V4 - Tamara Jones

Running head: LAB 1 – EMVI, EMAIL VIEWER, EMAIL CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PRODUCT

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Lab 1 – EmVi, Email Viewer, Email Content Management System Product Description

Tamara Jones

CS411W

Janet Brunelle

December 07, 2013

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Table of Contents

1.

Introduction .........................................................................................................................3

2.

Product Description .............................................................................................................5

2.1

Key Product Features/

Capabilities…………………………………………………………………………....5

2.2

Major Components

(Hardware/Software)……………………………………………………………….....8

3.

Identification of Case

Study..................................................................................................................................11

4.

Product Prototype

Description………………………………………………………………........................14

4.1

Prototype Architecture

(Hardware/Software)………………………………………………………………...16

4.2 Prototype Features/Capabilities………………………………………………….......17

4.3 Prototype Developmental

Changes………………………………………………………………………..…….19

Glossary……………………………………………………………………………………....21

References……………………………………………………………………………………24

List of Figures

Figure 1.

Email Marketing Campaigns/Sample Content……………………………………..6

Figure 2.

User Interface (UI) for an Approver……………………………………………… 7

Figure 3.

Example of an Email Campaign Rendered in Microsoft Outlook…….…...…….. .8

Figure 4.

Example of an Email Campaign Rendered in Lotus Notes………………..…….. .8

Figure 5.

Real World Product Major Functional Component Diagram (RWP MFCD) …….9

Figure 6.

Current Process Flow..............................................................................................11

Figure 7.

Proposed Process Flow……………………………………………………………12

Figure 8. Prototype MFCD………………………………………………………………….17

Figure 9.

Additional MFCD…………………………………………………………………18

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List of Tables

Table 1.

Competition Matrix………………………………………………………………….14

Table 2.

RWP vs. Prototype…………………………………………………………………..15

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1. Introduction

In the age of social media, texting, instant messaging, tweeting, and blogging is prevalent, email marketing has proved to be essential. Email marketing is a form of direct marketing that uses the same approach as telemarketing and postal mail and has proven to be just as successful as these methods. Specifically, email marketing is usually done by a company to directly promote a product or service, and provide notification to consumers through the use of email. Furthermore, with the abundance of email accounts steadily increasing worldwide, email marketing has proved to be important. “The number of active email users is 2.2 billion worldwide with an average number of email clients used per consumer is 2.01” (Radicati Group).

In addition, studies have shown that at least 31% of consumers check their email often, in excess of four times daily (Merkle).

Yet, another reason email marketing is substantial is that companies are seeing a 4000%

Return on Investment (ROI). Companies are increasing their campaign budgets and this is evident because 1.3 billion was spent on email marketing in 2012 and is steadily increasing (SOS

Emarketing, Radicati Group). The interest of group members of the CS411 Orange Team was piqued because research was conducted and it was found that email marketing is lucrative for many companies who provide these services. While researching, it was discovered that many organizations are able to render email marketing campaigns well and have created a niche.

However, it is also apparent that the process of creating email content is time consuming and complicated. Group members of the CS 411 Team Orange have decided to streamline this process by offering an Email Content Management System that allows for integration, centralizes development, and allows end-to-end testing to be done independently.

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EmVi or Email Viewer is the global solution that will provide email marketing content management, testing, and campaign distribution.

(This space intentionally left blank.)

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2. Product Description

EmVi's purpose is to be used as a stand-alone system that at the same time allows for integration. EmVi will be able to be utilized on one system, a user's own personal computer or laptop or can be used on a larger scale by a company. Specifically, this tool will link with the

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) of other companies and allow them access. In addition to this feature, users of the tool can upload campaign content and view images across various email clients and web browsers. This is important because this will allow users to self- edit and ensure content is rendered properly, to their liking, and error free.

