Articles - Page 11

Not All Heroes Wear Capes. Here's Why CMS Is Your 'Unsung Hero' in 2025

janus-boye

<hr /> At its core, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/ci-hub">CI HUB</a> is enabling users to work smarter – and more efficiently – without hopping between windows. The Potsdam-based company gained early success by focusing on connectors within creative platforms, offering an easy-to-use integration that's made it something of a “must-have" with tools like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/adobe-experience-manager">Adobe Creative Cloud</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365">Microsoft Office365</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/google-cloud-platform">Google Workspace</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/cut-paste-delete-why-adobes-canceled-merger-with-figma-is-good-for-innovation">Figma</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/sketch">Sketch</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wordpress">WordPress</a>. It also connects to stock providers and cloud storage services.But CI HUB is endeavoring to be even more meaningful, acting as a single source of access to centralized data and assets in a marketing ecosystem. This broadens the landscape for its digital aggregation capabilities across CMS, DAM, PIM, MAM, and MDM platforms. That's a lot of acronyms, to be sure – but it demonstrates the potential reach across a myriad of content repositories.Just how handy is CI HUB? Enough to warrant a seed round from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.scalecapital.com/">Scale Capital</a>, a Danish early-stage technology investor with a focus on helping companies accelerate growth in the US market. CI HUB's press release indicated that the investment was a “significant seven-figure amount” compiled from new and existing investors – representing a major step in the company's journey towards revolutionizing the way corporates and creatives access digital assets and data.  "We are delighted to welcome Scale Capital as a financial and strategic partner, alongside our existing investors, as we embark on the next phase of our journey," said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreasmichalski/">Andreas Michalski</a>, founder and CEO of CI HUB GmbH. "This collective support validates the strength of our vision and technology and provides us with the resources and expertise to drive innovation and deliver even greater value to our customers."  The announcement coincides with CI HUB's attendance at the <a target="_blank" href="https://summit.adobe.com/na/">Adobe Summit 2024</a> in Las Vegas, which lasts from March 25 - 28. CI HUB is attending the event as a sponsor, highlighting the importance of the Adobe partnership to its continued growth.<h3 id="building-inroads-to-cms,-dam,-and-other-content-platforms">Building inroads to CMS, DAM, and other content platforms</h3>CI HUB specializes in developing innovative solutions that seamlessly connect leading <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-content-management-system-cms">content management systems (CMS)</a> and digital asset management (DAM) platforms. Their suite of products makes it simple to access, manage, and distribute digital assets across various channels and platforms, streamlining workflows for businesses of all sizes. This has clear advantages for content management and digital experience platforms, which typically offer some level of digital asset management – and in some cases like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/acquia">Acquia</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/optimizely">Optimizely</a>, very robust DAM solutions. CI HUB views these channels as accelerators for growth. “We see the role of CMS, DXP, DAM, and other content platform partners as being strong pillars of growth for us going forward,” said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickwstein/">Nick Stein</a>, CMO at CI HUB. “Of course, this is mutually beneficial for both CI HUB and our partners. Integrating our software not only improves the user experience of these platforms, but in the case of DAMs, it widens the potential user base within their client organizations.”CI HUB is used by clients such as Ford, Zurich, T-Mobile, FedEx, and hundreds more as an integral part of their creative workflows.    <h3 id="investing-in-the-future-of-content-integration">Investing in the future of content integration</h3>With Scale Capital's investment, CI HUB is poised to accelerate its growth trajectory and expand its market reach globally. This is laser-focused on the U.S., where the company is already seeing significant traction – and a bulk of its existing business currently resides. In addition to Scale Capital, CI HUB's existing investors including HTGF, Brandenburg Kapital, the Berlin Angel Fund, and Urban AM have extended their financial engagement. The capital infusion will help CI HUB to further enhance its product offering, scale its operations, and strengthen its position as a leader in the content integration space.  Along with broader innovation, the investment will also be concentrated on the growth of the company's CI HUB Drive, or “DAM for Desktop” functionality. With this tool, the DAM is virtually mounted and displayed as an external server or external hard disk in the MacOS Finder or in Windows Explorer – making it incredibly seamless, like Dropbox. "We are very excited to partner with the CI HUB team to fuel their growth and market expansion," said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joachimschelde/">Joachim Schelde</a>, Senior Associate at Scale Capital. "Together, we will continue to push the boundaries of content integration, enabling businesses to unlock new efficiencies and opportunities in digital content management."  <h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>Connectors have become critical parts of the integration landscape, enabling new tools and platforms to be quickly activated and leveraged for a range of use cases. With less friction, users have more control over the tools they wish to curate, allowing for a more customized and composed stack of solutions. Content Integration is a key area in the DX mix, addressing the challenges that exist with siloed data and assets. By accelerating the connections to content in various repositories, creators and teams are able to enhance their access to a broad range of resources to help support their brand initiatives. However, with the rampant scale and complexity of different sources, users are having to take multiple steps to find, select, and utilize content assets from different sources – like DAMs.CI HUB reflects a continued motion towards optimization, providing an elegant solution that augments the value of content management, digital experience, and digital asset management platforms. It represents a new breed of connector that streamlines the flow and improves productivity around an ever-growing cache of content resources. Given the number of assets and legacy systems that enterprises are wrestling with, these types of solutions are helping build bridges across the last miles of user experience.  <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

CI Hub Announces Major Investment, Plans to Scale Content Integration Solutions

cms-critic-staff

<hr /> For the past seven years, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/kentico">Kentico</a> – a composable hybrid headless platform – has been at the forefront of recognizing and honoring exceptional achievements in digital innovation and user-centric design with its signature ‘Site of the Year’ Awards.The company just published the list of winners from its 2023 program, and it's once again impressive. We did a deep dive analysis of last year's winners, which you can <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/kentico-site-of-the-year-competition-proves-custom-web-design-is-alive-and-thriving">check out here.</a> As the company noted in its press release, the examples reflect the pinnacle of creativity, dedication, and technological prowess in delivering extraordinary online experiences – as well as the continued relevance of good web design and digital experience in the modern era.  “As a member of the evaluation committee, I am thrilled by both the quantity and, more importantly, the exceptional quality of submissions we received for Site of the Year 2023," said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-tucek/">Debbie Tucek</a>, Director of Product at Kentico. "The diversity and ingenuity showcased in these projects truly highlight the incredible possibilities achievable with Kentico.”To qualify for the Site of the Year 2023 contest, websites or apps must have been a first-time contender (unless significantly redesigned), launched during 2023, and built on Kentico Xperience 13 or Xperience by Kentico. <h3 id="meticulous-evaluation-standards-for-excellence-">Meticulous evaluation standards for excellence </h3>With over 100 submissions received, Kentico's evaluation committee meticulously evaluated each entry against a comprehensive set of criteria: <ul><li>Achievement of business goals: The extent to which the website or app contributed to the attainment of the organization's objectives, such as increased conversions, sales, or brand awareness. </li><li>UX (User Experience): The overall quality of the user experience, including ease of navigation, intuitiveness, and responsiveness across various devices and platforms. </li><li>Interactivity: The degree to which the website or app engages users through interactive elements, such as animations, forms, quizzes, or personalized content. </li><li>Graphic design: The visual appeal, aesthetics, and coherence of the design elements, including layout, typography, color scheme, and imagery. </li><li>Innovation: The originality and creativity demonstrated in the implementation of unique features, functionalities, or approaches that set the project apart from competitors. </li><li>Content: The relevance, quality, and effectiveness of the content in communicating the organization's message, engaging users, and driving desired actions. </li><li>Use of Kentico capabilities: The effective utilization of Kentico's features, tools, and functionalities to optimize the website or app's performance, scalability, and customization capabilities. </li></ul>Following a rigorous evaluation process, the committee identified the most exemplary entries that demonstrated exceptional proficiency across these criteria.  <h3 id="‘site-of-year’-award-winners-for-2023-">‘Site of Year’ Award winners for 2023 </h3>According to Kentico, these projects have not only met but exceeded its stringent criteria – showcasing innovation, successful business outcomes, user-centric experiences, interactive design, graphic excellence, inventive content, and a masterful utilization of Kentico's capabilities.  B2B Category<ul><li>BlueModus emerged victorious with its website transformation utilizing Xperience by Kentico, delivering seamless migration and advanced SEO tools (implemented by BlueModus).</li><li>Honorable mentions go to Advanced Energy (implemented by EETech) and BDO Digital (implemented by BizStream). </li></ul>Commerce Category<ul><li>Nowy Styl's Kentico-powered site, implemented by Infinity Group, offers streamlined processes and enhanced engagement for stakeholders. </li><li>Honorable mentions include Crowley Energy, Buxton Oil, Ayer &amp; Goss (implemented by Fuseideas and NITTIN), and Fenerbahçe SuperApp (implemented by PortalGrup). </li></ul>Consumer Goods Category<ul><li>Škoda Elektromobilita takes the spotlight with its immersive Kentico website captivating potential customers with its electromobility showcase (implemented by BiQ Bluesoft). </li><li>Honorable mentions include Niveko (implemented by PUXdesign) and Alcohol Detection Systems (implemented by BlueModus). </li></ul>Education &amp; Careers Category<ul><li>Blanchard's Kentico site revamp enhances user experience, boosts traffic, and refines content strategy (implemented by Americaneagle.com).</li><li>Honorable mentions go to Driestar Onderwijsadvies (implemented by Aviva Solutions) and Yapı Kredi Yarınlara Kartopu (implemented by PortalGrup). </li></ul>Entertainment, Hospitality &amp; Tourism Category <ul><li>Mainz 05's website launch on Xperience by Kentico optimizes user experience and internal workflows (implemented by kuehlhaus and BiQ Bluesoft). </li><li>Honorable mentions include Good Eats (implemented by Ridgeway) and ACF Fiorentina (implemented by EXETERA srl l Thinking Digital). </li></ul>Financial Services Category <ul><li>HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union's Kentico-powered site delivers personalized experiences and seamless site management (implemented by ZAG Interactive). </li><li>Honorable mentions include NinjaTrader (implemented by Americaneagle.com) and Forvis (implemented by SilverTech). </li></ul>Government &amp; Municipal Category<ul><li>City of Swan's Kentico site enhances user experience and introduces self-service options for residents (implemented by ALYKA Pty Ltd). </li><li>Honorable mentions include Texas Association of Counties (implemented by BlueModus) and Ohio Lottery (implemented by Marcus Thomas, LLC). </li></ul><h3 id="blanchard-takes-the-coveted-community-choice-award">Blanchard takes the coveted Community Choice Award</h3>Among the exceptional entries in the 2023 ‘Site of the Year’ Awards, Blanchard took home the coveted Community Choice Award, chosen from the successful Industry winners via public vote. Built by Americaneagle.com, Blanchard's stunning new website stood out for its remarkable achievements in digital innovation and user-centric design. Blanchard's decision to leverage Kentico's intuitive interface, robust CMS functionalities, adaptability, scalability, integration capabilities, and multilingual support proved instrumental in realizing its vision for the project. The primary objectives included enhancing user experience, revitalizing branding, boosting conversion rates, refining content strategy, and optimizing performance.  The results speak volumes for the success of the project. The revamped site showcases improved user experience, heightened traffic, enhanced brand perception, mobile responsiveness, refined content strategy, and streamlined navigation. Blanchard's commitment to excellence and Americaneagle.com's expertise in execution has truly set a new standard in the industry.  All the winners of ‘Site of the Year’ 2023 represent the pinnacle of digital innovation and user-centric design, embodying Kentico's commitment to empowering businesses and organizations to deliver exceptional online experiences.   <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Kentico Announces Winners of 2023 'Site of the Year' Awards

