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1) The intern knows nothing about content management. The intern is
inexperienced as a technical writer.
2) The intern has to take time to get edumacated on all those things.
3) The intern has to weigh the options.
4) Even if the intern chooses free content management software, there is
a cost in terms of training and workflow change.
5) The intern has to propose the new software and persuade management to
buy into it, the costs, and the overhead of getting people to use the
new system, including MIS/IT buy-in.
So, can the intern accomplish that in eight weeks plus the other tasks
that will undoubtedly happen? If not, what will the intern have to show
for the time?
"Investigated CMS"
When asked about the intern, what would the employer say?
"Well, that intern was really good. Never produced anything we could
grab hold of. But, did some cool research on a content management tool.
Uhhh, no, we dropped the idea when the intern left. No passion for it
in-house."
Just a thought. I could be wrong. Maybe the intern can make it all
happen. If so, that'd be awesome!
-----Original Message-----
From: Matthew Horn [mailto:mhorn -at- macromedia -dot- com]
I guess I don't see the complications. Have someone in IT set up a
server for you. Install the server version of your CM tool. Store all
the files in the CM tool's watched directories. Then send an email out
to everyone saying "If you want to get to the Pelican Brief, then you
have to access it via the CM tool.
Really not a big deal, I think. Maybe 2 days worth of work. I guess the
hard part is getting management to buy into the idea and sell it to
their teams; teaching people how to use it (or writing a tutorial);
getting purchasing to OK the license expenditure; getting IT to install
the box and add it to the network, protect it with the firewall, and add
its contents to their backup schedules; and then teach an FTE how the
system works 'cause you're leaving.
Hmmm. Maybe 8 weeks IS more like it. Better get cracking. :)
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