Content Structure
Content structure is probably the most important part. Most of the other examples are about layout and display formats, which does not alter the internal stored content. When we come to content structure, it is about how we physically organize content into different structures, which affects
- How content are broken into fields, like columns in Excel, which we group similar and comparable data into a single field (column).
- How content structured are specified the nature of each element called field, which can be categorized into elements like numbers, text, dates, etc. Similarly this is also available in Excel.
To do this, analysis of the content type is necessary, and the system has to provide such flexibilities.
The most difficult part is, as we always do in Excel, we always like to add, modify or expand columns & rows because situations changes, or our own thoughts are changing. This is actually the reason why we cannot get away from Excel. In the opinion of the author, the real reason is, it allows us to make changes any time. Mind changing is our nature, and in the opinion of the author, it is unavoidable. If we think about it, this should also be the requirement when we build a system - I need to be changeable.
Making changes in an Excel is easy, but making changes in a system is extremely difficult. That's exactly the beauty of BYOS - because we can build on our own, and we can change on our own.
Designing Content Structure
When we build a content structure, it requires us to analyze what we really need. Then we also need to understand what field types are available. Following is a sample list of fields available.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Boolean | Checkbox, radio buttons are examples of boolean |
| Date | Date only, date & time, or include end date/time |
| Email address | |
| Link | Link, optionally with description text |
| Number | |
| Integer | Integral number |
| Decimal | Decimal number |
| Float | Floating number |
| List (Integer) | Integer numbers in a list |
| Reference | |
| Taxonomy | Classification |
| File | Files upload and download |
| Image | Photos, pictures |
| User | User with a login account |
| Text | |
| Text (Plain) | Single line text without formatting |
| Text (Plain, Long) | Multiple line text area without formatting |
| Text (Formatted) | Single line text with formatting |
| Text (Formatted, Long) | Multiple line text area with formatting |
| Text (Formatted, Long with Summary) | Multiple line text area with formatting, and optionally a summary |
| List (Text) | Text in list format |
Additional Field Types
There are additional field types which can be available by installing additional modules, and they are free. These downloadable field types normally carries specific features. Examples include:
- Video Embed - Embedding a YouTube or Vimeo link for the video
- Icons - A field for icons, especially the web available icons such as font awesome
- A single field by combining a few multiple field types. Some of the samples the Pre-Built Paragraphs are examples by combining an image field with a text field.
How to Build Content Structures
Content structures are built by Site Builders, those who learned and understand the technology. However, it does not require a technical background to learn this. Interested parties who has the determination can do it with proper training. Mentor support will be very helpful for new learners to build their systems.
The most important part to build a site and the content structure is not technical, but the understanding and analysis of the business and daily operation details. An important requirement is, when the qualified builder think of a need, it should be built and available within hours or days, but not longer. This is the concept of BayGO (Build-as-you-GO). The line of thoughts can continue in this manner, and rich ideas can be prototyped and experimented based on which we can go much further without losing focus. That's the typical problem of most organization because developers take months and years to complete a job, and they require everything to be well defined right in the beginning. This is actually the enemy to innovation.
These are the reason why BYOS was developed, which is a valuable skillset for the right people.