Evaluating a CMS Part 3: Technical Requirements

A content management system isn’t just for the benefit of those creating and editing content. A CMS should make it easier and quicker for an IT and/or web team to manage the website.

Web standards change, browsers are updated, and all sorts of changes take place that can quickly make a CMS obsolete unless it is built to keep up with the rapid evolution of the web. Some technical requirements to look for to ensure your CMS will be able to handle anything that comes its way include:

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

The content editors and creators should not have to–nor should they have the ability to–change basic elements of the site. These elements include fonts, sizes, colors, etc. A CSS-dependent CMS will ensure that your website maintains established brand and web standards.

Templates

Every type of page on your website should have a corresponding template that determines how that page will render (look). Some basic types of pages are the front page, landing or section pages, and interior or content pages. Depending on your needs, you might have more types (such as product pages). Templates make it easy to create new content: once it is determined what kind of page is needed, the creator simply picks the proper page template.

Multiple formats

your website may be viewed on a computer, a smartphone, or even have pages printed out for later viewing. Your CMS should support stylesheets for all of these formats so that your site will always be viewable regardless of the format or device.