Before:
The Watson Institute is one of southwestern Pennsylvania's primary facilities for children with Autism and other special needs. The services Watson provides enable children and their parents to better cope with a wide variety of challenges. Watson's previous Web site lacked the function needed to support these families. Many parents relied on communicating with doctors for advice on treatments and special schooling. The Watson Institute wanted to create an easily accessible, centralized location for families to share information and support, so they turned to the Web.
During:
The Watson Institute decided to redesign www.thewatsoninstitute.org. After determining range of simple, convenient interactive features. Online event calendars were created to the needs of the organization, a highly interactive Web site was developed that included a mark days of special importance for special needs children, parents, and doctors. Discussion boards were designed for parents and doctors to exchange and receive information about new treatments, special programs, and emotional support. An online newsletter was built to easily, inexpensively relay current news and events via email to people touched by autism around the globe.
"The Web site exceeded the high standards set
by the marketing and communications industry."
-Marcom Representative
Results:
The audience-focused design and easy editing system of the new state-of-the-art Web site has enabled Watson's small marketing staff to win multiple awards. In 2006, www.thewatsoninstitute.org took the gold at the MarCom Creative Awards Competition (an international awards competition that recognizes outstanding achievement by marketing and communications practitioners). Watson also won Marcom awards for best overall Web site and another for Web site copy in previous years. The Director of Public Relations noted that the site is now receiving over 10,000 unique and interested visits each month.
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