ALLEN PRESS

“Partnering with organizations to promote their interests and to achieve their goals.”

Applications Used:
ContentM
Case Studies

Profile

Allen Press is a commercial typesetting, printing, and publishing company providing publishers of journals, magazines and books with a variety of services related to print and online publishing. They provide journal, magazine and book manufacturing, online publishing, and a variety of other publishing services, including copyediting, managing editing, online peer review, mailing services, business management, meeting management, marketing, advertising, distribution, and warehouse fulfillment.

Allen Press has been operating in Lawrence, Kansas since 1935 when Harold Allen, founder of the company, started a two-man print shop in the basement of a downtown bank building. Allen Press printed their first scientific journal in 1952, the Wilson Bulletin, an ornithological journal that they are still printing today. Currently they employ more than 400 people and more than 300 non-profit and commercial scientific, technical and medical publishers have chosen Allen Press for their full-service publishing needs in both print and electronic media.

Challenge

  • Content Management System that is web based with no client computer software installation requirements.
  • Portable system that works across platforms, browsers, and technical environments.
  • New Site design and layout incorporating all the divisions.
  • Multi-level navigation menu requirements.
  • Multiple template manipulation providing a consistent interface and look and feel across the board.
  • Conversion of existing web site pages into multiple new templates.
  • Security with multiple access levels for administrators, staff and end users.
  • Interfaces that allow for users with absolutely no technical knowledge to manage site content.
  • Database driven system that allows for the storage and utilization of content.
  • Scaleable solution that expands with their content management needs.
  • WYSIWYG Rich Text Editor to manage all look and feel aspects of the site.
  • Ability to design and manage the site’s menu structure.
  • Automatic generation of site maps, searches, and menus.
  • Administrative tools for site wide spell checking, link validating, and search and replace.
  • Future capability to manage multiple sites since Allen Press wants to manage their own site along with some of their client sites through a single implementation of content management system.

Response

Allen Press selected AllofE’s ContentM which eliminated IT bottlenecks by empowering non-technical content creators and other users with the ability to update web site content themselves.

Allen Press needed a completely new site look and feel and layout for their new image. They also needed an easy multi-layer navigation system with menu hierarchies that would provide an optimal 3-click access to any page on their corporate site. AllofE provided them with a 2 level top navigation architecture with a multi- level hierarchy in the web page sidebar menu for easy navigation cues and access to every page. AllofE also created new page templates with a master corporate theme and then each template individualized to each division of the company with individual side menu structure.

System developers imported in all of the site’s existing web page content and incorporated them into the specific new templates. AllofE data managers worked directly with the project managers to ensure the viability of all Web site content. Network and server engineers configured and implemented the system on the Allen Press server and created the staging area for the site to be published internally exactly replicating the actual web site it would represent.

Allen press project managers were provided with ContentM training for the editor functionality which allowed them to quickly start managing their site structure and content. They also reviewed and finalized the look and feel of the site’s pages, graphics and links to all pages. With their staff directory module they were able to publish key contact information directly to the clients and users and keep all information updated without any technical knowledge. The news and headlines module was able to keep the site refreshed with the latest on-goings of  the company. Their new Web site went live powered by ContentM.

Moving Forward

With ContentM, Allen Press benefited from one centralized site management interface; user friendly functionality so that anyone could update the content; and tools such as site wide spell checking and link validating to ensure content accuracy. The WYSIWYG text editor made it easy for any content contributor to layout content on a page and modify it, publishing immediately to the web site without any IT staff involvement. Since Allen Press users used very diverse platforms and various different browsers, ContentM provided them with a flexible and portable web based tool to easily and efficiently manage content and keep their site up to date, accurate, and created effective communication of the company’s key information.