With EmVi eliminating the need for outsourcing, the processes involved in email campaign marketing becomes hassle-free. Many benefits from this product are clear-cut, which include costs being reduced in campaign development and time delays being decreased. Tool

EmVi's objective is to automate various functions that again were being outsourced. Overall, users act as quality control and testers. Individuals are able to repeatedly view email marketing campaign designs and ensure they are accurate. In addition, users are able to initiate the generation of preview images as well as upload content such as files, text, or images. Moreover,

EmVi will provide automation for version control which is especially important with users being able to edit independently. Finally, individuals are able to send test emails which also becomes automated through the use of EmVi.

2.1 Key Product Features/Capabilities

One feature of tool EmVi is the ability to manage content. Content management is an integral part of email marketing and consists of a user being able to search campaigns, store, and edit content. Specifically, content is needed for email marketing to exist. The storing and

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Markup Language (HTML) files, and images. Users, through the tool EmVi, can then edit this data. Individuals can search email marketing campaigns and within campaigns for certain criterion. Yet another capability of EmVi is the tool will allow a user to upload images to the

Content Distribution Network (CDN) and replace image Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) in

HTML. Figure 1 shows examples of email marketing campaign and sample content that can be uploaded into EmVi.

Figure 1. Email Marketing Campaigns/Sample Content

The next important feature of this tool is that of an approval system, which can be customized and includes multiple stages of approval. The approval process can be lengthy, costly, and time consuming causing campaigns to have to be modified several times. EmVi’s goal is to streamline this process so that users can view email marketing campaigns within the tool and check for correctness before they are distributed. EmVi helps to alleviate mistakes.

Figure 2 shows a User Interface (UI) for an approver.

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Figure 2. An Approver’s User Interface (UI)

Furthermore, another valuable capability of EmVi will be email previewing which will provide images of email campaigns rendered in different email clients. This is especially important because users and companies want to ensure their merchandise and services are displayed and represented properly. Overall, EmVi will streamline the uploading and testing process so that it is done within the tool so that users can perform thorough testing.

Figure 3 shows an example of an email marketing campaign being shown in two different email clients.


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Figure 3. Figure 4.

Rendering in Microsoft Outlook Rendering in Lotus Notes

2.2 Major Components (Hardware/Software)

While there are many companies that offer email management content systems, EmVi’s main goal is to demonstrate a real world product that is distinct from its competition by offering many functions present companies do not provide. CS 411 Team Orange’s Email Viewer will consist of several components. Figure 4 shows the Real World Product Major Functional

Component Diagram (RWP MFCD) of EmVi.


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Figure 5. RWP MFCD

EmVi will be considered stand-alone as well as integrative. This tool will be run on a virtual server provided by Old Dominion University (ODU) with Linux as its operating system. CS 411

Team Orange has its own virtual server in which testing will be performed.

Specifically, CS 411 Team Orange will configure a web server and Simple Mail Transfer

Protocol (SMTP) server. With EmVi being stand-alone, the goal is for the tool to be able to be downloaded on a consumer’s personal laptop or desktop. EmVi will connect with third party software via an API of a CDN, either Microsoft Azure or Amazon, and test rendering companies, such as Litmus. These companies are leaders at the services and functionalities they provide, so it makes sense for CS 411 Team Orange to align as well as interface with these companies’ existing offerings.


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However, the tool EmVi intends to offer features and capabilities that these organizations do not offer together. The database engine that will be utilized is Structured Query Language

(SQL). CS 411 Team Orange found this to be the best option for the database. The database will hold the information for the users of the tool (i.e. user name, email address, etc…), the various roles (i.e. administrator, contributor, approver, and system administrator), and information for images that are uploaded. All information associated with email marketing campaigns will be in the database. For instance, the database will contain all campaign information, owners, the email address, the status, and the version number. The final software that CS 411 Team Orange will work with is that of the Play Framework. This software is a web application framework, is open source, and is in the Java language.

Play Framework provides features that allow the design of a modern website. CS 411

Team Orange will be utilizing Git which is a Source Code Management (SCM) system that assists with version control. The web server software will be configured to allow for an access control system for the various user roles. This web server software will interface with a public

API which is needed for EmVi. The web server software will be used to implement the webpage logic and will be configured to interact with the database and email SMTP interfaces.


