United Nations: Equator Initiative
When a single solution can be tied to making developing nations more productive, you're really doing something special. That's what happened when the United Nation's Equator Initiative deployed Lasso to fix a corrupt database. The results made the Equator Initiative more relevant worldwide due to timely, flexible, and cost effective data management.
The Equator Initiative focuses on issues that affect equatorial countries. It also awards the biannual Equator Initiative Prize to programs recognized by the UN.
According to Paul Melia, President of Propagate Design, the Equator Initiative's database problems were preventing them from sharing data and getting applicant information for the Equator Initiative Prize.
"In 2000, the Initiative started adding thousands of entries to a FileMaker database," notes Melia. "The databases were unwieldy. Global access was impossible. It was slow. And there were too many versions to keep up with. It was a complete mess."
Melia presented the organization's board of directors a database-driven web site built with Lasso. It was easy to administer & access, offered forms, reports and was totally searchable. And with savings $400-$500 in monthly maintenance and administration fees, The Equator Initiative appreciated what Lasso offered.
"Being able to access the application globally from anywhere on any computer really got them excited. And using the application "on the ground" in equatorial Africa, to help a villager complete a nomination form was what the organization needed. Lasso even enabled them to determine who had submitted a nomination form."
According to Melia, The Equator Initiative has been so impressed with the many Lasso tools and the ability to create multiple access levels that it is now planning to convert its massive corporate site into a Lasso site.
As a programmer himself, Melia is delighted with the level of online support he receives, especially the "Tip of the Week," the Lasso lists and a fantastic community of users. "These are things you just don't find anywhere else," adds Melia.
"I have been a Lasso user since 1999, and I am pleased with how LassoSoft has picked up the Lasso baton, and carried it further and better than ever."
Additional Information
Customer
United Nations
Project
Equator Initiative
Developer
Propagate Design
Results
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Worldwide Access
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Speed
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Flexibility
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Cost Effectiveness
