Our content management application is built from fifteen years of good ideas. Everytime we come up with smart solution for a project, we find a way of generalising the functionality and adding it to our core application.

There are three overriding design principles within the Wide Area content management application that have steered our development path:

1.   Implement a publishing process

The system has to understand that:

•  not all content can be immediately published. 

• different people can do different things. For example, some people can create content but are not allowed to make it live.

• no content should be lost. So if an articles goes through five revisions then all five versions are kept. 

2.   Clearly separate content from design

In general, the people who produce content do not want to manage how it appears on the page. For example, a person writing for for print wants to write their content in Word and not learn how to use Adobe InDesign. On paper and on the web, this separation makes publishing simpler. It also allows content to be more simply targeted at new platforms as they appear, such as iPhone apps and the Kindle.

3.   Allow simple changes to be made simply

There is nothing more frustrating than going to use a system and finding that something which is perceived as a simple change is complicated. For example, if I want to resize a picture in a document then I should be able to do with a few clicks.

With these principles in mind, you can view a full feature list.

Our unique templating system gives us the ability to deliver a web project with a completely customised look-and-feel and deliver it to you within a budget and delivery schedule that you would expect from a modular system.

The Wide Area templating system was developed so that we could clearly separate content from design when building websites using our own content management system.

Our content management application was built with the precept that the people who produce content do not want to manage how it appears within the page, and the people who design the page do not want their creativity stifled by programmers who want an easy life. 

In essence; we wanted a system that did not let the technical tail wag the creative dog.

Today this system lets us present content from other content systems such as WordPress and off-the-shelf e-commerce platforms, and allows content to be more simply targeted at new platforms as they appear, such as mobile phone platforms, iPhone apps and the Kindle.

And why are we telling you this?

This process is important to you because it is this process that lets us deliver a web project with a complex front end without matching that complexity in the development environment, which means that we avoid risk and cost for your business and for ours.

Read more about our web technologies.

Our ability to create custom articles via the Wide Area content management application is a service that clearly differentiates our us from our competitors. 

We developed this feature so that we can manage any content structure in a simple, editable format. We can then deliver complex front-end sites without adding technical complexity to the build process.

This means that projects can be delivered in a cost-effective way and are easy to maintain. 

Here are just a few examples of how we use custom articles to deliver projects:

• Custom articles can be populated via a feed for data integration projects,
• Via the management interface for easy, intuitive,
• From a web page to capture and display user-generated content,
• Or via a protected web page to create private management pages for users who do not need full access to the management system.

The possibilities are endless. See examples of some custom article implementations

We can deliver e-commerce article pages that are completely customised to the format of your product or service.

Whether you need a range of different formats, or one style that is particular to your business, we can create a bespoke article that accommodates any number of values such as price/discount options, term variations, rich media add-ons and premium display positions.

We can do this quickly and easily using our powerful content management application.

Once we have created the fields that you need to market and sell your product, we then identify the order processing values that need to be added to our flexible e-commerce article.

To date we have used this format to sell job listings, event bookings, directory listings and magazine subscriptions.

Clients choose us because we understand how to add value to content, so rather than code each site with a unique set of requirements, we channel our efforts into application features that we can use over again.

See some recent examples of our custom e-commerce implementations

Subscriptions are a are key requirement when generating revenue from content, whether that content is electronic and behind a paywall or is print publication.

Our Subsforce application is a stand-alone content management module that lets you create customised subscription landing pages in just a few minutes.

Each element of the page is under your control, so you can manage the creatine elements and the contract options via a drag-and-drop interface. 

Payment can be processed online via a cred/debit card payment gateway such as SagePay, EPDQ or PayPal, or we can simply collect payment information and deliver it to you or your bureau securely. 

Subsforce lets you control every element on the page...

• Price
• Term
• Payment options
• Delivery regions
• Data protection options
• Additional data capture such as gift options or demographic data
• images
• Single or multi-page layout

See examples of some Subsforce pages

Our unique templating system can now talk to WordPress. This means that if you are currently using WordPress, we can deliver a unique front end look and feel for your website without having to move your content.