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3. Identification of Case Study

Keith Walsh, an ODU classmate, is the case study for CS 411 Team Orange’s project. He currently works for Microsoft as a development lead for email marketing campaigns where his internal clients include Bing, MSN, and Hotmail. Keith expressed that his current workflow for content management requires a lot of coordination and manual effort. Due to Keith’s experience, he is aware that the individuals who create and manage email marketing campaigns would like self-service tools that allow them to view campaigns across various email clients, web browsers, and have a more convenient process for the uploading of images. Due to these issues,

EmVi will be created for users of email content management systems to help resolve these problems. Currently, the process for creating email content and performing testing is timely and complicated. Figure 5 illustrates the current process flow for creating email content.

Figure 6. Current Process Flow

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Email Viewer will alleviate the complexity of the testing process to allow for rapid iteration on designs. The automation of functions such as version control will be implemented.

Uploading of content, the approval process, the distribution of test emails, and the generation of preview images are the other functions EmVi will perform. Figure 6 illustrates the proposed process once tool EmVi is created.

Figure 7. Proposed Process Flow

Since Keith Walsh was the inspiration and influence for the creation of tool EmVi, CS

411 Team Orange felt it necessary that we enlist a faculty mentor as well as some domain experts. We enlisted the help of faculty mentor Steven Zeil, Associate Professor at ODU. The domain experts include Sara Johnson, President, A Touch of Tech, Dana Rambo, Program

Manager, Microsoft, and Ryan Ward, Network Administrator, SimIS.


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The individuals recruited are currently working in fields where they work with email marketing.

A faculty mentor was also recruited to act as our technical expert. The knowledge and experience our experts have provided has helped gravely in bringing tool EmVi to fruition.


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4. Product Prototype Description

With the time allotted, implementing a full real world solution will be challenging; however, CS 411 Team Orange has identified that the competition are actually the respectable companies whose functionalities we will interface with. These companies mainly focus on content distribution, content management, and testing. EmVi is unique in that it will provide all these functions in one tool. Table 1 shows our competition matrix as well as identifies tool EmVi. Table 2 shows the RWP versus the Prototype and what will actually be within EmVi’s scope.

Table 1. Competition Matrix

Table 1 outlines the features and capabilities of the various companies in which EmVi will interface with. Specifically, the table identifies the companies who specialize in content

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Table 2. RWP vs. Prototype

EmVi is an email content management system that will interface with the APIs of creditable companies and will streamline the testing and development process. EmVi intends to render email testing. Overall, EmVi will reduce errors, reduce costs, and decrease time delays.

EmVi also sets to accomplish the display of a Graphical User Interface (GUI) with various user role interfaces, display the functionality of login page, and

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DESCRIPTION 16 provide the capability of a user to receive a registration email. The Email Viewer will also provide the capability of a database that will automate access control and version control. Tool

EmVi will automate the distribution of test emails and will allow the viewing of rendered email

marketing campaigns within the tool. EmVi will be customizable for the user because it is able to function on a single system or on a larger scale by an organization.

4.1 Prototype Architecture (Hardware/Software)

Both the prototype and real world solution have similar major functional components.

The hardware will consist of the configuration of a virtual machine provided by ODU with a

Linux operating system. A web server and SMTP server is needed. EmVi will be customizable allowing a user to download the tool to their personal laptop or desktop. The third-party and web server software are still required. The third-party software, EmVi will continue to interface with

CDNs such as Azure or Amazon and test renderers such as Litmus via their APIs. MySQL is the database engine necessary to hold all information related to users and images that are uploaded.

Importantly, the database will hold everything related to the various user roles as well as all things related to campaigns.

The Play Framework will still be relevant because it is how EmVi will produce a modern website using the Java language. To help with version control, Git software will also be used.