<hr /> Digital accessibility continues to be an elusive problem. It really shouldn't be, but it is.In the physical realm, governments around the globe have made solid gains in regulating environments and accommodating individuals with disabilities. Buildings have ramps, signs include Braille, and public transportation is equipped for all riders. But digital experiences have struggled for a myriad of reasons, the least of which is a lack of similarly enforceable governance. While the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.w3.org/">W3C</a> provides a strong measure of industry standardization via its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/">WCAG guidelines</a>, not everyone follows them. Sometimes, that results in contentious lawsuits like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boia.org/blog/the-robles-v.-dominos-settlement-and-why-it-matters">Robles v. Domino’s Pizza</a>. In the end, the pie chain lost the battle, and the optics were even worse for its business. In the U.S. public sector, there are more rigid compliance requirements like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.section508.gov/">Section 508</a>, where punitive damages have been awarded when cities or government agencies don't provide accessible experience. Unfortunately, that's just a portion of the entire addressable market, particularly when it comes to things like digital video. Until recently, adding captions and transcripts to videos was labor-intensive and even cost-prohibitive. But the rise of artificial intelligence tools has changed the game – making it easier and, in many cases, a free part of many video platforms and experiences. How has this impacted businesses? <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wistia">Wistia</a> knows.Today, the video marketing platform unveiled its <a target="_blank" href="https://wistia.com/learn/marketing/video-marketing-statistics">“State of Video: Video Marketing Statistics for 2024”</a> report, compiling real user data on the Wistia platform and feedback from an in-depth customer survey. Wistia analyzed over 90 million videos and over 100,000 businesses on their platform between January 1st and December 31st, 2023, to build the report.While conducted annually, this year's analysis stands out as a bellwether for AI, revealing that the use of artificial intelligence to enhance video accessibility dramatically increased in 2023. The report also includes data that underscores the value of video for businesses, and that despite economic uncertainty over the past year, it remains a top priority in marketing strategies.At the end of the day, accessibility is all about inclusion. It's necessary for users, but it's also good business for brands. Wista's report puts the numbers into sharp relief, showing the positive impact of AI to automate a critical task and deliver better experiences. <h3 id="ai-is-making-video-more-inclusive-and-far-reaching-">AI is making video more inclusive and far-reaching </h3>With video usage and consumption growing, companies are focusing on increasing the accessibility of video content. AI has been a main driver in making videos more accessible with 59% more videos seeing a higher accessibility score in 2023 than in 2022. In terms of factors that enhance video accessibility in 2023, video captions saw the most significant growth, with over 254% more businesses having closed captions on their videos than in 2022. In fact, more than half of companies using AI tools say they are most useful for auto-generating captions or transcripts. The use of captions goes beyond increasing accessibility scores. According to <a target="_blank" href="https://ads.tiktok.com/business/creativecenter/quicktok/online/Power_Creative_Elements/pc/en">TikTok</a>, the presence of captions leads to a 95% jump in brand affinity, a 58% bump in recall, a 31% improvement in likability, and a 25% uplift in uniqueness, making video content more far-reaching and enhancing the overall audience experience.“It’s clear brands are experimenting with AI in video creation and optimization,” said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjsavage/">Chris Savage</a>, CEO and co-founder of Wistia. “Given consumers in 2023 watched more videos than ever before, video inclusiveness has emerged as a top priority for brands. Unlocking the power of AI to create greater inclusivity in digital experiences stands at the forefront of the video production industry. We expect this to continue to evolve and shape how we create video content and how people engage with digital experiences.”<h3 id="users-recognize-the-value-of-video-despite-roadblocks">Users recognize the value of video despite roadblocks</h3>According to the report, 80% of businesses said they want more video content, and 60% of businesses want to invest more money to make it. Despite economic uncertainty and limited resources throughout 2023, organizations still recognize the value of video, with only 4% reporting they’ll likely have fewer resources for video in 2024.With nearly 100% of businesses saying that video is an important part of their marketing strategy, challenges still remain to create videos. The top are time and bandwidth, with 61% of businesses saying that’s their biggest hurdle, followed by 44% of companies saying team size, resources, and technical capability. Most video creators are using simple tools accessible to anyone with a laptop, with 57% of businesses using screen and webcam recorders.<h3 id="shorter-videos-aren’t-necessarily-more-engaging-">Shorter videos aren’t necessarily more engaging </h3>Though engagement tends to drop significantly when video length goes over five minutes, Wistia's data showed that the engagement rate for videos between one and five minutes is almost the same, no matter the length. This gives brands the freedom to experiment with longer videos. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn have expanded time limits for videos beyond two minutes, providing opportunities to create longer videos while keeping engagement rates high.The Wistia report also revealed that consumers prefer instructional over promotional video content. Instructional content under five minutes had 2X the engagement of promotional content of the same length. According to TikTok, videos that show products in use see a +25% uplift in recall, +23% in ad likeability, +65% in brand affinity, and +18% in consideration. Even as instructional videos get longer, they maintain a higher level of engagement on average. As brands consider types of video content to produce or strategies for engaging with influencers, explainer videos lead to higher engagement compared to promotional brand videos. <h3 id="want-more-stats?">Want more stats?</h3>Wistia goes deep with the details in this year's report. To peruse its statistics and get a better understanding of how accessibility fits into the picture, you can download the free report from <a target="_blank" href="https://wistia.com/learn/marketing/video-marketing-statistics">the company's website</a>.  <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Wistia Releases 2024 State of Video Report, Shows Surge in AI for Enhancing Video Accessibility

