Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland
Expertise in developing a modern content management system
Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland (SLS) is a scholarly society dedicated to Finland’s Swedish-speaking culture. Its purpose is to collect, research, and disseminate knowledge about Swedish-speaking culture in Finland. A key part of this work involves publishing materials related to Swedish-speaking Finland. In collaboration with SLS, we developed a new content management system (CMS) for managing the content of their digital editions.
Our Work
- Frontend development
- Scalability
- Accessibility
A man using binoculars at Observatory Hill (Tähtitorninvuori) in Helsinki, 1890–1910 (Gustav Sandberg, SLS 1849_485, CC BY 4.0)
Baseline and challenges
Svenska litteratursällskapet previously used a CMS that was partially outdated and functionally limited. The system required specialized expertise to operate and involved manual work, increasing the risk of human errors. Modernizing or further developing the old system was no longer a viable option.
SLS aimed to create a completely new, modern, user-friendly, and intuitive web application that would be easy to use regardless of technical proficiency. The new CMS was intended to be scalable, with future development opportunities considered from the outset.
The project requirements were clear. Alongside their in-house backend developer, SLS needed a frontend developer specializing in software consulting to collaborate on the project.
In collaboration with Identio, we particularly value flexibility and efficiency, in addition to professionalism and technological expertise.
– Sebastian Köhler, Development Manager, Digital Publications, SLS
Solution
We collaborated to develop a brand-new content management system for SLS to manage its projects efficiently moving forward. In this context, a project refers to a digital edition—essentially an online publication—that may include literary works, letters, and other archival documents. Identio’s consultant was responsible for the system’s frontend development and worked alongside SLS’s in-house backend developer.
The new CMS incorporates all the necessary functionalities for the user while eliminating the manual work required by the previous system.
We implemented four key core functionalities in the system:
- Scalable structure: We designed and implemented the system to be flexible, making it easily extendable with new functionalities to meet user needs.
- Login: Users can select the environment they wish to log into as well as the project they intend to edit.
- Project management: We developed functionalities for creating projects, managing texts, and indexing individuals.
- Multilingual support: We implemented translation support in the system, enabling content management in multiple languages.
The development process progressed quickly, staying under the predefined schedule and budget. This allowed us to implement additional essential features in the system.
We adhered to web content accessibility standards (WCAG AA) throughout the project and ensured the scalability of the web application for use on both browsers and tablets.
Technologies
Why is this meaningful?
SLS collects data and materials related to Finland’s Swedish-speaking culture and publishes literature on the subject, ensuring it remains accessible to future generations. More importantly, this work strengthens the identity and self-understanding of the Swedish-speaking population.
The content management system (CMS) we developed enables the efficient management and publication of these materials now and in the future. This benefits not only Finland’s Swedish-speaking population but also researchers, historians, and individuals interested in exploring the cultural heritage preserved and published by SLS.
Zacharias Topelius’s historical novel Planeternas skyddslingar (1889, translated into English as The Wards of the Stars) is included in the edition Zacharias Topelius Skrifter (SLS, CC BY 4.0) published by the Svenska litteratursällskapet.
Interested in cooperation?
We'll be happy to tell you more about the work we do.
