Creating Contribute Roles and Keys

Time Check: 40 minutes

The Contribute end of setting up a site involves:

1. Defining Contribute Roles
2. Creating Keys

Contribute "Role"

Defines user role in Contribute

Contribute Role = Folder Access + Home Page + Editing Restrictions

Role Tip #1: Each time you add a new variation of one of these factors it means more roles. If everyone has the same folder access, home page, and editing restrictions you only need one role. For example different levels of editing restrictions mean more keys, such as:

roles for varying editing restrictions: sales author, sales power user, marketing author, marketing power user

roles for constant editing restrictions: sales, marketing

 

Role Tip #2: Folder access is also controlled by the filesystem security. By not limiting a roles folder access via contribute and having all the roles go to the site's home page you can reduce the number of roles:

roles for varying home pages and folder access: sales author, sales power user, marketing author, marketing power user

roles for single home page and folder access: author, power user

 

Role Tip #3: Many features such as the ability to use an external application to edit a web page are hidden in the menus and aren't really a "user threat." Leaving them enabled allows advanced users to use such features and support staff to use them when doing one-on-one support on the user's computer. This also reduces the need for more roles for fine grained control. Another example is creating a blank page. You can train your users to always use templates and still configure Contribute to allow them to create a page from scratch.

 

Role Tip #4: The details of a role can be changed after users are using it. Make the role name reflect the type of user rather than the details of the role.

Contribute Keys

Contribute Key is a file that can be sent to people to get them started using Contribute. Author clicks on key and it opens Contribute and takes them to their home page. This is Contribute's answer to every web admins nightmares: "How do I connect to the site" and "I can't connect to the site".

Contribute Key = Connection Path + Connection Protocol + Contribute Role

With a large group of authors, its important to plan your Contribute roles and keys.  You don't want to have to keep making keys over and over as roles change.  You need to make a key for each type of connection that a given role might have.  At the College of Education, that means 2 keys for every role:  one for mac and one for windows users.

We make a mac and a windows version of every key ahead of time. We keep the keys on the web server in a publicly readable folder called "keys."  This makes it easy for support staff and users to get thier keys.  The keys are not a security risk and they all have the same password.  The real security on the web server is the file system permissions.

Key tip #1: Take care of the macs. On the mac side, pick a single protocal. This reduces the number of keys. SMB is better than AFP in our experience. Make user mac users mount the volume before opening the key. Make mac keys on the mac, windows keys windows. Read the technical notes on mac connection keys.

Key tip #2: Pick a naming convention to keep keys organized and so users can tell you what key they are using when they have trouble.

Key tip #3: Keep your keys in a folder on the file server. People always lose their keys.

Key tip #4: Test the keys. Its the most frustrating part of the user experience.