Multi-channel digital platform with Contentstack CMS for Sky Deutschland
I-D Media designed and implemented the transformation from a legacy CMS infrastructure to a modern headless platform for the German media group.
Sky Deutschland operates a large number of digital channels to market its own TV subscriptions. Customers can choose their individual subscription package from various package combinations. Comprehensive background information on films and series, national and international live sporting events and the SkyGo app are available for target channels such as sky.de, as well as various smartphone and TV apps.
Sky has gradually expanded its comprehensive web offering over almost two decades. A large number of individually developed services and the on-premise CRM used in the Group were integrated into the traditional, template-based CMS. This evolved, monolithic stack was no longer meeting the customer's requirements and was to be replaced by a modern headless architecture with API-based microservices and flexible front-end frameworks.
Sky relies on Contentstack to meet current and future requirements. The cloud-native headless CMS makes editorial content available for all channels via an API.
In combination with React as the front-end framework and Next.js for server-side rendering, Sky relies on widely used standard technologies that combine the greatest possible flexibility in development with high delivery performance.
The connection of the front-end apps to the back-end services is now API-based: a microservice-oriented architecture enables the flexible, standardized connection of third-party services such as Salesforce, which has replaced the previous legacy CRM. Help articles, for example, can now be dynamically embedded from Salesforce. Various other existing and future services can be used in the various channels in a lightweight yet seamless manner.
The Contentstack CMS used supports typical enterprise functionalities such as workflows, multilingualism, taxonomies and a live preview. Content can be managed in modular blocks, which allows Sky editors to work via drag & drop and reduces the dependency on developers in daily use. The automation of editorial tasks makes working with the CMS particularly efficient. In addition, Contentstack offers AI-based personalization, which can be used in future expansion stages of Sky.
When the CMS was designed, the focus was on ease of editing and reusability. Content such as headers and footers are available globally in the new world, but also in the old world during the transition phase. Editorial texts as well as content such as images, videos and additional information on products and services are maintained centrally via the CMS so that the editor does not have to maintain them in different places. Channels such as newsletters or personalized email campaigns also use the centrally maintained content. This permanently reduces the workload for editors.
Technology and methodology in harmony
Decoupled systems and microservice-oriented architecture not only offer technological advantages, but also support agile teamwork. They enable parallel, independent development with internationally distributed scrum teams: in addition to eleven certified content stack developers from I-D Media, several hundred other people from internal customer teams and other service providers worked together on the transformation of the Sky platform. As part of the transformation project, there was also an organizational and methodological reorientation towards agile structures and practices based on the SAFe framework.
Smooth migration and fast time-to-market
To ensure that the platform and its content are available at all times, Sky decided to operate the legacy infrastructure in parallel with the gradual integration of the new platform. The most important requirements were to be implemented very quickly and new features made available. To ensure this, parts of the platform have already been delivered via the new landscape, while other areas are still being served via the legacy systems, without affecting the use and usability of the Sky websites and apps for customers. The necessary routing between the old and new landscape is ensured by Akamai CDN, which guarantees zero downtime during the transformation project.
As part of this challenging transformation project, we provided Sky with comprehensive support and were able to assist the customer in all phases: from conception and implementation through to successful rollout. The new digital platform flexibly meets the high requirements in terms of functionality and time-to-market on all relevant channels. With the Contentstack CMS, we were also able to offer Sky's online editors a solution that significantly improves the convenience and efficiency of their daily work.