Configurations will be done to allow for an access control system for the different user roles, the database, and the email SMTP interface. The web server software has to interface with EmVi’s public API. This web server software is needed to implement the webpage logic. Figure 7 illustrates the Prototype MFCD.


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Figure 8. Prototype MFCD

4.2 Prototype Features/Capabilities

The main features of the prototype for EmVi are outlined accordingly. EmVi will include authentication for user access, storage for files and images, and a workflow for email campaigns to show the steps in the approval process. EmVi will have an email distribution list which will have a predefined list managed by an administrator. EmVi will have the ability to parse, interpret, and unpack files. Figure 8 provides another MFCD model.


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Figure 9. MFCD

Figure 8 explicitly shows the functions EmVi intends to perform which include authentication, storage, the workflow process, and an email distribution list for testing. This figure identifies the third party organizations in which the tool will interface with. Some of the competitive companies are Azure as CDN, Exact Target which handles deployment, Drupal, a respectable company known for its content management, and Litmus, who is a leader in testing for email marketing campaigns. The model shows the realistic scope of the tool.


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Other capabilities that will be within our scope is that of email previewing which will include the viewing of rendered campaigns and the testing of email campaigns. EmVi will also have the ability to complete extensive testing. Rendering of campaigns across different email clients to find inconsistencies and errors is essential. Testing will be done to ensure EmVi interfaces with other APIs properly and the collection of analytics will be performed. Various tests also need to be done to ensure that the UIs and GUIs are functioning properly. Yet another testing mechanism is implementing a proxy that helps to define the minimum requirements necessary for the APIs. This provides protection against future changes via version control.

Risk mitigation is imperative for this prototype and is another component that group CS

411 Team Orange will address. Team CS 411 Orange will create algorithms with multiple levels of testing that will improve the processing time of data. A manual interface for version control and a simple test email to allow users to manually check campaigns will be provided. Even though EmVi is open source, there will be associated costs when interfacing with the APIs of other companies; however users will be advised of this upfront. Overall, a critical component for this prototype is that access control is implemented well.

4.3 Prototype Development Challenges

The risks and challenges associated with developing EmVi include experiencing program latency and scaling. This tool could be faced with problematic version control as well as problems rendering test emails. Security risks can become evident overall as well as the security of email campaigns.

Yet another challenge will be how to deal with system maintenance. At the same time the associated costs for the users can become a possible deterrent. Being able to develop integral

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DESCRIPTION 20 and creative aspects of the tool can be challenging. The task of integration between EmVi’s

API and the deployment company Exact Target and the Content Management System (CMS),

Drupal can be a huge undertaking which is not necessarily in our scope at this time. Interfacing with editing tools (i.e. Dreamweaver and Photoshop) for image uploads can be difficult as well.

In conclusion, the two key components of interfacing with the CDN and rendering of the test emails may become a bit of challenge once implementation stages are begun.


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Glossary of Terms

Access Control: S ecurity features that control who can access resources in the operating system, selective restriction.

Administrator (Admin): Has the ability to create and remove new contributors as well as restrict their access.

Analytics: Is the process of transforming data into meaningful patterns to help in the decision making process.

API: Application Programming Interface

Approval Chain: The series of steps necessary for an email to be authorized and distributed.

Approval Tracking: The workflow action to perform when a user sets an approval type.

Authentication: The process of identifying an individual usually based on a username an password.

Azure: A Content Distribution Network (CDN), a Microsoft product that allows you to build, deploy, and manage applications globally.

Campaign Filter: Allows campaigns to display based on criteria that are chosen by the user.

Campaign Search: Searching for the content of a campaign (content browsing).

Content Distribution Network (CDN): A delivery network is a large system of servers that allows for faster and more efficient delivery of content to end-users.

Contributor: Has the ability to read, write, and edit content.

Customize: Changing or altering to fit current needs.

Database: A collection of information organized in a manner which allows for efficient retrieval.

Dynamic messaging: The use of variable content to fill particular sections of an email message.

Some examples are using first name personalization or product name insertions within the body of a message.

