of the system, and incorporates enterprise search and retrieval.
