The Irish Business and Employers Confederation, the national voice of Irish business, has a vast range of responsibilities to its 7,000 members, across many different industry fields. Its most popular distribution channel is the website, often used daily by members. Arekibo were selected to re-brand IBEC online, reorganise the content and deliver a highly functional site and key resource tool for all it's members.
Arekibo were commissioned to redesign the IBCE corporate site and the process of redesigning the IBEC website began in July 2002, and fell into three distinct categories:
- Marketing and Branding – the website needed to reflect the IBEC brand online in a strong and consistent manner.
- Information Structure – given the volume of information available to IBEC members, the website needed to capture all of Ibec’s services and databases within a clear and intuitive navigational structure.
- Information Technology – the new website was compatible with document management and workflow facilities already in place in IBEC’s Lotus Notes environment. Therefore, the external Arekibo needed to work closely with IBEC’s own IT team, to make the best use of the organisation's existing technology.
Arekibo consulted with both internal staff and members to ascertain their requirements for the new site. The site was then redesigned and the sites master templates were delivered to IBEC’s IT department for integration into their existing Lotus Notes environment.
Since the launch of the Ibec.ie site, Arekibo have continued to work closely with IBEC on the development of the organisations internet services including:
- Design of the IBEC intranet
- Design of IBECs member management database interface
- Design of over 15 sector website including the Small Firms Association and Irish Software Association
- Design of reception Presentation show reel
Using their considerable design and brand development skills Arekibo have produced an online presence, which, we believe, accurately reflects IBEC as a dynamic and progressive organisation.
In relation to information structure and management, having consulted with members and staff, a process that was facilitated by Arekibo, the task of organising information in a manageable, coherent and intuitive way (an area identified as problematic for users) was given priority. With Arekibo’s input and advice on design and information management, a structure was created that we feel provides for easy access to the volume of information on the IBEC site and which we hope will ensure that the website becomes an important communications vehicle between IBEC and its members. From a technology viewpoint, Arekibo facilitated IBEC’s current IT infrastructure and the site is fully managed by IBEC staff, both from an information and technical perspective. The main IBEC site went live in October 2002 on schedule and within budget, an achievement for both IBEC and Arekibo, given the workload that was involved.
Following on from the redesign of the main IBEC site, it was important that IBEC sector sites also presented the same professional image and information structure. IBEC has approximately 20 sector websites, all of which required a redesign. One of the main considerations in developing a strategy for these sites was to use the experience gained from redesigning the IBEC site, and to provide a means that would enable IBEC to produce sector sites in an efficient, timely, and in a cost effective way. To this end, IBEC worked with Arekibo to develop a template that allows the look and feel of the sector sites to be unique, while re-using code already complied for previous sites.
Having worked with Arekibo for over five years, the IBEC team involved have always found them to be creative, highly skilled, efficient and available. They set and meet reasonable deadlines and budgets, and while offering creative suggestions are willing to take the opinions and views of others into account."
Pam Power, Head of Information Technology
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