Developing Rapidly Expandable Data-driven Software Systems Based on Multitier Architecture: Examination of the Development of Modules for Content Management Systems Used to Construct Web Portals and Virtual Communities

Content Management Systems are commonly used to develop web portals and virtual communities. Many of these systems are built using a multitier architecture approach for both the framework and the modules to provide the portal's functionalities. However, expanding upon these systems through creating or purchasing new modules can be challenging and inefficient. Large development teams are susceptible to a lost in productivity due to modular inter-dependencies. And smaller teams may struggle to manage the portal's growth or to provide users with reliable functionality. The challenges associated with modular software are examined in this paper through the analysis of the construction of an active virtual community: ProjectSTEM.net. Based on these observations, a method for developing custom software using multitier architecture is introduced. In this study, this method was found to increase the productivity of the development team, the functional reliability of the software and the commercial viability of the modules. The method was also found to decrease the storage needs for the systems and facilitate easier migration of data if the portal was to be moved to another platform.