Why CMSs Are a Thing of the Past
Do you often blame yourself for turning off the wrong light? You should stop; that’s not your fault, it’s just bad design.
Why am I talking about light switches in a post about CMS?
Natural Mapping
One of the key principles of good design by Don Norman is natural mapping. Natural mapping concerns the spatial relationship between controls and their effect, and how tweaking this relationship can make your design less error-prone.
In the case of light switches, if they were well-designed, you shouldn’t have to memorize which button corresponds to which light (or even where they’ve hidden the switch for THAT light when you’re the last to leave the office).
Here are three levels of mapping, arranged in decreasing effectiveness as memory aids:
1. Best mapping: Controls are mounted directly on the item to be controlled.
2. Second-best mapping: Controls are as close as possible to the object to be controlled.
3. Third-best mapping: Controls are arranged in the same spatial configuration as the objects to be controlled.”From “The Design of Everyday Things” by Don Norman
Think of how long it took to get precise with a Wacom Tablet and how easy it is to just draw on an iPad. You should thank natural mapping.
The UX Issues of Traditional CMS
Traditional CMS disconnect the editing interface from the final one, going against the principle of natural mapping. This results in:
- Users face a steeper learning curve and higher cognitive load.
- Without real-time feedback, editing becomes more error-prone.
- The constant switching between CMS and final interface makes the workflow time consuming.
If you’ve had the chance to get stressed with WordPress, you know how the editing experience feels unintuitive and disjointed. For instance, you have to navigate an overwhelming UI to simply change the main typeface.
Direct Editing
Direct UI editing was the paradigm shift that was long needed in content management. Controls are close to the content they will affect. Manipulating the final UI and seeing the results in real-time solve the issues of traditional CMS, highly enhancing the user experience.
“The most effective way of helping people remember is to make it unnecessary.” Don Norman
Compare your WordPress experience to using Webflow. I remember taking WordPress lessons during my Bachelor’s. The first time I opened Webflow, I had a pretty decent landing page live in less than 24 hours.
AI Integration
We’re already assisting to the new step of this CMS evolution with the direct integration of AI tools in web editors. Platforms such as Wix.com now offer the capability to click on text and make real-time edits with the assistance of AI.
What’s Next?
The future of content editing is shifting towards a more natural interaction. How do you imagine the web editor of the future? Do you think AR and VR will have a role?”
