In order to manage something, it's important to understand it. Without understanding, there is no context for decision making. Rather than launching into using eZ Publish, it's important to understand why we use content management systems and how they differ from other types of projects. Content management is unique; I've heard some Content Management professionals go so far as to say content management is not an IT project. That debate doesn't really matter, what matters is understanding what makes content management different from other development projects, in order to be able to manage them effectively.

This book is primarily aimed at managers and business analysts who are given the task of implementing a content management system using eZ Publish, although it is also useful for developers and designers who will be involved in the project. It aims to provide an overall framework for defining and implementing an eZ publish-based project.

This chapter examines the differences between traditional software development and content management, and how that affects the way we approach content management as a discipline. To begin with, we look at content management projects as opposed to software development projects and identify the key differences between them. Then, we look at some of the myths that exist when it comes to web development and content management as well as the types of solutions implemented using content management systems. Finally, we look at the different types of websites and web applications, to gain an understanding of the common types of websites and applications that have emerged over the past 10 years.