A CMS such as WordPress can be used to create content quickly based on a specification and can be used to implement external content from a variety of data sources (APIs). Designers can make use of APIs to include useful data and information to a site (such as maps, stock data and embed social media posts or YouTube vidoes) as well as manage permissions in terms of who can edit, contribute and approve posts. WordPress is commonly a blogging tool, however, can be used to create a variety of website types such as ecommerce.
Using WordPress as an example, a wide range of plug-ins are available to the user to support in adding APIs, and other tools such as ‘PublishPress Capabilities’ which allows the user to set editorial permissions on the site for new posts. Themes are also available to the user which can each provide differing experiences in customising the site, in my blog I have opted to use Astra/Spectra which is a commonly well supported theme which manages headers, footers and global site design. Designers can make use of these tools to more easily manage a site from a functionality perspective, but also an aesthetic perspective using themes to manage global assets. (PublishPress, 2024) (WPAstra, n.d.). All of these features can be used to create a unique experience and then support this experience in terms of managing it and also bring data sources together to create real time information relevant to the context of the CMS application.
Negatives of using a CMS are that, being an open source software, it can be difficult to learn how to use for an inexperienced user. Due to the versatility of WordPress it can be difficult to translate a specification into a finished product, first you must define the functionality on the site. Without prior knowledge of existing plugins and themes, research and testing must occur before a site or blog can begin to elegantly meet the specification.
Trade-offs when implementing APIs into the CMS include complexity vs. simplicity. Integrating several systems into a single site can create difficulty testing, it can also sacrifice long-term flexibility with some APIs being more difficult to customise or create, difficulty in scaling and lastly there is also a risk that an API may be taken down or modified in such a way it no longer works in the solution. (Yi, 2024)
My CMS application’s purpose is to provide a blog for Barclays RISE, which is an outreach programme used by Barclays in London and New York to capture insight and support the growing FinTech Market. Its focus is marketing new social media materials (YouTube / X) and providing information of upcoming events happening at location. I have provided YouTube embeds, X embeds, Google maps and provided real time updating stock data which is common across existing Barclays experiences, all of which allows the user to interact with media and maps without having to leave the site to view this elsewhere.