--- title: "From WordPress to Drupal: DamFailures.org Gains a Platform Editors Can Run" description: "DamFailures.org moved from WordPress, 52 to 98. A Drupal CMS migration and redesign that put a non-developer team in control." url: https://www.specbee.com/work/dam-failures type: "Case Study" published: 2026-07-10 updated: 2026-09-17 --- # From WordPress to Drupal: DamFailures.org Gains a Platform Editors Can Run None of that audience cares what CMS runs under the hood. The editorial team cares a great deal. When security patches pile up and routine updates need a developer, the content is what suffers. That was the position ASDSO was in. Specbee proposed the newly launched Drupal CMS and paired the move with a full redesign, addressing the security concerns, the editorial workflow, and the user experience together. DamFailures.org needed tools that matched how a small, non-developer staff actually worked. Drupal CMS, built for non-developer content teams, was the fit. ## This was about the editorial team, not developer capability. DamFailures.org's content is niche, specialized, and genuinely important for public-safety professionals: dam engineers verifying failure modes, emergency managers preparing for risk scenarios, and students building foundational knowledge. DamFailures.org is an educational initiative by ASDSO, built for dam safety engineers, regulators, dam owners, emergency managers, researchers, and students. Its content is specialized and critical. WordPress couldn't keep up. - Security and maintenance issues had accumulated on the WordPress installation - The editorial team needed marketer-friendly tools rather than a developer-dependent workflow - The old WordPress setup had an improper media structure - Search returned only title matches, so users couldn't find content across descriptions, tags, or metadata - A tight six-week window to complete the migration and launch ## A specialized knowledge base stuck on the wrong platform ![damfailures](https://www.specbee.com/sites/default/files/2026-09/damfailures-fav.svg) A Drupal CMS migration and redesign that put a non-developer team in control. ## DamFailures.org moved from WordPress, 52 to 98 ![damfailures teaser](https://www.specbee.com/sites/default/files/2026-09/damfailures-teaser.png) [Visit Website](https://damfailures.org/) ![Banner-image-Damfailure.png](https://www.specbee.com/sites/default/files/migrated/Banner-image-Damfailure.png) ## 52 → 98 ### Performance score A faster, smoother site for users and editors. ## Resolved ### WordPress security issues Drupal CMS's security baseline replaced accumulated vulnerabilities. ## Self-serve ### Editorial independence Drag-and-drop page building — no developer tickets for routine updates. ## Live ### AI content tools AI-assisted content management enabled through Drupal CMS. ## A specialist knowledge base that editors can manage Security resolved, editorial independence achieved, full archive preserved. Drag-and-drop via Layout Builder Advanced search and filtering Enabled via Drupal CMS Migrated, structure and metadata preserved Given the team's emphasis on editorial independence and marketer-friendly tools, Specbee proposed the newly launched Drupal CMS: Drupal's enterprise security in an interface built for non-developer teams. The work started with a complete UX and visual redesign to improve clarity, accessibility, navigation, and consistency. - Newly launched Drupal CMS proposed for editorial usability and AI capabilities - Complete UX and visual redesign - Simplified content layouts and clearer navigation ![damfailures-choosing-drupal-cms.png](https://www.specbee.com/sites/default/files/migrated/damfailures-choosing-drupal-cms.png) ### Choosing Drupal CMS and redesigning the site The migration moved DamFailures.org's archive, including case studies, technical papers, videos, photographs, glossary terms, and webinar materials, from an improperly formatted WordPress setup to Drupal CMS. Structure, relationships, and metadata were preserved, with custom handling for the content that needed it. - Structured migration with structure, relationships, and metadata preserved - Full archive carried over: case studies, papers, videos, photographs, glossary terms, webinars - Custom handling for content that didn't map cleanly from WordPress - Completed within the six-week window ![damfailures-wordpress-to-drupal-cms.png](https://www.specbee.com/sites/default/files/migrated/damfailures-wordpress-to-drupal-cms.png) ### WordPress to Drupal CMS migration Drupal's Layout Builder gave the editorial team a flexible, drag-and-drop way to manage layouts and build pages. AI-assisted content management was enabled to help the team maintain the knowledge base. - Layout Builder drag-and-drop page building for non-developers - AI-assisted content management enabled ![damfailures-drag-and-drop-ai-content.png](https://www.specbee.com/sites/default/files/migrated/damfailures-drag-and-drop-ai-content.png) ### Drag-and-drop editing and AI content tools The old site returned only title matches. Specbee integrated advanced search and filtering so professionals could reach the right case studies and lessons quickly. - Advanced search across the archive, not just title matches - Filtering to reach case studies and lessons faster ![damfailures-search-and-content-delivery.png](https://www.specbee.com/sites/default/files/migrated/damfailures-search-and-content-delivery.png) ### Search and content discovery The site runs on AWS for scalability and reliability, with a fully automated CI/CD pipeline so updates ship faster and with less risk. Accessibility and performance were prioritized throughout, taking the performance score from 52 to 98. - Hosted on AWS for scalability and reliability - Automated CI/CD pipeline for faster, safer releases - Accessibility and performance improvements, performance score 52 to 98 ![damfailures-performance.png](https://www.specbee.com/sites/default/files/migrated/damfailures-performance.png) ### Hosting, performance, and delivery ### Moving from a mission-critical archive to a CMS built for non-developers AI-assisted content management Drag-and-drop editor for non-developers Communications Director, Association of State Dam Safety Officials, Inc. "We knew our website needed some major attention, but as a small staff of non-developers, we were concerned about the level of effort and time needed to complete the project. Luckily, transitioning our website from WordPress to Drupal CMS felt quick and seamless! The Specbee team was knowledgeable and responsive, which made the project an easy lift. We are very happy with the new look and functionality. Immediately upon logging into the new website, our staff could begin making updates and exploring the new features because the interface was intuitive." - [2 Websites, 25+ Hospitals, 1 Search: HCG’s patient-first Drupal platform](https://www.specbee.com/work/hcg-hospitals) - [Flat HTML mockups, rebuilt into a reusable Drupal component system for INX International](https://www.specbee.com/work/inx-international) - [An Intelligence Hub for Flipkart's Seller Network, Zero Scroll Required](https://www.specbee.com/work/flipkart-trendstalk)