Drupal: A Content Management System (CMS) that allows for easy organization, management, and publishing of content, with an endless variety of customization.

ECMS: Email Content Management System

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Email Campaign: A single instance of an email sent to a list of email addresses. Campaigns may include multiple sends and multiple messages.

Email Client: A computer program used to access and manage a user’s email.

Email header: The data that appears in the header of an email message, usually consisting of to and from email addresses, email subject and IP-level tracking information.

Email Marketing: Is usually done by a company to directly market a commercial message for promotional or notification purposes to a group of consumers through the use of email.

Email Message: A single email received to an email address within a campaign. A message contains a multipart, alternative message which includes an HTML and text file.

ESP: Email Service Provider

Exact Target: A provider of data driven marketing solutions for email content creation, list management, etc. This company is capable of integration with CDNs.

HTML Email: A subset of HTML that is not well defined and can sometimes have differing results depending on the email client in which it is viewed in. Some email clients do not support HTML Email at all.

Integrative: Combining or unifying.

Litmus: A company that allows for the rendering and testing of email across various email clients. Also, email analytics, spam filter tests, and page tests can be performed.

Metadata: Is descriptive data about campaigns and images that can be used to search for content.

Multipart, Alternative: An email that includes both an HTML and text version. The email client determines which version to display.

Open Source: Is computer software made available publicly and free of charge.

Outsourcing: The contracting of internal business processes to a third party organization.

Permissions: Or rights are characteristics given by users or network administrators that prevent or allow access to files on a computer network.

RACI Chart: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed. This chart displays the various roles and responsibilities required in completing tasks for a project or business process.

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP): An internet protocol for sending and receiving email messages.

Version Control: A system to record changes that are made to a campaign. This grants the

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DESCRIPTION 23 ability to restore the campaign to a previous version if necessary.

Web Application: Is an application that is accessed over the internet usually through a web browser. This allows the application to be used on multiple platforms.

Web Server: The hardware or software that helps deliver web content and can be accessed through the internet.

Workflow: A series of connected steps to complete a process.


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References

Campaigner - Email Marketing Made Easy. J2 Global, 2013. Web. 04 May 2013.

<http://www.campaigner.com/>.

Drupal – Open Source CMS. Dries Buytaert, 2013. Web. 08 May 2013.

<http://www.drupal.com/>.

"Email Market, 2012-2016." Radicati.com. The Radicati Group, Inc., 22 Oct. 2012. Web. 04

May 2013. <http://www.radicati.com/?p=8963 >.

Email On Acid - Email Testing and Email Preview. Email on Acid, 2013. Web. 04 May 2013.

<http://www.emailonacid.com/>.

Email Reach - Email Delivery and Spam Filter Testing. EmailReach.com, 2013. Web. 08 May

2013. <http://www.emailreach.com/>.

Exact Target – Email Marketing and Cross Channel Marketing. Exact Target, Inc., 2013. Web.

08 May 2013. <http://www.exacttarget.com/>.

Litmus - Email Testing and Email Marketing Analytics. Salted Services, 2013. Web. 08 May

2013. <http://www.litmus.com/>.

Schwartz, David. "ROI Comparison Across Media Channels - Email Winds by a Landslide."

SOSEmarketing.com. SOS Emarketing, 15 Nov. 2011. Web. 04 May 2013.

<http://www.sosemarketing.com/2011/11/15/roi-comparison-across-media-channels email-marketing-wins-by-a-landslide/>.

"View from the Digital Inbox 2011." Merkle.com. Merkle Inc., 14 Jul. 2011. Web. 04 May 2013.

<http://www.jonrognerud.com/docs/Merkle_Digital_Inbox_2011.pdf >.

"2011 Marketing Sherpa Email Marketing Benchmark Report." MarketingSherpa.com.

MarketingSherpa LLC, 07 Dec. 2010. Web. 04 May 2013.

<http://www.marketingsherpa.com/2011EmailBMR_ExecSummary_Final_101110.pdf >.

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