Joel Hughes, Scranton Gillette Communications Fred Salchli, DUO Consulting Scranton Gillette Communications had 2 months to turn 35,000 XML files into 3 fully functioning websites, learn how they accomplished their goal with Drupal. Step 1: Data Migration. Step 2: Information Architecture & Design. Step 3: Results. Step 4: Lessons learned.

1. B2B Market Impact at
the Speed of Light!

2. Joel Hughes, Vice President Information Technology

3. Fred Salchli, Chief Technical Officer

4. Background
• Acquisition of print and online B2B brands
• Market watching
• No possibility of soft launch

5. Background
• 5 Print Publications
• Building Design & Construction
• Professional Builder
• Professional Remodeler
• Custom Builder
• Construction Equipment

6. Background
• 3 Web Sites
• www.bdcnetwork.com
• www.housingzone.com
• www.constructionequipment.com

7. Background
• Email forwarded on July 15th
• Face to face on July 17th
• Project start on July 22nd

8. Background
• July 22nd
• 35,000 XML Files

12. Alternatives
• SGC
• Legacy, in-house platform
• Joomla
• Duo
• Commitment in 2010 to Acquia Drupal

13. Implementation
• Data Migration
• XML -> Relational Database
• Determine content structure
• Review proposed content strategy with
stakeholders

14. Implementation
• Data Migration
• Extract and transform content
• Load into transfer tables
• Create content “containers” in Drupal
• http://drupal.org/project/migrate
• Rinse and repeat

15. Implementation
• Information Architecture & Design
• Driven by content
• Rough designs and then “on the fly”

16. Results
• Project started 7/22
• BDC & HZ launched 9/20 (63 days)
• CE launched 10/14 (24 days)

17. Results
• Data migration
• Information Architecture & Design
• Ad server integration
• Amazon Web Services (EC2/RDS)
• OpenX + 3 websites

18. Results

19. Results

20. Results

21. Lessons Learned
• Data: Content First
• Impartial object of attention
• Drove design and development
• Built immediate trust

22. Lessons Learned
• Time
• Huge constraint
• Led design and development
• Forced decisions to be made

23. Lessons Learned
• Iterative Process
• Real time problem solving
• We didn’t have time to figure it all out
• Forced decisions to be made

24. Lessons Learned
• Communication
• Real time
• Centralized
• Broadcast
• http://basecamphq.com/ (37 signals)

25. Lessons Learned
• Acquia/Drupal
• Use the force
• Work within the framework
• ONLY work within the framework
• Migration tools rock!
• Acquia Search rocks!

26. Lessons Learned
• Have a great team!

27. Thank You
Joel Hughes :: jhughes@sgcmail.com
Fred Salchli :: fsalchli@duoconsulting.com