Background
In response to a directive from the Office of Management and Budget that the Department of State collect quantifiable information on public diplomacy efforts outside the United States, Karen P. Hughes, then State’s Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, initiated the project to create the Mission Activity Tracker or MAT. The idea was to create an easy-to-use web application that would enable Department of State officials to track the cost and effectiveness of U.S. diplomatic events around the world. As a first step, the agency collected technical and end-user requirements for the web solution. Then came the actual development.
The Challenge
Webworld was given this task with a very tight deadline. Webworld developers had to produce a working prototype within three months using the requirements collected by the Department of State. The deadline and the scope of the requirements made the development project a very challenging task.
The Solution
Webworld developers decided to construct the new web application using Web 2.0 technologies, as they offer dramatic ease-of-use advantages over earlier web development methods.
Working on an extended schedule in order to meet the tight deadline, the two-man development team used the requirements compiled by the Department of State to build an innovative and easy-to-use application that enables agency personnel from around the world to log diplomatic events, their outcomes and their associated costs.
The solution also enabled Department of State officials to easily generate reports on the effects of U.S. public relations efforts internationally.
Throughout the development process Webworld solicited feedback from Department of State stakeholders and end-users, ensuring that the final product met client expectations.
The Results
Webworld met the challenging deadline and delivered the application on time. MAT was subsequently praised during an April 2007 Congressional hearing by Secretary Hughes as an effective tool in enabling the Department of State to standardly track the costs and effectiveness of U.S. diplomatic events in other countries.
Project URL: Official information on the Mission Activity Tracker is available on the Department of State’s website at:
http://exchanges.state.gov/programevaluations/pmm/pdeo.html. |