<hr /> Sailing might not seem fast. A yawl or a sloop can’t hold a candle to a speedboat with twin outboard engines or a raging hydrofoil. But if you’ve ever seen the America’s Cup or a competitive regatta, you can’t deny that a supped-up catamaran – with the right crew – can move at dizzying speeds.   When I spoke to <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/michael-lukaszczyk">Michael Lukaszczyk</a> last week about the launch of the <a target="_blank" href="https://hygraph.com/blog/hygraph-studio-beta">new Hygraph Studio beta</a>, the topic of sailing came up. It’s a subject I know something about: my father is a certified Coast Guard captain, and I grew up chipping barnacles off hulls in New England summers. Sure, I was a grunt on a mooring line, cleaning the head and emptying the ballast. But I learned other skills as well, like how to tie knots and tighten jibs in my dad’s salty shadow. One important lesson still sticks with me, and it’s never been more relevant to technology than now: The wind is always changing – and you won’t get anywhere if you fight it.  As a headless CMS in a highly competitive field, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/hygraph">Hygraph</a> has been reading the wind and tacking in the right places. With this week’s release of Hygraph Studio, the company is listening to its users and doubling down on improving performance on a multitude of levels. The beta, which went live yesterday, is expected to be a first taste of the new experience, with a general release coming later this year. But it’s more than a new paint job on a fiberglass finish. “Hygraph Studio is a complete re-architecture and upgrade of our user interface optimized for maximum global performance,” Michael said. “We've been putting a lot of effort into making the whole thing as fast as possible globally, regardless of where you are on the planet or where your content is stored.”OK, so is it really faster? If you’re comparing Hygraph Classic to Hygraph Studio, you might just think there are a couple of outboard engines strapped to it. But like sailing, it’s more about the precision tuning that’s translating into higher performance. This comes down to a combination of UX enhancements, a new content asset management engine, and more. I got the nautical read from Michael about the Hygraph Studio release and what’s in store following the launch of the beta. We also discussed the UI improvements and the benefits of having a core asset management solution and how this is impacting performance on the open water. At the end of the day, it’s all about delivering higher content velocity, a recurring theme that has come up in our previous discussions. These upgrades aren’t just about a re-architecture that delivers speed, but the additional features and functionality that make it all a smoother ride.<h3 id="pulling-up-anchors-to-achieve-global-performance--">Pulling up anchors to achieve global performance  </h3>Like any beta, there are anticipated fixes and a roadmap for releases to come. But even with this first glimpse, there’s confidence at Hygraph that the acceleration will be felt in a profound way. For Michael, this is essential to the content management experience and all of its users. “Things being very snappy is really an important ingredient for content velocity, and it should not get in the way,” he remarked. “In content management, that's a little bit of our philosophy. Every second that's in the way of you actually making a change or an update is a waste.”Playing into the equation for speed are new global performance aspirations for Hygraph Studio. Up until now, Hygraph users have relied on API calls to the management database in Frankfurt, Germany – regardless of where their Hygraph project might be stored. Now, with the introduction of a new multi-regional deployment management service, proximity is no longer a drag. According to Hygraph’s data, the regional solution not only delivers faster load times, but also a 10x reduced latency for management operations globally. Michael said this is a big improvement for global customers, providing a more distributed solution that delivers maximum geographic performance for Hygraph’s growing customer base. “Australia is actually a very strong market and we're opening up new opportunities and more performance there,” he said. “We have quite an active user base in Japan, and they also now enjoy this new global performance.”<h3 id="smoother-sailing-with-an-improved-content-api">Smoother sailing with an improved content API</h3>With Hygraph’s content API, there’s also another big release under the hood that delivers much finer granularity on cache invalidation. As Michael noted, Hygraph’s customers already have strong API performance at the CDN level – but he sees even more improvement on the way.“Our customers have a cache hit ratio of roughly 90%,” he explained. “So 90% of their API calls hit a CDN, and they get the response of the headless API data. And that’s with document-level caching – which is much more fine-grained. We hope to get to the level of 95%.”It may sound like an incremental step from 90% to 95%, but as Michael noted, if you have millions or billions of API calls, there's a huge performance gain for the end customer.Clearly, there’s been a lot of infrastructure work under the hood (or tightening of the sails). But there’s also been a smart expansion of global resources that align with the company’s goals for growth, particularly in nascent or rapidly growing markets. <h3 id="enhancing-the-instruments:-delivering-better-ui/ux-">Enhancing the instruments: delivering better UI/UX </h3>Another key part of the Hygraph Studio beta and forthcoming GA are enhancements to the user interface. These will unfold in the weeks that follow the initial launch, but Michael indicated that there are many – some large, some small – and all designed with the user in mind.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:78.38%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/03/new-intuitive-schema-view.png" alt="" /></figure> “There are macro UX improvements, but also micro UX improvements,” he said. “[For example] there's a new Command Menu, where you can hit Command+K to completely navigate throughout the application, and developers love this. In developer tooling, there's a new Field Outline in the content form, so when you're editing content in the form, you get a whole navigation outline.”And these are just a few of the upgrades you can expect from Hygraph Studio, which are tacitly designed to help users work faster and more efficiently. I had a chance to review some of the highlights firsthand, which include enhancements to content forms for faster, smoother navigation and modeling with nested components. There are also revised content tables for content-rich data.From an aesthetic perspective, there are also a few UI “facelifts” that improve on an already clean, minimalistic template. This includes upgrades to the Schema view that enhance the addition of models and fields. But the changes go beyond good looks and are keenly designed to reduce the number of clicks – accelerating each step of the modeling process.  Another notable addition: lazy loading of components, which delivers a faster load time when opening a content entry or nested components. It’s a simple thing, but one that can shave seconds of frustration when maneuvering through choppy waters.   <h3 id="improving-the-editorial-experience-and-adding-live-preview-">Improving the editorial experience and adding live preview </h3>I asked Michael what really drove the direction of the UI/UX enhancements, and what level of user will see the most benefits. Obviously, there are developers and editors on the ship, all trying to sail in a coordinated way – and historically, Hygraph has been more focused on the developer side of the crew.“So one key motivation for Hygraph Studio was improving the editorial experience significantly, because we come from a very developer-centric founder team and DNA,” he said. “We [have] always lived and breathed on the API side of things, but we’re now getting better with content creators. This has been a little bit of a weak spot from coming from such a developer-centric understanding of things, but of course, in content management, you always have those two parties. And we want to make both happy, so we're putting more and more resources into the editorial experience.”From that perspective, one of the most notable changes in the UI is with the content form, where you have an entirely new Field Outline for navigating content entries. As Michael described, it’s like using Figma or Adobe Photoshop, where you have your image layers assembled on the side. In Hygraph Studio, you can now see meta information gathered in a similar way along the left side of the editorial interface. <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:85.58%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/03/hygraph-field-outline.jpg" alt="" /></figure>In the headless regatta, the race for the cup is getting tighter than ever. But Hygraph continues to differentiate around its focus on data, product development, and federated content. Still, user expectations are necessitating certain features – particularly when it comes to the visual layer. We’ve seen the growth of composable solutions and digital experience composition as a panacea for this missing link, but many platforms are now building their own tools. During our discussion, Michael revealed that live preview is on the near-term roadmap (although not part of the Hygraph Studio GA). However, he was quick to point out why an opinionated page builder is not the answer they’ve been after. “The one big feature on the horizon that is wished by many is the live preview,” he said. “It's a side-by-side editing [experience] where on the left you have a headless CMS interface, on the right you see the result directly. It's not a what you see is what you get editing experience. A good live preview provides a very quick feedback loop of what you're doing in the CMS and how your end results look. We don't have an opinionated page builder that’s reliant on elements that are dependent on the system, because we want to support product development for brands like Peloton or Netflix – and you don’t need pages in those use cases.”It makes perfect sense and might be exactly the right compromise for Hygraph’s target audience. As a composable platform, the new live preview feature could also complement third-party page builders that are powered by Hygraph, further elevating the value for the user.<h3 id="putting-more-wind-in-the-sails-with-core-asset-management-">Putting more wind in the sails with core asset management </h3>If the other features in Hygraph Studio are spinnakers and genoas (these are types of sails for all ye landlubbers), then the hoisting of the new Hygraph Asset Management system might be the main sail. I asked Michael why it was an important move to build a home-grown solution and how it might impact the performance and reliability for users. “We ripped out the existing asset management [system] which was provided by a third party partner, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.filestack.com/">Filestack</a>, and built an in-house implementation of asset management,” he explained, “which, in some cases, leads to performance improvements of 10x managing and operating assets. But it’s also [beneficial] when you clone projects or work within production, staging, or development environments.”On this subject of environments, Michael gave a simple and relatable example for CMS users: let’s say you want to implement a new feature and create content definitions with new schema, but you don't want to break your production environment in the process. In this case, you would use environments like “draft” or “staging” – similar to GitHub branches – to replicate, build, and develop within. Now, cloning such environments is much faster thanks to a core asset manager. “Before, we had to re-upload all the assets from one environment to the other using our third-party solution. So if you had a lot of assets – gigabytes or even terabytes – it could take minutes or even hours to build the environment. Now, it takes only seconds, because we have the asset management engine under the hood in our own realm. So it's more like ‘copy-paste’ within the system.”<h3 id="what’s-the-next-port-of-call-on-the-headless-seas?">What’s the next port-of-call on the headless seas?</h3>I think that’s weighing on the mind of every CMS “captain” who’s plotting a course for 2024. The winds they are a-changin’ – and for headless CMS vendors, there’s been a <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-dxp-kerfuffle-finding-the-big-chords-in-the-2024-gartner-magic-quadrant">clear shift towards a more DXP-like composition</a>, one where resources like asset management are becoming a part of the core (so sayeth some of the analysts). This is challenging the perception of what a “DXP” is in a composable landscape, particularly as traditional DXP vendors are offering headless and decoupled solutions as well.That’s why listening to the wind has never been more important, and Hygraph is clearly doing that by listening to its customers. While the introduction of core asset management is key to a more complete vision, the addition of live preview will further expand its value while remaining steadfast in its focus on data-driven product development applications. This clarity around its competitive differentiation is key. “For CMS vendors like the Storybloks out there, it cannot get visual enough,” he explained. “This is really catering to very static use cases that are building the experience that end users see, but this is very limited in the use cases that you can model. There's a big market for that, but a lot of competition because you can pay a lot for an enterprise headless CMS with a page builder or you go very low end on the pricing and use a Webflow or Wix – and that CMS is perfectly fine for those use cases.”One other way Hygraph is tacking with wind is by amplifying the focus on the editorial experience. As Michael noted, the company has been primarily developer-centric; this has been a perceived weak spot in its holistic strategy. Hygraph Studio aims to improve this with its myriad of UX enhancements and forthcoming capabilities. A good move, and one that demonstrates a strong commitment to the customer experience.For the buyer, it’s also getting harder to know where to drop anchor amid the shifting conditions. This is where knowledge and awareness are essential, particularly around specific use cases where headless CMS delivers a great value proposition.As Michael noted, “We're on the mission to educate the architects out there on the journey to building something big.”Aye, captain.  <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Hygraph Studio Sets Sail with Increased Content Velocity and New Asset Management Capabilities

