Redengine Inc: Government & Public Sector Clients: Foothills Research Institute

Foothills Research Institute

Since 1992, the Foothills Research Institute (formerly the Foothills Model Forest) has been conducting applied research on the cultural, ecological, economic and social values of Alberta's forested landscape. With a goal of being a hub of information for its partners, their website needed to facilitate the storage of a multitude of research documents within an effective and searchable framework.

To create synergy among the partners, they were looking for a solution that was easily maintained and would allow multiple authors the ability to affect change of information presented within each section. They were looking for a solution that would unite the research areas and programs and remove the barriers that precluded people from accessing the valuable resources available through their site.

To facilitate and engage communication among their partners and audiences, the site uses a robust content management system as the platform augmented by the use of Web 2.0 tools. They have incorporated elements of RSS, Twitter, Facebook and streaming video to push content to their audiences, allowing them to also contribute their valued feedback creating a continuously updated and highly valued resource for related information.

Research in the form of stakeholder workshops and user testing was key to developing an appropriate framework for the site. Their web solution needed to support actually finding and understanding the information that was being presented - and ensuring all stakeholder's needs and expectations were met was a key success measure of their site's redevelopment.

The website does a great job of promoting the partners and consequential research being performed. Audiences have a better understanding of the information and can find resources much easier than before.

Through the use of RSS, stakeholders are able to view items within the news piece and subscribe to those they deem useful, which keeps them updated on research and issues. Elements of Web 2.0 are relatively easy to deploy, require little maintenance and go along way to promoting ongoing communication surrounding valued research initiatives.

Visit the Foothills Research Institute.

Case Studies

Foothills Research Institute