Prefix Technologies catapults NUMSA onto the web and into the future

This has been Numsa's first step in its move to use the Internet as an affordable means of communication for the organisation and future member services in years to come.

www.numsa.org.za

Having been awarded the contract in November 2003, the Prefix Technologies development and editorial staff eagerly began the massive task of migrating policy and congress resolution data - dating back as far as 1987 - to NUMSA's new database-driven content, document and user management system. In parallel, design and artwork was collected in order to create an attractive online brand that would appeal not only to the media and externally interested parties, but also to NUMSA's 180,000 individual members who will increasingly have internet access in the future.

"This is a major achievement for us as a young company", says Sam Hutchinson, Managing Director of Prefix Technologies, "As a solution, our suite of tested services and products suited NUMSA perfectly at an affordable price point. We're really proud of the content quality across a large volume, while the technology ensures flexibility in data organisation and presentation going forward."

NUMSA's new website (www.numsa.org.za) encompasses a wide range of features to keep visitors engaged and up-to-date, while also promoting the skills and talents of NUMSA staff. Linked writer biographies are available on all articles and NUMSA-affiliated photographers are promoted through an attractive image gallery.

South African and global metals industry news headlines are aggregated a number of times a day from various media sources using RSS technology. These complement NUMSA's own vitally important press statements and organisational news. The NUMSA news section will be pivotal during the organisation's 7th National Congress in September this year, where it will be updated directly from the venue as the decisions are made.

Hundreds of policy resolutions adopted at Central Committee, Executive Committee and National Congress meetings over the last 15 years are now online, and can be browsed chronologically or thematically. The same applies to NUMSA's newspaper and magazine print publications, NUMSA News and NUMSA Bulletin. All these archives are fully searchable using Prefix Technologies' powerful database search functionality.

Navigation is via a simple, expandable menu, and specially written how-to articles covering searching, downloading files and using the site's interactivity features are available in the "site help" section.

Visitors can subscribe to the website's newsletter to be informed of updates and important announcements. Prefix Technologies (www.prefix.co.za) have also implemented e-mail based media lists to allow NUMSA communications officers to issue important press statements quickly and track delivery. A comprehensive links directory is also available with categories for local and international unions, the SETAs and related online information resources.

Commented Jenny Grice, NUMSA publications officer, "We are very happy with the solution provided by Prefix Technologies. They have some powerful tools backed up with well thought-out maintenance and skills-transfer commitments that create a feasible and long term solution."