matt-garrepy

<hr /> When you deconstruct the word “research,” it literally connotes that one is searching – again. For the past three years, that’s precisely what the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-publishes-first-annual-report-showcases-industry-impact-and-plans-for-2024">MACH Alliance</a> has been doing: “re” searching its communities of influence to establish the patterns and trends that define the direction of MACH.Each year, the group of independent tech companies advocating for open, best-of-breed technology ecosystems has published the results of a global survey it conducts, focusing on IT decision-makers and the role of MACH and composable. Over time, the trend lines have become clearer. This week, the Alliance presented its fourth edition of the annual study, and the findings underscore two key realities: MACH is growing – and it’s delivering a tangible ROI for companies that are adopting it. According to the MACH Alliance, the new survey reveals a heightened level of leadership support for MACH (Microservices, API-first, Cloud native SaaS, Headless). The report states that 91% of IT decision-makers say MACH and composable technology will be instrumental to their success in the next five years – and 85% see “clear evidence” that they are achieving ROI in their MACH investments.In the heated race to modernize and expand, brands have poured the gas on their digital investments over the last few years, due in part to the elevated force of a pandemic. Now, as the report notes, economic volatility and uncertainty have become factors – but MACH adoption continues to see stable growth despite the drag of market conditions. "MACH technologies are critical to ensuring resilience and agility for businesses navigating swift market changes now and in the future," said <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-future-is-composable-a-conversation-with-new-mach-alliance-president-casper-rasmussen">Casper Rasmussen</a>, President of the MACH Alliance. "Sustained adoption is remarkable in an economic climate that at large has put substantial IT projects on hold. The outcomes of this year's survey confirm a steady pivot towards scalable, composable systems that cater to evolving end-user requirements, and those companies are seeing tangible payoffs from their investments in MACH.”’It's worth noting the methodology of the survey, which was completed by 551 IT decision-makers of director level and above. 37% we C-Suite executives. The sample included respondents from the U.S., U.K., Germany, and France, and represented enterprises with at least 5,000 employees.<h3 id="u.s.-pulls-ahead-of-europe-in-pace-of-adoption">U.S. pulls ahead of Europe in pace of adoption</h3>At last year’s <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-two-conference-wrap-six-takeaways-from-the-composable-event-of-the-year">MACH Two Conference in Amsterdam</a>, I spoke at length with members of the MACH Alliance leadership team. At the time, it was well-established that Europe was still ahead of North America in terms of MACH adoption. But even then, many saw the U.S. and its total addressable market as a sleeping giant.Fast forward to now, and Goliath is stirring. While the pace of MACH adoption is broadly demonstrating stable adoption, the pace in the United States has slightly surpassed that of Europe. From 2023 to 2024, respondents stated that they had increased the percentage of MACH across their IT infrastructure from 85% to 88% in the U.S., compared to 85% to 86% in Europe. From an industry perspective, it’s clear that retail is the big winner, showing the highest investment in MACH. Retail and commerce have long been the stronghold for MACH applications, with large brands illustrating the benefits through several use cases at last year’s MACH Two Conference. It’s worth noting that both professional and financial services categories were right behind retail in the adoption rankings, evidence that the benefits of MACH are being experienced beyond the core of retail and commerce. <h3 id="leadership-leads-the-way-to-growth">Leadership leads the way to growth</h3>As with all new technologies, consensus is key to adoption. The shift to composable has been met with varying degrees of friction given the cost and complexity for many enterprises – particularly those reliant on legacy systems with siloed data.   But that might be starting to change. According to the MACH Alliance survey, there’s been a notable reduction of internal resistance to adopting MACH architectures. Based on feedback from respondents, there’s been a sizable decline from 33% in 2023 to 26% in 2024. Meanwhile, leadership resistance is eroding. Today, only 18% of respondents cite the lack of board or leadership support as a barrier, as compared to 28% in 2023. What’s driving this shift? As the MACH Alliance report surmises, it could be attributed in part to the realization of sizeable ROI from MACH investments. Additionally, more IT leaders view MACH as a key differentiator and a competitive advantage for improving customer experience and innovating faster. A growing proportion also see MACH as a way to improve their competitive posture, with almost half of all respondents making this observation versus just 39% in 2023.The survey also revealed a number of additional benefits of MACH adoption, with respondents claiming their processes have become more streamlined while increasing revenue. They also pinpointed soft benefits such as increased “volume of achievement,” customer satisfaction, and employee productivity.<h3 id="navigating-the-obstacles-">Navigating the obstacles </h3>The MACH Alliance has taken its fair share of lumps over the last few years. Market watchers have often been critical of its austere criteria for membership, and a persistent lack of transparency has drawn ire. That said, the organization has been fervently committed to responding to feedback – and has deftly managed these challenges as it continues to advocate for composable architectures and practices. One of the biggest obstacles to MACH adoption continues to be education. This is not limited to the core fundamentals of MACH architectures but to the trade-offs between upfront costs and realizing the future benefits of a MACH investment. According to the survey, respondents also voiced concerns about end user and customer resistance to change, as well as reliance on vendors to ensure continuous business operations. These represent key barriers to adoption. To address these issues, the MACH Alliance is rolling out an education program in Q2 of 2024 to help companies face these challenges head-on and mitigate the risk. <h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>The MACH Alliance is more than a cabal of like-minded technologies. From the beginning, it has been committed to building awareness and driving visibility for the MACH movement – and doing so by investing in education and market research.  The data in this survey helps validate the continued motion toward composable and MACH solutions. With four years of data – albeit across relatively modest samples – the trend lines are solidifying. This further reinforces what <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellygoetsch/">Kelly Goetsch</a>, former president of the MACH Alliance, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-two-conference-wrap-six-takeaways-from-the-composable-event-of-the-year">observed at the MACH Two Conference</a>: “MACH now feels like the default.”Why is this important? Because it serves as a barometer for broad change. Clearly, more businesses are paying attention, studying the potential benefits, and weighing the risks and rewards that come with the composable journey. For those already on the path, the results are paying off. This is where the numbers help tell the story. In my year-end wrap with Casper Rasmussen, we discussed his predictions for 2024, which included the concepts of “continuous everything” and composable M&amp;A (<a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/whats-ahead-for-mach-in-2024-read-these-3-predictions">you can read about them here</a>). Both are gaining visibility, but the one I’ve reflected on most as it relates to this research is the notion of MACH expanding to new industries. In this year’s research, retail continues to have the strongest magnetic pull toward MACH. But the emergence of professional and financial services as close contenders underscores demonstrable growth in novel areas. Casper sees MACH evolving beyond retail and CPG in a big way, particularly in sectors that are not driven by commerce or transactional activities – including automotive.Research is vital to every organization, and we can’t always do it alone. We rely on proven authorities to help augment our understanding of the patterns and trends, and we put our trust in established bodies with a clear commitment to advancing the industry as a whole. Composable may not be the right choice for every business, but education can help leaders better understand what’s at stake and make the best decisions. Instead of resisting, we should be researching. And this is where the MACH Alliance continues to deliver value to its members – and the market.