Our own content management application was built with the precept that the best content structure for website users is not necessarily the most efficient structure for content producers.  

We can now apply this concept to WordPress and other content management applications.

This system also allows content to be more simply targeted at new platforms as they appear, such as mobile phone platforms, iPhone apps and the Kindle. Plus, it gives us the flexibility to filter the content according to the capabilities of the platform.

This means that your content creators manage every output via the familiar WordPress platform and your customers get the best experience from their device.

If you have access to data that has a commercial value to your customers then we can work with you to optimise that value and create a valuable online asset.

Assuming that you have the raw material, we can slice and dice your data to create something that will create real competative advantage to your business. Aside from our experience and expertise, the flexibility of our content management application and our unique templating system means that we really can leverage your content into a tangible business asset.

The distinct separation of content from design means that we can accommodate almost any form of data. So long as we can access it, then we can use it to create custom articles, ready to manipulate on the front end.

The source of your data can be a bespoke or a proprietary system. Likewise you can continue to maintain the data via its source of origin, or we can build you a bespoke management interface. We will work with you to define the work-flow that best suits your needs.

Once we have the data in our content management application, we can set about creating value by presenting it in a way that is most meaningful to your customers. Because we do not have to mirror the content structure on your web site, our options have not been limited before we start.

By working with you to produce a detailed design brief with detailed wire-frames, we will be sure to deliver the key commercial requirements for your project.

Our events marketing module provides a simple interface for you to build a micro-site for each event that you run, and manage the pages as the event moves through its promotional life-cycle.

Each instance of our events module is tailored to the requirements of each customer. The set-up process consists of three steps:

We first identify each different types of event that you run (one day conference, two day conference, awards dinner...)

Next we define the functionality that needs to be associated with each event type (places, seats or tables, member discounts, early-bird discounts, single or multi-delegate booking, on-line payment...)

Then we work out how each event, or group of events, should be displayed [sponsor logos, conference programme, speaker pages, voting pages, short-lists, winners...]

Once we have captured this information and designed some templates, the events management interface is created so that you can add new micor-sites quickly and easily.

Once created, your web pages can be edited, added to and taken away so that your site change change with the publication and sales cycles.

The management interface gives access to delegate lists and booking information, along with easy access to the micro-site conent.

At the start of each project we make sure that we understand all of your requirements from a commercial, functional and operational perspective.

To do this we use a system called viewpoint analysis which is based on the premise that any system can be viewed from a number of different angles (or viewpoints).

So rather than starting from the premise that ‘I want a system to do the following’, viewpoint analysis starts from the premise ‘What are we all going to do with the system’.

Each Wide Area project includes:

• Stakeholder review
• Extensive consultation
• Detailed requirements capture

This process ensures that each stakeholder within the client's organisation is considered and non-functional issues are covered such as hosting, security and maintenance. We adopt this practice to minimise risk and ensure that our clients understands the true cost of ownership - we aim to avoid surprises at all costs!

See some examples of completed projects

Once we are satisfied that we have captured all of your project requirements (commercial, functional and operational), we will produce a project plan that will include a key set of milestones, together with a series of tangible deliverables. Project time-lines can also be agreed.

Project milestones will map the implementation process and identify dependencies between tasks, on external services or on contributions from you.

The plan will typically include a series of delivery milestones which give you the opportunity to sign off the project in a stages rather than in one go, at the end. Our aim is always to eliminate risk and avoid surprises.

See some examples of competed projects.

Your project will be delivered using an online application that lets you track progress, comment and feedback to our development team.

Where appropriate, each project delivery milestone will be made using a live web environment. This approach allows you to sign off on all usability issues such as performance and load times before launch.

The Wide Area content management application is available as a service or under license. 

Software as a Service (SaaS)

In most instances our Wide Area content management application is delivered to clients as a service. All client access is web-based, and the application is maintained and supported by our development staff. 

All SaaS customers benefit from regular application updates and feature releases. 

Software under license

Where clients want to host and maintain the application within an existing IT infrastructure, then we will issue a license to use. Our standard licensing agreement is based on term and number of users.

Software updates are issued as a part of the license agreement. 

Read about our application platform and infrastructure