The new manager - looking for best practice solutions

Hi,

I’m going to write an article about a comparison of different CMS backends. Perhaps we can learn from other CMS how to build a userfriendly manager. I am looking for suggestions... I already captured a lot of backends at opensourcecms.com (the ones I know), but not all of them. Do you have some CMS in mind which I can compare? Should have a stylish but intuitive backend. Thanks! Dont have to be open source, I only need a screenshot of the starting page an one of the content area.

Thanks!

Not directly a CMS... but the way Rally handles the UI fro Agile Project Management, is trend-setting I think for CMS’s : http://www.rallydev.com/

Hi Tom,

thanks. could you perhaps provide a screenshot? I can’t find something on their website.

While the Revolution manager is an improvement over 096 in many ways it may not be 100% complete. There are some definite UI optimizations to be done and Revolution is not even out of beta yet.

Cheers,

Jay

While the Revolution manager is an improvement over 096 in many ways it may not be 100% complete.

That is the reason for this comparison! I want to compare the different solutions, look at particular good ones an finally create a mockup for a discussion about a potential new UI for the manager. The revo one is more or less a duplicate of the old one and I think "hey it’s revolution time!", so perhaps it is time to throw some inherited waste over board. And following the discussions about naming the things in Revo I think we can also start discussing a new UI. Since the new manager should be a way more configurable (sic!), there should be the potential to create something new, better, more modern and intuitive... revolutional ;-)

Timeline for this is not to make something completely new as standard for 2.0, but perhaps have the possibility to choose an alternative which can be standard some time.

There are some definite UI optimizations to be done and Revolution is not even out of beta yet.

So it is not too late to come in with suggestions. Suggestions from the user view, not the developer`s if you know what I mean ;-)

Btw, my first impression of "the other ones" is that MODx already is one of the better...

Btw, my first impression of "the other ones" is that MODx already is one of the better...

I Agree!! 

It is difficult to compare with modx. I like ExpressionEngine although they are mostly geared to blogs their interface is simple and easy to understand. I also like WordPress (both new and old). To me it has to be both functional and simple. I think that users enjoy the 2.0 stuff like bigger text and cleaner layouts.

What would be interesting to have in modx would be 2 UIs, a developers UI and a contributers UI (I guess this can be easily done with contexts). This would eliminate the need that some folks have to create simple front-end authoring. This would be very cool to have out-of-the-box and help bridge the gap between contributors and developers (the current UI is very cool but it over the top for simple authoring - both 09x and Revo). I used a project manager tool that had a client view and a contributor view and this was very cool since it simplified things for the client. Is this doable or a good idea?

To me it has to be both functional and simple. I think that users enjoy the 2.0 stuff like bigger text and cleaner layouts.

EXACTLY my thoughts!

It is difficult to compare with modx. I like ExpressionEngine although they are mostly geared to blogs their interface is simple and easy to understand.

No matter if blog or not, the principle stays the same -> Manage some kind of content (erm, ressources ) Unfortunately I can’t find a standard view of the control panel... On the demo there is only a not so stylish one available. Could you perhaps take a screenshot of the default panel and the publishing area? Thanks!

What would be interesting to have in modx would be 2 UIs, a developers UI and a contributers UI (I guess this can be easily done with contexts).

Again: EXACTLY my thoughts! My intention is to create an UI for the common user, that usually is a publisher. But the principle is the same for all users: Keep it simple and intuitive!

This would eliminate the need that some folks have to create simple front-end authoring.

Well, I think that doesn`t exclude each other. The frontend editing is also a point to discuss (and to improve, QE is cool but also old, e.g. I think MODx could raise the bar with some kind of inline editing...).

This would be very cool to have out-of-the-box and help bridge the gap between contributors and developers *the current UI is very cool but it over the top for simple authoring - both 09x and Revo). I used a project manager tool that had a client view and a contributor view and this was very cool since it simplified things for the client. Is this doable or a good idea?

I’m with you... Could you share some screenshots of this tool (both views)?

Quote from: dev_cw at Oct 10, 2008, 12:07 PM

What would be interesting to have in modx would be 2 UIs, a developers UI and a contributers UI (I guess this can be easily done with contexts). This would eliminate the need that some folks have to create simple front-end authoring.

I agree 100% with this idea. The problem I run into with many systems is they give too much control to the client/contributer. It would be nice if, as the developer, we could specify exactly what each user can have access to when they login. Be it specific pages, or specific fields, snippets, chunks, etc...

I think the key for the interfaces is to balance the power the developer needs with the simplicity that the client/contributer needs. Of course each project is different so some contributers need more access then others. That’s where "feature enable/disable" options would be helpful to the developer.

As for an interface design, why limit it to CMS systems? Although I was put off at first, I’ve come to really like the "Microsoft Ribbon" in the new version of Office. Not exactly what a CMS needs but there are some interesting layout ideas there.

As for an interface design, why limit it to CMS systems?

First look what your neighbour can do for you, then walk down the street

Although I was put off at first, I’ve come to really like the "Microsoft Ribbon" in the new version of Office. Not exactly what a CMS needs but there are some interesting layout ideas there.

Well, I’m at Linux, but I think I know what you mean, I also like it. I will take a look at it and include it in the comparison. The comparison surely isn’t limited on CMS, I want to collect UI best practices. Also OS can provide good examples.

Take a look of new EE 2.0 backend http://expressionengine.com/ee2_sneak_preview/
Some interesting things in http://demo.silverstripe.com/, http://www.magentocommerce.com/