On Your MACH, Get Set, Grow: New Research Reveals Expanding Support, ROI for MACH

<hr /> <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/johnwest">John West</a> is the Principal Solution Architect at <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/consciaai">Conscia</a> and a CMS Critic contributor. FOR CONTEXT, I’ve been on the Internet since 1990 and writing code for the web since 1995. In 1996, I started my professional career in Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), which was a sort of precursor to XML and e-commerce. Since 2000, I have been involved in <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-content-management-system-cms">web content management</a> (CMS) and digital experience platforms (DXP). I served as CTO and Chief Architect for CMS, DXP, commerce, etc. vendor <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/sitecore">Sitecore</a> from 2004 to 2016, taking the company from a startup literally working out of a hallway in one of the founders’ homes to a valuation of over a billion dollars. After that, I worked for a global advertising agency as Senior Vice President for Experience Platforms and then as a consultant for <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack</a>, a headless CMS vendor.I recently took an opportunity with <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/consciaai">Conscia</a> as Principal Solution Architect. Conscia provides a SaaS platform designed to streamline the management of digital experiences through its Digital Experience Orchestration tool. Honestly, I joined Conscia because I’m genuinely excited about its technology, specifically the SaaS Digital Experience Engine, but also its SaaS DX Graph database.<h3 id="riding-the-composable-wave">Riding the composable wave</h3>I’m always interested in paradigm shifts in the computing industry, and composable architecture represents such a transition. Once you commit to API-first composable solutions, there is no going back to the monolithic platforms and proprietary interfaces of the past. The future is an intermix of the most fit-for-need systems from multiple vendors, and Conscia provides infrastructure and features that enable composable solutions. In addition to its Digital Experience Engine, Conscia also offers DX Graph, an API-first SaaS graph database for integrating and caching any kind of data from any system, including legacy systems.Modern architectures involve every front-end client accessing numerous back-end systems directly, requiring re-implementing the same process flows repeatedly, resulting in redundancy and complexity in the architecture. Conscia provides facilities to meet common patterns in composable solutions, abstracting the technical details of intermingling interdependent Webservice API calls, webhooks, scheduled tasks, and interactive processes. Organizations encapsulate reusable business processes using composable solutions as encapsulated orchestration flows that provide consistent functionality across all channels.When I began investigating headless content management, I started identifying gaps: challenges that organizations would need to overcome, which would likely lead to technical debt and brittle solutions that could be difficult to maintain. In March of 2021, before I had ever even heard of Conscia, <a target="_blank" href="https://deliverystack.net/2021/03/30/headless-cms-with-webhook-and-api-brokers/">I wrote a blog post</a> about some suggestions that I thought would benefit composable solution architecture: <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:64.96%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/03/conscia-orchestration-diagram.jpg" alt="" /></figure><a target="_blank" href="https://deliverystack.net/2021/03/30/headless-cms-with-webhook-and-api-brokers/">SOURCE: https://deliverystack.net/2021/03/30/headless-cms-with-webhook-and-api-brokers/</a> This diagram from that blog post indicates Webhook and API Brokerage as composable infrastructure separate from Orchestration. Conscia brings those functions together in the DX Engine, providing not just a Webservice API and Webhook abstraction layer, but a UI for orchestrating and intermingling these third-party APIs (brokerage/orchestration UI not shown in the diagram). Including an orchestration flow scheduling facility, the DX engine provides a foundation for robust composable solutions.<h3 id="what-it-means-to-be-a-dxo">What it means to be a DXO</h3>Conscia markets itself as a Digital Experience Orchestration (DXO) solution. From my perspective, managing digital experiences is a subset of Conscia’s capabilities; its real value is in orchestrating complex business processes that can involve numerous Webservice APIs from multiple vendors. In Conscia, organizations define orchestration flows – sequences of components that perform unit tasks such as calling a Webservice API – that you can invoke via the Conscia DX Engine UI, Webservice APIs, webhooks from any client that connects to the Internet, or from the scheduler built into the Conscia DX Engine itself.While optimally, every organization could implement their own API brokerage and abstraction layer, few organizations have the technical and financial resources to take this approach, let alone the awareness before they’re deep into a glue code nightmare, and/or re-inventing the monolith. Solutions need a layer between clients and back-end systems to centralize access to normalized and integrated data stitched together from concurrent and sequential Webservice API calls. These reusable process flows insulate clients from the implementation details of the various back-end vendors (Content Management, Commerce, Customer Data Platform, Search, and otherwise), making it easier to add, replace, update, and remove major elements of the architecture.I’m not saying that there’s never a case for clients to call vendor APIs directly. Headless search type-ahead is an example of where orchestration is neither necessary nor practical, and performance is so fundamental that I would not suggest adding an extra layer as a best practice. That said, in every other business case that I have considered, there is sufficient justification for adding Conscia between the client and the various back-end systems.<h3 id="getting-to-the-heart-of-the-matter">Getting to the heart of the matter</h3>As with any significant infrastructure component, Conscia presents a learning curve that developers working within time constraints may prefer to avoid. With Conscia, that investment is absolutely worthwhile to increase productivity and improve long-term maintainability. In fact, once you work with Conscia, you are likely to wonder how or why you would implement composable solutions without it. Using good software architecture feels like playing with a well-designed toy, working with a well-engineered tool, or driving a sports car.While there are SaaS products that provide various relevant capabilities, from my perspective, Conscia has no direct competitors. This makes Conscia a market leader with first mover advantage in a space that is virtually guaranteed to expand indefinitely as organizations continue to integrate existing and emerging solutions into their composable stacks. Our CEO, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/sana-remekie">Sana Remekie</a>, likes to say that Conscia represents the brains of the composable stack. I can also see Conscia as the heart of the composable stack, where the brains will always be the smart people that it takes to configure and implement complex web solutions. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

John West: Why I Joined Conscia 

johnwest

<hr /> Big changes are afoot at the very top of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/sitecore">Sitecore</a>. The global leader in end-to-end digital experience management software recently announced that <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveof/">Dave O'Flanagan</a> has been appointed as Interim CEO, replacing incumbent <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tzikakis/">Steve Tzikakis</a> – who held the role for the last three and a half years.Prior to the promotion, O'Flanagan served as Sitecore's Chief Product Officer. According to the company's press release, O'Flanagan's focus on technology and customers will drive a deeper investment in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sitecore.com/">Sitecore's Digital Experience Platform (DXP)</a>. This includes advancing its operational capabilities and better enabling its partner ecosystem to help users of its software to effectively differentiate, innovate, and grow. Tzikakis will remain as a special advisor to the Sitecore Board and support O'Flanagan through the transition.<h3 id="a-seasoned-ceo-with-sitecore-lineage">A seasoned CEO with Sitecore lineage</h3>O'Flanagan himself is no stranger to the Chief Executive role, having led <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/sitecore-acquires-boxever-and-four51">Boxever</a> – a customer data platform (CDP) – before it was acquired by Sitecore in 2021. This was a milestone moment for Sitecore, as the Boxever purchase was completed at the same time as the acquisition of commerce platform <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/sitecore-acquires-boxever-and-four51">Four51</a>.“I am honored to lead Sitecore into this next wave of growth,” said O'Flanagan. "We have a compelling product that delivers digital experiences that our peers simply cannot match; our commitment to composability and choice further differentiates us in how our customers buy; and simply put, we have the most innovative solutions, respected partners and committed workforce I could ask for. Our success is driven by our customers' success, and everything we do moving forward will focus on ensuring our current and future customers can extract maximum value from their investment in Sitecore."In addition to the switch in the captain's seat, Sitecore announced that <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/roosdarren/">Darren Roos</a> has been appointed as its new Chairman of the Board. Roos is a proven technology leader with a track record for transforming and rapidly scaling global software businesses. He previously served as CEO at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/ifs/">IFS</a> – an ERP vendor – where he also serves as Chairman of the Board. “I would like to thank both Steve Tzikakis and Jonas Persson, former Chair of the Board, for their incredible passion and hard work which has brought Sitecore to this point,” said Roos. “Reaching the milestone of over €450m in ARR makes Sitecore one of the largest software leaders in the world, trusted by the world's largest and most respected brands. On behalf of everyone at Sitecore we wish them the very best for the future. I look forward to partnering with Dave and the broader Sitecore team as we push on to become the dominant leader in this market.”<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>As Roos noted, Sitecore has certainly achieved a compelling level of ARR during an unprecedented run. The company's investment in technologies like Boxever and Four51 helped advance its completeness of vision, and its channel continues to be an important part of its continued growth – and upholding its household name status in the CMS and DXP industry.At the same time, competition is increasing both up and downstream. Challenges from other players on the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-dxp-kerfuffle-finding-the-big-chords-in-the-2024-gartner-magic-quadrant">Gartner MQ for DXP</a> (where Sitecore saw a shift from the Leaders to the Visionaries quadrant) are creating significant headwinds for enterprise players. The drive to embrace a more composable posture is also creating an urgency to evolve – all underpinned by a deafening volume around AI innovation that proves value to users, brands, and organizations.Additionally, a possible <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-13/eqt-is-said-to-weigh-sale-of-2-billion-danish-software-maker">sale by majority stakeholder EQT</a> has been volleyed publicly and could affect the optics – and confidence – for both existing customers and buyers. “Unifying and leveraging data to deliver compelling digital experiences is a high priority for all growing brands,” said <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-shin-h%C3%B8egh-andersen-1199051/">Christian Shin Høegh Andersen</a>, partner at EQT. “The work Sitecore has already done to advance its Digital Experience Platform beyond that of its peers lays great foundations for what's to come. I recognize the leadership of Steve Tzikakis in achieving this and am pleased he will continue to work with the Board. Moving forward, we have full confidence in Dave O'Flanagan stepping up as Interim CEO, and with his product background, he is ideally placed to ensure customers make the most of the powerful AI capabilities that are being rolled out across the Sitecore platform.”An interim CEO typically suggests that a change was sudden and unexpected, leaving an abundance of speculation. As the company conducts its search for a longer-term Chief Executive, O'Flanagan will likely be in the running, but much of that will be based on the coming weeks and months. One thing is certain: Sitecore continues to be a market force. It's hard to read the tea leaves, but it's clear that 2024 is presenting new challenges and opportunities for the DXP – and it will be interesting to track the transformation as the company looks to its new leadership to provide direction.  <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Big Shift at Sitecore: Dave O'Flanagan Takes the Helm as Interim CEO

