LAFS-CMS is a bespoke Content Management System (CMS) developed for the resurrected website of the Landscape Architecture Film Series, a student-led initiative which I co-founded and co-curated for the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the early 2000s.

Just like any organization in the real world, student-run organizations such as a film series experience organizational knowledge loss (KLT) when their members graduate. Without a knowledge transfer process, this loss can lead to technical resources being underutilized or becoming inactive. While alternative resources and processes may exist, they either need to be created from scratch, requiring significant time and resources, or are imperfect substitutes. If existing resources work perfectly fine, why go through all that effort?

LAFS-CMS, then, was conceived as an Information System solution for mitigating KLT by simplifying content management. With its user-friendly web interface and automated workflows, it aims to significantly lower technical barriers, enabling all members—regardless of technical expertise—to easily curate public-facing content and internal administrative resources.

LAFS-CMS is intended for:

• Self-guided learners seeking a reference full-stack implementation of a Content Management System (CMS) web application.
• Information Systems students researching organizational knowledge, in general, and knowledge loss induced by organizational member turnover (KLT) and technical solutions to KTL, specifically.

• 📝 Content Management - Complete film series content lifecycle with CRUD operations, calendaring and media management
• 🔐 User Management - Role-based access control system with streamlined permissions and self-service registration workflow
• 🖥️ Interface - User-friendly dashboard with responsive design, real-time previews and collaborative editing tools
• 📚 Knowledge Continuity Framework - Systematic documentation in a centralized repository