How can you assign CMS user permissions most effectively?

1 Why user permissions matter

User permissions are essential for maintaining the quality, security, and consistency of your website content. By assigning user permissions, you can control who can access and modify different types of content, such as pages, posts, media, or settings. You can also prevent unauthorized changes, errors, or conflicts that could compromise your website performance or reputation. User permissions also help you define the roles and responsibilities of each user, and foster collaboration and accountability among your team.

2 How to define user roles

Before you assign user permissions, you need to define user roles. User roles are groups of users that share the same level of access and authority on your CMS. For example, you might have user roles such as administrator, editor, author, contributor, or subscriber. Each user role should have a clear and specific purpose, scope, and name that reflects its function and value. You can use existing user roles provided by your CMS, or create custom user roles that suit your needs and goals.

3 How to map user permissions

Once you have defined user roles, you need to map user permissions. User permissions are the actions that each user role can perform on your CMS, such as create, read, update, or delete (CRUD) content. You can use a matrix or a table to map user permissions, where each row represents a user role, and each column represents a content type or a CMS feature. For example, you might have columns for pages, posts, media, comments, themes, plugins, or settings. Then, you can mark the cells that indicate which user role can perform which action on which content type or feature.

4 How to assign user permissions

After you have mapped user permissions, you need to assign user permissions. You can use your CMS interface or a plugin to assign user permissions to each user role. You can also assign user permissions to individual users, if you need to grant or restrict access to specific content or features. However, you should avoid assigning user permissions randomly or inconsistently, as this could lead to confusion, duplication, or conflict. You should also review and update your user permissions regularly, to ensure they align with your current needs and goals.

5 How to communicate user permissions

Finally, you need to communicate user permissions to your users. You can use documentation, training, or feedback to communicate user permissions to your users. You should explain the purpose and value of each user role and permission, and how they relate to your website objectives and strategy. You should also provide clear and consistent guidelines and expectations for each user role and permission, and how they should collaborate and coordinate with other users. You should also encourage your users to ask questions, share feedback, or report issues related to user permissions.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?