<hr /> Technical debt is a challenge that increases as digital business gets more complex. This debt accumulates when companies opt for quick-fix solutions or continue to rely on outdated systems, sacrificing long-term efficiency for short-term gains. As the digital world accelerates, technical debt compounds, leading to increased costs and reduced agility.A recent study revealed<a target="_blank" href="https://www.protiviti.com/uk-en/global-technology-executive-survey-tech-debt-major-burden#:~:text=As%20organizations%20strive%20to%20increase%20their%20focus%2C%20and,level%20of%20impact%20on%20their%20ability%20to%20innovate."> more than 70% of businesses</a> report that technical debt is significantly impeding their ability to innovate. With technological advances rapidly outpacing the ability of companies to adapt, the issue of technical debt has never been more pertinent.When migrating to a new <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-content-management-system-cms">Content Management System (CMS)</a>, reducing, and mitigating technical debt should be front of mind. Proactively managing debt as part of your migration strategy will lead to a smoother transition and lower the <a target="_blank" href="https://hygraph.com/blog/content-management-system-cost">total cost of ownership (TCO)</a> of the new solution. What’s more, development teams can focus on innovation rather than simply keeping the lights on.<h3 id="the-cost-of-neglect:-when-technical-debt-spirals">The Cost of Neglect: When Technical Debt Spirals</h3>Several factors contribute to technical debt during CMS migrations. For instance, insufficient communication between teams leads to rushed fixes and missed opportunities. Effective communication channels should be established to facilitate seamless collaboration. By doing so, insights and concerns on a project can be shared easily and addressed in a timely manner rather than six months down the line.Organizations should also ensure they aren’t just “lifting and shifting” problems from one platform to the next. Too many teams waste time and resources moving outdated assets, duplicate data, and unused features. This coupled with time pressures and skills gaps means some organisations end up moving to new platforms without fully capitalising on what they have to offer.Lastly, if training and employee adoption are treated as an afterthought, transitioning to a new CMS will be a painful process. In the worst-case scenario, all the migration work is done just for people to default back to old working methods. Having an effective change management program is essential.<h3 id="ensuring-your-migration-is-a-success">Ensuring Your Migration is a Success</h3>To make any CMS migration a success, businesses should follow five steps to reduce technical debt:  <h4 id="1.-set-up-an-internal-migrations-team">1. Set Up an Internal Migrations Team</h4>This team should comprise representatives from various departments, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of how content is used across the organization. Their role includes planning the migration, identifying challenges, allocating resources, and ensuring smooth knowledge transfer. For example, the team can establish global standards for content governance and documentation, and train colleagues in new operational methods. This ensures that all perspectives are considered, leading to a migration that aligns with the needs of the entire organization.<h4 id="2.-conduct-a-content-audit">2. Conduct a Content Audit</h4>A thorough content audit is essential to identify redundant, obsolete, or trivial data that need not be migrated. This process involves mapping out where data lives, who owns it, the content types used, and interrelationships between datasets. Particularly when moving from a monolithic to a headless CMS; understanding the support structure of different processes is critical, as legacy data models may not directly translate to a headless approach and may require adjustments during migration.<h4 id="3.-consolidate-and-simplify-workflows">3. Consolidate and Simplify Workflows</h4>This step involves identifying overlapping capabilities, pinpointing outdated tools causing frustrations, and determining how processes can be streamlined with the new CMS. For example, German food and beverage maker, Dr. Oetker, is using a headless CMS to manage digital experiences across 40 countries from a single platform, allowing for consistent branding, streamlined processes, and rapid global updates.<h4 id="4.-design-a-composable-content-strategy">4. Design a Composable Content Strategy</h4>Adopting a composable content strategy is key for maximizing the benefits of a headless CMS. This strategy involves defining reusable content models, such as “blog post models” or “call to action models,” that can be displayed across various channels. This modular approach enables quick solution development for current use cases, with the flexibility to adjust models for future needs. It also empowers business users to create unique experiences without developer assistance, exemplifying the shift from a page-based to an omnichannel business mindset.<h4 id="5.-federate-your-content-sources">5. Federate Your Content Sources</h4>As digital experiences expand, content often relies on data from multiple applications and external sources. Federating content sources is about integrating these sources in a way that minimizes maintenance-heavy integrations and resource-intensive processes.The demand for connected digital services shows no sign of slowing down, so organizations’ content strategies are increasingly under the microscope. For those looking to migrate their CMS, now is the opportunity to proactively take measures to reduce technical debt, meaning they can focus on future innovation rather than have one eye on their rear-view mirror. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Overcoming CMS Migration Technical Debt

michael-lukaszczyk

CMS Summit 25

Find out at CMS Connect 25, August 5 - 6 in Montreal, Canada. Seats are limited.

CMS. Content. AI. Where is it all headed?

#ffffff

New Directus Marketplace Completes a Three-Legged Stool for the Composable Future

<hr /> Shock and awe.Seems like a fitting phrase to describe the amount of passion and participation we saw in our 12th annual CMS Critic People’s Choice Awards. Yup. We’re a little shocked, and a whole lotta awe. And it’s all thanks to you. A lot has changed in the decade-plus that we’ve been conducting our annual shindig. In the beginning, there were no DXPs or headless CMSs – just a few APIs and a dream. We also had a smaller cohort of participants.Sure, some of the same players are still in the mix, and plenty of new ones, too. We’ve even seen a few mergers along the way. But brands aside, what’s really astounding is how content management continues to be relevant after all these years – and we’re still celebrating the innovation and community gravitas these platforms create. Speaking of community… if there’s one thing our People’s Choice Awards brings out, it’s the people who build with these amazing tools and technologies. Once again, you showed us how much love and loyalty exist in your own ecosystems, and how fierce that loyalty can be. You got the word out – to the tune of thousands of nominations and votes – and it’s inspiring. It's always bittersweet to see another Awards season come and go, but we have an exciting year ahead with lots of new innovation in the pipeline. So without further ado, here are the winners and the highlights from this year's amazing event.<h3 id="umbraco-sweeps-with-5-category-wins-">Umbraco sweeps with 5 category wins </h3>There's usually one big movie that sweeps at the Academy Awards, lurching victories in multiple categories. Things don't always play out that way with our own Awards program – but this year, there was one vendor that came out on top. It’s no surprise that many platforms fit into several of this season's 16 categories. Many DXPs offer products like a DAM that can be procured separately (and that’s just one example). To that end, we let you – our audience – nominate and vote for the tools you love in each solution space.This year, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/umbraco">Umbraco</a> brought the rain. They swept in five categories: Best Enterprise CMS, Best DXP, Best Headless CMS, Best Composable Solution, and Best AI Solution in a CMS or a DXP. With the launch of its Umbraco Heartcore headless CMS – as well as an array of AI plugins and integrations – it’s clear that Umbraco’s users are thrilled with its features and came out to support the platform in a big way. Congrats to the Umbraco team and its community for driving home these wins.<h3 id="joomla,-statamic,-and-shopify-score-gold-in-multiple-categories">Joomla, Statamic, and Shopify score gold in multiple categories</h3><a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/joomla">Joomla</a> also made a splash with two category wins for Best Free CMS and Best Open Source CMS. Every year, Joomla’s community gets activated around the CMS Critic Awards, tapping its vast global reach to muster support.<a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/statamic">Statamic</a> also scored in two categories: Best Flat File CMS and Best Static Site Generator. The platform has a tenacious following, and continues to be vocal in promoting the Awards across its user community.Despite a decent cohort of competitors, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/shopify">Shopify</a> won in the Best e-Commerce Solution and Best Headless Commerce Solution categories. Over the last two years, the platform has turned up the headless heat with its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.shopify.com/plus/solutions/headless-commerce">ShopifyPlus</a> back-office solution for powering storefronts, giving it a broader platform of offerings and embracing more composable strategies. <h3 id="optimizely-takes-the-dam-prize">Optimizely takes the DAM prize</h3>It was a heated battle in the DAM department, but <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/optimizely">Optimizely</a> won out with its digital asset management suite – designed to work with leading CMSs, but also with the company’s own content management platform. This includes customizable workflows for maintaining brand compliance across large ecosystems. In the Best ECM category – the specialized Enterprise Content Management vertical – we had a relative newcomer shake things up. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.notion.so/product">Notion</a> was nominated in the early round and went on to upset previous winners by taking the gold. This includes a few stalwarts that have an almost unshakable dominance in the field. For Best Website Builder, you loved <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/yootheme">YOOtheme</a>. A perennial favorite with CMS Critic Awards voters, YOOtheme provides page builder capabilities for both <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wordpress">WordPress</a> and Joomla, as well as hosting a marketplace of themes and templates. The enduring loyalty for the Hamburg-based provider is heartening, especially as choice and competition increase in this field. In the Best DXC (Digital Experience Composition) lane, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/netlify">Netlify</a> outpaced the competition – which has certainly grown over the last year. DXC has been an evolution, and a category that has only just emerged (relative to our established pools). We’ll be watching this space and the growth of orchestration tools as we look ahead to the 2024 Awards. Finally, you picked <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-offers-microsoft-azure-becomes-only-multi-cloud-saas-cms-qa-with-cto-nishant-patel">Azure</a> as the Best Development/Hosting Platform. While <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/microsoft-sharepoint">Microsoft</a> continues to expand its foray into search and AI, its cloud ecosystem is providing a solid foundation for building applications and scaling services to meet the growing demands of modern digital experiences. <h3 id="the-class-of-2023">The Class of 2023</h3>For a quick snapshot of the results, here’s the list of all the 2023 winners. You can also watch this video:<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/dap0L8bXGos"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dap0L8bXGos" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> <img style="width:14.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/02/umbraco-edited.png" alt="Umbraco Logo" />Best Enterprise CMS: UmbracoBest DXP: UmbracoBest Headless CMS: UmbracoBest AI Solution in a CMS or DXP: UmbracoBest Composable Solution: Umbraco <img style="width:30.71%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/02/joomla-edited.png" alt="Joomla! Logo" />Best Free CMS: JoomlaBest Open Source CMS: Joomla <img style="width:30.09%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/statamic-logo.jpg" alt="Statamic logo" />Best Flat File CMS: StatamicBest Static Site Generator: Statamic <img style="width:29.25%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/shopify-logo-white-bg.webp" alt="Shopify logo" />Best e-Commerce Solution: ShopifyBest Headless Commerce Solution: Shopify <img style="width:30.31%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/optimizely-logo-white-bg.webp" alt="Optimizely logo" />Best DAM (Digital Asset Management): Optimizely <img style="width:31.16%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/02/yootheme-edited.png" alt="YOOtheme Logo" />Best Website Builder: YOOtheme <img style="width:28.96%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/03/notion-logo.jpg" alt="" />Best ECM (Enterprise Content Management): Notion <img style="width:28.66%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/03/netlify_logo.png" alt="" />Best DXC (Digital Experience Composition): Netlify <img style="width:28.75%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/03/microsoft_azure_logo.png" alt="" />Best Development/Hosting Platform: Azure<h3 id="congratulations-to-all-our-2023-winners">Congratulations to all our 2023 Winners</h3>What more can we say? Once again, we’re thrilled to have such a passionate community of readers, and we’re already looking forward to next year’s Awards. At CMS Critic, a big part of our charter is to serve the CMS community. Like you, we’re an assemblage of developers and content professionals, and we want our industry to shine and endure. We also want to attract new talent to our collective ranks, and having your participation helps stoke interest and drive awareness. YOU make this possible, and YOU matter to the movement. If you didn't get nominated or take home a win, that's OK – there's always next year. Keep an eye out for announcements for our 2024 Awards, so you can start promoting early in the nomination round. It's really anyone's game if you can rally your customers and communities. We’ll also be featuring some additional events throughout the year, so stay tuned and make sure you’re signed up to receive our emails. It's easy: visit <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/">www.cmscritic.com</a> and click “Sign Up” in the upper right corner. <h3 id="hey-winners…-ready-to-collect-your-prizes?">Hey winners… ready to collect your prizes?</h3>Calling all winning vendor marketing departments: looking to promote the good news and get the goods? Email us at <a href="mailto:info@cmscritic.com">info@cmscritic.com</a> to request your exclusive badges and claim your 30-day Product Directory upgrade. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Announcing the Winners of the 2023 CMS Critic People’s Choice Awards

