5 Website Content Governance Framework

In 2018 the Libraries engaged with Viget, a web consulting firm, that helped us 1) create a new design for the libraries’ website; and 2) create a content governance schema for updating the content on the site.  The product of that work was a design schema in Figma and a document outlining content governance recommendations. 

Viget’s recommendations include the following roles and responsibilities: 

1. Minister of Style.  This individual is responsible for the maintenance of the libraries’ websites including coordinating content czars, providing SMEs with assistance editing the website, coordinating and assisting content czars with major content overhauls to the sites, and identifying and enforcing style guidelines for the site.  The Minister of Style is also responsible for partnering with the technology team to identify requirements regarding changes and upgrades to the site. 
2. Content Czar.  These are individuals that have broad responsibility for the maintenance of the libraries’ websites.  They have access to edit any section of the website but are accountable for maintaining an assigned section(s) of the site.  Content Czars coordinate updates to their sections of the site with SMEs and may work with the Minister of Style on major content overhauls to the sites.  Content Czars are also responsible for communicating with the Minister of Style and the other Content Czars on needed changes to the sites. 
3. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).  These are individuals that are responsible for editing and maintaining individual pages on a section(s) of the site.  SMEs have access to individual pages but are not able to make broad changes to the libraries’ websites.  SMEs may work with Content Czars to overhaul the pages they are responsible for updating.  SMEs should work with Content Czars on any needed changes to their pages. 

To implement the above framework, we made a handful of changes to the libraries’ content management system (CMS) to ensure the websites are maintained over the long term.

1. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).  Individual SMEs are assigned to individual pages and will only be able to edit the pages they are assigned to. SMEs in the Business Library will be able to edit any of the database pages that exist on their site. 
2. Content Czar.  Individual Content Czars will be assigned to a section of the website (e.g. https://libraries.emory.edu/tools or https://libraries.emory.edu/rose).  Content Czars have been given the ability to edit all content on the website, regardless of the section they are responsible for. Content Czars have identified a SME that will serve as a backup Content Czar for their section of the site.  The backup Content Czar will also have the ability to edit all content on the websites. 
3. Minister of Style. The Minister of Style and their student employees will serve as a backup for all SMEs and Content Czars. 

Related Documents

• Web Content Governance Charter
• Web Content Governance Group Folder