Case Studies

The main goal of the Sustainable Development Webworks is to assist SD organizations in managing Internet communications and developing good sites. Part of this can be achieved through sharing experiences. Below is a list of the case studies collected so far. They range from developing concepts to creating CD-ROM versions of Web sites.

How Does Undervaluing Communication Tools Affect an Organization's Work? (May 2001)
After a strategic planning meeting, FFLA staff realized the importance of having a person specifically in charge of communications. The organization assessed its past practices and decided it was time to hire a person with a communications management background to help set a clear communications strategy that will help the organization enhance its work.

Integrated Communications Strategy – A New Approach (May 2001)
In a highly competitive environment where "getting on the front page" matters, Development Alternatives decided to reorient its communications work to ensure that communication and advocacy became a key component of all DA activities, both to raise the profile of DA and also of sustainable development issues in specific.

WAVE Health Collective: Promoting Action Online (May 2001)
Over two years, WAVE—a rural women's health and literacy collective—used the Internet to double its program participants, to make women's literacy a community issue, and to empower women to support each other to create learning opportunities for better health.

Slice: Integrating Online and Offline Content (May 2001)
An urban street youth literacy organization, Slice, was worried that they would not be able to produce enough content for a Web site, and that it would drain already short staff and volunteer time. With a little forethought, they were able to use these scarce resources more effectively.

Meeting the Needs of Rural Indian Users: TARAhaat.com (May 2001)
The data, analysis and communication structures of TARAhaat.com are carefully designed so that it can smoothly evolve in response to the felt needs of its users, making it a highly participatory and thus responsive network at all levels of interaction.

MetaBase.net: Designing Bibliographic Architectures (May 2001)
MetaBase's content type (hundreds of thousands of bibliographic records) required the use of a powerful full-text database operating behind-the-scenes. The MetaBase designers were careful to plan the site architecture such that the content of the database was "viewable" and indexable by the major search engines.

Considerations in FARN's Information Architecture (May 2001)
While the FARN site largely mirrors the organization's management structure, some consideration was given to breaking this pattern for special online modules of interest to their users.

IISD Publishing Services University (May 2001)
With the input of colleagues, IISD's Publishing Services Manager prepared a draft curriculum for an internal capacity building program called "Publishing Services University."

REC Web Steering Committee (May 2001)
The Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) holds bi-monthly meetings of a Web Steering Committee. The committee reviews Web site issues and addresses future development. Organizers compare their work to that of an editorial board.

Formatting Newsletters Online: Climate Canada (May 2001)
"Climate Canada: A Canadian Lens on Global Climate Change" was launched in October 2000 as a bi-weekly publication about climate change science, policy and news for an informed Canadian audience. While IISD decided to distribute the publication in PDF format, several adjustments had to be made to ensure its utility for the intended audiences.

Linking to External Resources: FARN (May 2001)
Linking to external resources is an important way of adding value and credibility to a site. Learn more about how FARN has established guidelines to ensure that user expectations are consistently met.

Creating Change: Impacts of ENDA's Web Site (February 2001)
The impact has depended on how each team has incorporated the tool into their work style and how much time and effort has gone into making their web site work for them.

The Role of Project Leaders (November 1999)
As the International Institute for Sustainable Development's presence on the Web has expanded from one site to three, it has cultivated project leaders able to bring together research and technical staff to ensure high quality online products.

Integrating Electronic and Print Publications Policies (November 1999)
One set of policies and procedures guides the development of online and printed content at the International Institute for Sustainable Development. This standardization has improved external and internal communications.

Flexibility and the Question of Economics (November 1999)
This case study from Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN) examines their decision to use an Internet Service Provider (ISP) instead of functioning as their own Internet server.

Managing IT staff in DAINET: How Development Alternatives is Curbing Staff Turnover (December 2000)
In light of the increasing demand for experienced IT staff in the private sector ans elsewhere in India, DA's success in keeping its IT staff in DAINET is particularly impressive.

Connecting Rural India to the Internet: The Challenges of Using VSAT Technology (February 2001)
Due to poor infrastructure in much of India, the traditional means of connecting to the World Wide Web are not possible. TARAhaat has pioneered the use of Very Small Apperature Terminals (VSAT technology) to connect rural villages to the Internet.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and Web Management (June 2001)
How does a Webmaster manage working in a multi-national office? An interview with Howard Cambridge at SEI.

The Conceptual Structure of ENDA's Web Site (November 2000)
ENDA's web site structure replicates how ENDA works. The structure was chosen as reflection of how information is gathered within ENDA.

Speed Bumps and Stop Signs: Improving the Navigation of FARN's Web Site (November 2000)
In restructuring theie web site, FARN considered the needs of its users. Why were people visiting FARN's web site and how could the information they needed be accessed easily?

TARAhaat.com: Designing for Rural India (July 2001)
Despite the disadvantages of Flash it has been put to good use in India. Developed as a "one-stop shop" for India's rural community to access information on matters ranging from education to market prices, the TARAhaat Web site has to cater to a widely diverse rural Indian community.

Framing Your Web Site: FARN's Experience (Februrary 2001)
FARN first developed their web site in 1997. Soon after, frames emerged as the new, innovative technique in design. In thinking that frames were more user friendly and better in general, FARN began converting their site into frames in 1998.

To CD or Not to CD: MekongInfo, the Internet Without the Internet (November 2000)
Faced with bad connection speeds, high prices and lack of Internet experience in the Mekong Basin area, MekongInfo developed a CD-ROM of their Web site.

EcoLegis: Cross-cultural Collaboration and Dealing with Databases (February 2001)
The EcoLegis environmental legal access facility is the result of a cooperative effort between Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN) in Argentina and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) in Hungary.

Real Media : Making Sustainable Livelihoods Come to Life (February 2001)
ENDA needed to communicate how Sustainable Livelihoods can be achieved in Sénégal through the voice of local actors. Real Media was integrated in order to provide a dynamic description of work done through teams and grassroots groups.