Launch
Custom CMS Development
Design and build a publishing system around the way your team actually creates, organizes, and manages content.
A custom CMS can make complicated content easier to manage when a standard setup does not fit the work. DrawChicken helps define the workflow, choose the right foundation, and build the parts that make publishing useful instead of merely configurable.
When a custom CMS makes sense
This work is a good fit when your content has relationships, rules, or editorial steps that do not map cleanly to a generic page editor. That may include a large collection, a specialized catalog, a story-driven archive, or a publishing workflow shared by multiple people.
We do not recommend custom software simply because customization sounds better. An existing CMS may be the right answer. We look at the content model, publishing process, audience, and future maintenance before deciding what should be custom.
- You need content types and relationships that standard templates do not handle well.
- Your team needs a clearer way to create, organize, review, or publish content.
- The public experience and the editing experience both matter.
- You are willing to define a focused first release instead of building every possible feature.
When it may not be the right fit
A custom CMS may be unnecessary if your needs are limited to a small marketing site, a simple blog, or a familiar catalog with standard fields. In those cases, configuration and good content structure may solve the problem faster and with less ongoing work.
- You mainly need a few static pages and occasional updates.
- The content model is already well served by your current platform.
- The goal is only to make a site look different, not to improve how it works.
- There is no owner available to make content and workflow decisions.
What we can deliver
The exact scope depends on the content and workflow. A typical engagement may include product definition, content modeling, interface design, frontend development, CMS configuration or customization, integrations, testing, and launch support.
- A clear content model and publishing workflow
- Custom editing interfaces where the default experience is not enough
- Public pages designed around how people browse and use the content
- A CMS built on an appropriate existing platform when that is the practical choice
- Documentation and handoff for the agreed scope
How the work starts
We start by understanding what you publish, who manages it, what makes the content difficult, and what the audience needs to do. From there, we define the first useful release and identify the parts that can stay standard.
The work is usually shaped through a sequence of decisions rather than one giant specification. We clarify the content model, test the important workflows, design the experience, then build and refine the agreed scope.
- Project goals, audience, and content inventory
- Examples of current publishing problems
- People involved in creating, reviewing, and managing content
- Existing CMS, data, integrations, and technical constraints
- A clear definition of what belongs in the first release
What affects scope and cost
The main cost drivers are the number and complexity of content types, editorial roles, relationships between records, migration needs, integrations, search, media handling, and the amount of custom editing behavior. The public site may be straightforward while the underlying publishing system is not, or the reverse.
We will separate the first release from later ideas so the project has a usable target. Ongoing maintenance, new features, content migration beyond the agreed scope, and additional remediation are separately scoped.
- Number of content types and relationships
- Complexity of editorial workflows and permissions
- Existing data quality and migration requirements
- Custom search, filtering, media, or integration needs
- Design and behavior requirements for the public experience
Relevant work
For ArtStory, DrawChicken worked with artist and client Roz Dimon to shape, design, and build a collection for hundreds of artworks and decades of stories. The project included a unified gallery, year navigation, a story panel, and a custom publishing workflow using Vue and Strapi.
For DIMONscapes, DrawChicken collaborated with Roz on software prototypes and then a custom CMS for digital paintings with layered stories. The editor combines ordered image, audio, and narrative steps, while the viewer explores the finished work.
Relevant work
ArtStory
A custom publishing workflow for hundreds of artworks and decades of stories, built with Roz Dimon using Vue and Strapi.
DIMONscapes
A custom editor and viewer for layered digital paintings with ordered image, audio, and narrative steps.
Questions
Do you always build a CMS from scratch?
No. We use an existing platform when it provides a solid foundation, then customize the parts that need to match the content and workflow. Building everything from zero is rarely the most practical answer.
Can you work with our existing CMS?
Often, yes. We can evaluate the current setup, improve the model or workflow, and determine whether the existing platform can support the next release. If it cannot, we will explain why before recommending a change.
Do you migrate our existing content?
Content migration can be included when it is part of the agreed scope. The effort depends on the source format, data quality, relationships, media, and how much cleanup is needed.
Do you provide ongoing CMS support?
Ongoing work can be scoped separately after launch. That may include improvements, maintenance, new workflows, or additional integrations. We do not assume an open-ended support commitment.
Have a publishing workflow that does not fit the usual tools?
Tell us what you are trying to publish, how it is managed today, and where the current process gets in the way.
Start a project