--- name: cms-metadata-model-designer description: "Designs a complete metadata schema for a specific content type in an enterprise CMS — including required and optional fields, field types, controlled vocabularies, taxonomy mappings, faceted search attributes, governance rules, and a migration-ready field table. Use when defining metadata for a new content type, standardizing an inconsistent CMS, improving intranet search and filtering, or building a content model before a platform migration." argument-hint: "[content-type] [audience]" allowed-tools: ["Read"] --- # CMS Metadata Model Designer ## Purpose Produce a structured, implementation-ready metadata schema for a single content type — with the exact fields, field types, controlled vocabularies, and governance rules an intranet developer can configure directly in SharePoint, AEM, Contentful, or a similar CMS. Solves the recurring problem of inconsistent, unsearchable content caused by ad-hoc or missing metadata models. ## When to Use Invoke this skill when the user asks to: - Define a metadata schema or content model for a new content type - Standardize metadata across an inconsistent or sprawling intranet/CMS - Improve findability, filtering, or faceted search for a set of documents - Design taxonomy and tagging structures before a CMS platform migration - Build governance rules for how content is tagged and maintained - Map content attributes to search facets and refiners ## Inputs Required Before starting, collect: - **Content type**: The specific type being modeled (e.g., policy document, product page, meeting note, training module) - **Primary audience**: Who consumes and searches for this content (roles, departments, or personas) - **Searchability goals**: How users need to find and filter this content — key filters, sort orders, and search scenarios - **CMS platform**: SharePoint, AEM, Contentful, Drupal, or other (affects field type options and taxonomy handling) - **Existing taxonomies**: Any org-wide term sets, department lists, or controlled vocabularies already in use - **Lifecycle needs**: Whether content expires, requires review dates, or has ownership/approval requirements - **Compliance/security context**: Any classification, retention, or access-control metadata required If CMS platform or existing taxonomies are unknown, default to platform-neutral field types and propose new controlled vocabularies, noting the assumption. ## Instructions ### Step 1: Establish the Content Type Profile Frame the model before designing fields: - **Purpose statement**: One sentence on what this content type exists to do - **Author profile**: Who creates it and how metadata-literate they are (drives how many required fields are reasonable) - **Consumption pattern**: Browsed, searched, subscribed to, or system-referenced — each implies different metadata - **Cardinality expectation**: Roughly how many items will exist (tens vs. thousands changes taxonomy vs. free-text decisions) State 2–3 design principles that will guide the schema (e.g., "minimize required fields at authoring; maximize automated inheritance"). ### Step 2: Design the Field Set Across Five Metadata Layers **Layer 1 — Descriptive Fields (identity and content)** Fields that describe what the item is: Title, Summary/Abstract, Author/Owner, Language, Keywords. - Distinguish system-generated from human-entered - Specify max length and whether free-text or controlled **Layer 2 — Categorization Fields (taxonomy and classification)** Fields that place the item in the org's structure: Topic/Subject, Department, Content Category, Product/Service line. - These are the primary controlled-vocabulary fields — each should map to a term set - Mark single-value vs. multi-value **Layer 3 — Audience & Access Fields** Fields governing who sees and finds it: Target Audience, Access Level/Classification, Region/Geography. - Connect these to security trimming where the platform supports it **Layer 4 — Lifecycle & Governance Fields** Fields controlling freshness and accountability: Publish Date, Review Date, Expiration Date, Content Owner, Approval Status, Version. - Specify which are auto-populated vs. manually maintained **Layer 5 — Search & Retrieval Fields** Fields that exist specifically to power search and filtering: Faceted attributes, Priority/Weight, Related Content links. - Tie each directly back to a searchability goal from the inputs For every field, define: 1. **Field name** (both display label and internal/system name) 2. **Field type** (Single line text, Choice, Managed Metadata/Taxonomy term, Date, Person, Boolean, Lookup, Multi-value) 3. **Required / Optional / System-generated** 4. **Single-value or multi-value** 5. **Controlled vocabulary** (list the terms, or reference the term set) 6. **Default/inheritance rule** if any 7. **Purpose** — one phrase on why it earns its place ### Step 3: Define Controlled Vocabularies For each categorization or audience field that uses a fixed list: - Provide the actual term list (5–15 sample terms, flagged as starter values to be validated) - Specify hierarchy where relevant (parent → child terms) - Note whether the vocabulary is open (authors can request new terms) or closed - Flag any terms that should map to existing org taxonomies ### Step 4: Map Fields to Faceted Search Translate the schema into a search experience: - List which fields become **search refiners/facets** in the results UI - Recommend facet display order based on the audience's search priorities - Identify fields that should be **full-text indexed** vs. **filter-only** - Specify default sort order and any managed properties/boosting rules ### Step 5: Write Governance Rules Rules that keep the model healthy over time: - **Required-field enforcement**: Which fields block publishing if empty - **Vocabulary stewardship**: Who owns each term set and how new terms get approved - **Review cadence**: How Review/Expiration dates trigger workflows or notifications - **Tagging guidance**: 3–5 plain-language rules for authors (e.g., "Select at most 3 Topics") ### Step 6: Produce the Implementation Field Table Consolidate the full schema into one migration-ready table so a developer can configure it directly. ## Output Format - **Structure**: Content type profile → five-layer field design → controlled vocabularies → faceted search map → governance rules → consolidated field table - **Length**: 1,000–1,400 words plus the field table - **Format**: Structured document with a final markdown table listing every field - **Sections**: Content Type Profile → Field Set (5 layers) → Controlled Vocabularies → Faceted Search Mapping → Governance Rules → Implementation Field Table - **Tone**: Information architect — precise, standards-aware, platform-pragmatic; no filler ## Quality Checklist Before delivering output, verify: - [ ] Every field specifies field type, required/optional status, and single/multi-value - [ ] All five metadata layers are represented with at least one field each - [ ] Every categorization and audience field either references an existing taxonomy or includes a starter term list - [ ] Each search/retrieval field traces back to a stated searchability goal - [ ] The implementation table includes both display name and internal/system field name for every field - [ ] Governance rules name an owner or trigger for review dates and vocabulary changes ## Notes - Resist over-modeling — every required field is a tax on authors and a source of empty or garbage values; prefer inheritance and auto-population wherever the platform allows - Managed Metadata (taxonomy) fields outperform Choice fields for anything that will be reused across content types or that needs central governance - If the CMS is SharePoint, recommend site-column reuse and content type publishing so the model propagates rather than being rebuilt per site - The single highest-impact decision is usually which 2–3 fields become search facets — design those against real user search scenarios, not against how content is authored --- ## How to use this skill This file is a Claude Code skill in [Anthropic's standard format](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/skills) — markdown with YAML frontmatter at the top. **Installing in Claude Code:** - `~/.claude/skills//SKILL.md` — auto-loads in every session anywhere on your machine (recommended for skills you'll use across multiple projects) - `/.claude/skills//SKILL.md` — auto-loads only when working in that project (recommended for project-specific skills) Restart Claude Code or open a new session to register. **Using in Claude.ai, ChatGPT, Gemini, or other AI tools:** 1. 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