<hr /> <a target="_blank" href="https://preston.so/">Preston So</a> is an institution in the CMS world. A vanguard of the hallowed halls of content.It's not hyperbole. He's been at it for a long time and made incredible contributions to the industry. Not only is So a gifted leader and communicator who's helped drive the product roadmap at places like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.oracle.com/">Oracle</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/gatsby">Gatsby</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/acquia">Acquia</a>, but he's also an adept writer who's penned multiple books on an array of CMS-related topics (it's worth noting that he's also an accomplished <a target="_blank" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polyglot">polyglot</a>). Now, after a recent break, he's continuing his journey with a platform that's also somewhat of an institution: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dotcms.com/">dotCMS</a>, a leading hybrid-headless content management system first released in 2009.“Having worked in the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=cms&amp;highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7168650435443019776"> CMS</a> world for 17 years, I've seen my fair share of market players come and go,” he remarked in a recent <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/prestonso_headless-cms-decoupleddays-activity-7170423703070035968-YQ80?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop">LinkedIn post</a>. “But dotCMS has always struck me from the beginning as a formidable source of inspiration and innovation in the space.”Today, the company announced that So has joined the company as Vice President of Product. In this role, he will be responsible for scaling the dotCMS product team and driving its product management, strategy, and design efforts. According to the company's press release, So will also be tasked with building a developer relations team as the company continues to grow its customer base and product portfolio. “We are delighted to welcome Preston to dotCMS," said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/zainishaq/">Zain Ishaq</a>, CEO at dotCMS. "Preston is a visionary leader in the CMS space who we have admired for a long time,”  “We are deeply focused on innovation as we solve complex content management challenges for our customers. Preston’s experience will help us bring cutting-edge products to our customers."<h3 id="a-visionary-voice-in-the-cms-realm">A visionary voice in the CMS realm</h3>Preston So is a senior product leader with two decades of experience in software and 9 years of leading product, design, engineering, and developer relations at leading technology and media organizations. As mentioned, he is also the author of multiple books, including <a target="_blank" href="https://preston.so/books/immersive-content">Immersive Content and Usability</a> (A Book Apart, 2023), <a target="_blank" href="https://preston.so/books/voice-content">Voice Content and Usability</a> (A Book Apart, 2021), <a target="_blank" href="https://preston.so/books/gatsby">Gatsby: The Definitive Guide</a> (O'Reilly, 2021), and <a target="_blank" href="https://preston.so/books/decoupled-drupal">Decoupled Drupal in Practice</a> (Apress, 2018).A globally recognized authority on the intersections of content, design, and code, he is an editor at <a target="_blank" href="https://alistapart.com/author/preston-so/">A List Apart</a> and has <a target="_blank" href="https://preston.so/speaking">delivered keynotes</a> around the world in three languages. So is also the founder of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.decoupleddays.com/">Decoupled Days</a>, the first and only non-profit headless CMS conference, held in New York and Albuquerque since 2017. “I’m truly excited to join the dotCMS team and to contribute to an organization that has long been at the vanguard of the CMS industry,” said So. “dotCMS has always been a formidable innovator in the space, and I’m humbled by the opportunity to support and learn from our customers’ success with best-of-breed headless APIs like <a target="_blank" href="https://graphql.org/">GraphQL</a> and established core capabilities like no-code page building and structured content modeling.” <h3 id="building-on-a-legacy-of-success">Building on a legacy of success</h3>dotCMS has established a clear position in the market as a hybrid solution, providing headless CMS capabilities alongside marketer-focused tools like a page builder. That platform was designed to be flexible and developer-friendly, so users can architect around their requirements with an API-first model, allowing for easy integration with an existing tech stack. It's also a multi-site solution, providing simplified management for a broad ecosystem of experiences. As a content management system, dotCMS is focused on helping global enterprises with sophisticated content requirements. It's best suited for organizations across industries that manage multiple brands, websites, workflows, and content types across multiple languages. The blending of secure and scalable tools for a development team with intuitive editing tools for content and marketing teams makes it a comprehensive offering. dotCMS counts notable brands such as Dairy Queen, Newell, Greensky, Chewy, and Comcast have chosen dotCMS as customers. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Preston So Joins dotCMS as Vice President of Product

The DXP Kerfuffle: Finding the Big Chords in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant

