Challenge

The United Nations Environment Program launched a new website for the International Waters Learning Exchange and Resource Network (IW:LEARN). IW:LEARN shares information about international water management. The IW:LEARN website is a highly customized Plone site that uses a wide variety of javascript functionalities.

Implementation Details

IW:LEARN uses a customizable dashboard on the homepage. Any user who visits the site has the option to chose which widgets they want to use to display information and can move them around in any order.

While IW:LEARN initially designed and implemented the site, the non-profit contacted Six Feet Up to assist with the implementation of filtering abilities on the News Center. The Document Center, Project Database, and News Center are all implemented using a javascript framework called Ext JS. Visitors to the site can use this javascript interface to filter information based on published date, project source, region or type. Each javascript interface is customized to filter and display information based on the topic of that section. The Project Database shows information by project, region, agency, type and status. The Document Center shows documents that are associated with projects and can be filtered by type and format.

KARL-based intranet

Six Feet Up helped the United Nations Environment Program launch a new intranet for their International Waters Learning Exchange and Resource Network (IW:LEARN) called "GEF IW Community Platform". The new intranet is powered by the open source Knowledge Management System (KMS) KARL.

The collaboration platform is used as an interactive online presence where stakeholders and communities of practice can gather, collaborate and share their knowledge and experiences in transboundary waters management. The communities featured in the KARL intranet allow the distributed international team to build a pool of knowledge for all participants to draw from. This format allows various groups worldwide to gather information based on their specific learning needs, existing knowledge and current experience level.

The KARL knowledge management system was introduced at the International Waters Conference in October 2011 with a very warm reception by the audience. The GEF IW Community leaders are planning a mass invitation to all of the participants of the conference. The goal is to use the platform as a venue where all members can continue the discussions and collaboration that was started during the conference.

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