While designing and developing websites, I’ve run into a lot of repetitive tasks. From client survey and project proposal, to information architecture issues, requisite files (jQuery, mootools, reset.css, etc.), standard grid templates in XHTML/CSS, to grid layers and naming conventions in Illustrator® documents, and client invoicing, there are a lot of processes that get repeated.

Those processes are like a clingy partner in a relationship: important, but annoying. Luckily for design, a lot of them can be streamlined to take less time. Unfortunately, most clingy partners get canned. I streamline my process by using templates, standard documents, and content management systems. It’s that last one that this post is about.

After a long hesitation and with much thought, I’ve decided on a CMS to drive larger client sites, as well as sites that have the distinct potential to scale significantly larger. That CMS is Drupal, and here’s why:

  • open source/license
  • awesome development community
  • awesome scalability, with throttling options for high bandwidth
  • highly extensible through modules/hooks/api including functionality for:
    • blogging
    • wiki/taxonomy/hierarchy
    • forums
  • both CMS and CMF (Content Management Framework)
  • integrates jQuery natively
  • scalable
  • themability
  • session control

Here are some of the sites that brought me to this decision:

  • http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/ibm/library/i-osource1/index.html?ca=drs-#N1024A
  • http://www.packtpub.com/article/2008-open-source-cms-award-winner-announced
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfrfuCLH9sg&feature=related
  • http://www.drupal.org
  • http://dc2009.drupalcon.org/

I still plan on designing and developing for WordPress—but only for smaller and more static sites.