<hr /> <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/jonstewart">Jon Stewart</a> is president and co-founder of <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/zensource">ZenSource</a>, and CMS Critic contributor.  Both <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-content-management-system-cms">Content Management Systems</a> (CMS) and Digital Experience Platforms (DXP) play pivotal roles in the education industry. They share many of the same features, however they serve different purposes in managing and delivering digital content. The complexity arises from the overlap of functionalities, compounded by the fact that many CMS vendors have evolved into DXPs, and DXP-first platforms now include a CMS. This makes it increasingly confusing for marketers and IT professionals to decode which to use and the benefits of each. Despite this, both CMS and DXP have an important and powerful place in MarTech and higher education. But there's no need to invest in costly and complex DXP-first platforms to achieve scale. By utilizing open-source <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/drupal">Drupal</a> with a composable approach to MarTech architecture, these two systems can be combined to deliver a comprehensive omnichannel marketing platform. This article aims to clarify the key differences and advantages of both tools, offering tips on building a fully open DXP.  <h3 id="the-difference-between-a-cms-and-a-dxp---">The difference between a CMS and a DXP   </h3>In short, while a CMS is primarily focused on content creation and management, a DXP extends its functionality to provide a holistic digital experience by incorporating various tools and capabilities to engage users across multiple touch points.  <h4 id="content-management-system-(cms)">Content Management System (CMS)</h4><ul><li>Focus: Primarily focuses on content creation, management, and publication. </li><li>Purpose: Designed for organizing and handling digital content such as text, images, videos, and documents. </li><li>Features: Provides tools for content creation, editing, version control, and workflow management. Typically used for websites and blogs. </li><li>User Experience: Centers around content editors and publishers who create and update content. </li></ul><h4 id="digital-experience-platform-(dxp)">Digital Experience Platform (DXP)</h4><ul><li>Focus: Encompasses a broader scope, going beyond content management to deliver a comprehensive digital experience. </li><li>Purpose: Aims to create seamless, personalized, and engaging digital experiences across various channels. </li><li>Features: Combines CMS capabilities with additional tools like customer data management, analytics, personalization, e-commerce, and more. </li><li>User Experience: Targets a wider audience, including marketers, developers, and IT professionals, to enhance overall digital experiences.    </li></ul>There doesn’t have to be a choice between a CMS and a DXP platform. Depending on the specific needs and goals of your organization and with proper planning and architectural design of your platform, a Drupal CMS can act as the base. Over time, additional features can be incorporated to create a full suite of DXP components. Shifting away from a monolithic approach to a single code base and process, IT professionals can opt for a decoupled system. This approach facilitates the gradual integration of features, ensuring smoother scalability, upgrades, and time-to-market advantages.            <h3 id="strategy-#1:-start-with-drupal-at-the-core">Strategy #1: Start with Drupal at the core</h3>Starting with Drupal at the core of the platform of your DXP offers significant benefits. Drupal is a powerful and flexible open-source CMS, particularly when used in higher education. It has gained exponential popularity for its versatility and extensibility. Drupal provides a highly flexible framework that allows developers to customize and tailor the platform to meet specific project requirements. Its modular architecture enables the creation of custom features and functionalities, making it suitable for a wide range of web applications that can be integrated over time such as behavioral analytics with personalization and marketing automation. It offers a user-friendly interface for content creators, allowing them to easily publish, edit, and organize content and the content modeling and structuring features make it efficient for managing diverse types of content.           Drupal is well-suited for projects of varying scale which is why it can be so powerful for scale across a multi-channel DXP content delivery model. Whether you are building a small website or a complex enterprise-level application, Drupal's scalability ensures that the platform can grow with your project's needs and publish content from one database to all your channels. It also offers strong support for APIs, facilitating integration with third-party services and applications which is crucial for creating interconnected systems that a DXP will rely on.The Drupal ecosystem includes a vast library of modules and extensions that extend the platform's functionality. This rich repository allows developers to leverage pre-built solutions, saving time and effort in development. Lastly, Drupal is committed to continuous innovation, regularly releasing updates and new features. This ensures that projects built on Drupal can take advantage of the latest technologies and trends in web development. Therefore, as the Drupal community actively expands its product roadmap, there are increasingly more modular components that help with creating core DXP features.           <h3 id="strategy-#2:-optimize-drupal-for-decentralized-authoring">Strategy #2: Optimize Drupal for decentralized authoring</h3>Optimizing Drupal for decentralized authoring while maintaining centralized brand consistency involves strategic planning, configuration, and the implementation of specific features. This will act as the authoring foundation for your enterprise-scale higher ed DXP, accommodating users with varying levels of access and roles as the platform extends. The key is to allow for users to grow within the system, striking the right balance between control, scalability of content and marketing activities, and the preservation of brand consistency. Starting this process involves establishing a well-defined content structure and modeling strategy, including a clear definition of content types, fields, and relationships to ensure consistency across various content creators and website sections. The design should be separated from the data structure, so that authors do not have to worry about breaking UI whether they’re creating content or setting up rules for marketing automation.        Leverage Drupal's role-based permissions capabilities to assign specific roles and permissions to different content authors. Ensure that decentralized authors have appropriate access levels based on their responsibilities while maintaining control over critical brand elements. Implement a content moderation workflow to control the content lifecycle. Define stages such as draft, review, and publish to enable centralized oversight and approval before content goes live. This ensures brand consistency and quality control.     Store brand assets (logos, images, style guides) in a centralized location within Drupal. Provide decentralized authors with easy access to these assets through a media library or asset repository to maintain brand consistency in visual elements. Develop custom content templates to guide content authors in creating consistent content. Templates can enforce standardized layouts, styles, and branding elements, ensuring a cohesive user experience across the site. Maintain consistency in categorization and tagging by using shared taxonomies and vocabularies. Centralize the management of categories to avoid content fragmentation and ensure that similar content is categorized uniformly. Using permissions, you can define which assets can be shared among users within the central Drupal instance. Lastly, provide training and ongoing support for content authors to ensure they understand and adhere to brand guidelines. Foster a collaborative environment where decentralized authors feel empowered to contribute while respecting brand consistency.                <h3 id="strategy-#3:-extend-drupal-over-apis-using-microservices-">Strategy #3: Extend Drupal over APIs using microservices </h3>Extending Drupal over APIs can transform the CMS into an open Digital Experience Platform (DXP) tailored for higher ed, providing flexibility, and delivering a seamless and personalized user experience across various channels. A major advantage of a microservices approach is the ability to scale individual services independently. By extending Drupal with microservices, you can ensure that specific components, such as authentication or search functionality, can scale horizontally based on demand, optimizing performance and resource utilization. This allows Drupal to offer personalized content recommendations, dynamic layouts, and targeted experiences based on individual user preferences and interactions. First, break down Drupal's monolithic structure into smaller, independently deployable services. Each microservice should represent a specific business capability, such as content management, user authentication, or personalization. This decomposition allows for agility and scalability, as each microservice can evolve independently. With APIs at the core, seamlessly integrate third-party services and applications into the DXP, enabling Drupal to act as a central hub orchestrating interactions and ensuring a cohesive user experience.Adopt an API-first design approach to expose microservice functionalities through well-defined APIs. Drupal, serving as the central content management microservice, provides APIs for content creation, retrieval, and modification, promoting smooth communication and data exchange with other microservices. Integrate user authentication services, recommendation engines, or analytics platforms as separate microservices, fostering a modular and extensible higher ed DXP.Implement DevOps practices for continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD), enabling independent development and faster release cycles, while also reducing the risk of system-wide failures during updates. Monitor and analyze the microservices architecture using centralized tools to gain insights into performance, reliability, and user interactions for quick issue identification and continuous improvement.Engage with the Drupal and broader higher education community, collaborating for knowledge sharing and adopting best practices. This approach ensures that the higher ed DXP remains open, extensible, and aligned with industry standards. Extending Drupal over APIs using a microservices approach enables the creation of a flexible, scalable, and personalized higher ed DXP, preserving Drupal's renowned content management capabilities.<h3 id="strategy-#4:-build-with-security-as-your-foundation">Strategy #4: Build with security as your foundation</h3>Securing your higher ed DXP is crucial in the evolving digital landscape, where cyber threats persist and grow more sophisticated. As your DXP scales, it becomes an attractive target for cyber attackers. Adopting a security-first approach ensures resilience, safeguards sensitive data, and mitigates risks.Drupal prioritizes security with a robust security model and dedicated team, following best practices and regular updates. Enhance DXP security with thorough threat modeling, incorporating secure design principles, and adopting a defense-in-depth strategy. Identify possible threats, vulnerabilities, and attack vectors specific to your solution. Understanding the potential risks allows you to proactively design security measures. Incorporate secure design principles from the outset. Embrace the principle of least privilege, implement proper data encryption, and follow the principle of defense in depth. Design your solution with security controls at multiple layers, making it more challenging for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities. Train developers in secure coding practices, conduct regular code reviews, and adhere to data protection regulations, industry standards, and legal requirements. Make sure your team stays informed about changes in compliance standards and update your security measures accordingly. Implement robust authentication and authorization mechanisms. Use strong and adaptive authentication methods, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), to verify user identities. Define and enforce granular access controls to ensure that users and systems have the minimum necessary privileges. Perform regular security audits and penetration testing to assess the effectiveness of your security controls. Identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses through simulated attacks, allowing you to remediate issues before they can be exploited in real-world scenarios.  Develop and regularly test disaster recovery and business continuity plans. In the event of a security incident or a system failure, having a well-defined plan ensures a swift response, minimizing downtime and data loss.            Encrypt sensitive data both in transit and at rest. Use industry-standard encryption algorithms to protect data from unauthorized access. Implement secure key management practices to safeguard encryption keys. Implement robust security monitoring tools to detect and respond to security incidents in real time. Set up alerts for suspicious activities and establish an incident response plan to quickly contain and mitigate security breaches. Since Drupal requires regular module updates for security patches, deploy a dedicated team to keep up with this process. Keep all software components, frameworks, and libraries up to date.For developers, marketers, and authors of your DXP, educate them on security best practices and raise awareness about social engineering tactics. Human error is a common cause of security breaches, and a well-informed workforce is a crucial line of defense.Engage with the broader security community, participate in information-sharing forums, and stay informed about emerging threats and vulnerabilities. Collaborating with the community enhances your organization's ability to stay ahead of evolving security challenges. By integrating security into the core of your solution, you create a robust and resilient fortress against potential threats. This proactive approach not only safeguards your higher ed organization but also establishes a foundation of trust in your solution's security posture.      <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Empowering Higher Ed: 4 Strategies to Transform your Drupal CMS into an Open Source DXP at Scale 

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