Home page of redesigned USHPA website.

USHPA.org: Public-facing website communicating  to general public, members, press, landowners, and potential new members. Also integrates members-only restricted content and ties into a comprehensive back-end member-management system.

This is a story about how sometimes the only solution to an intractable problem is tenacity and sheer willpower. This project was a complete overhaul of the technology infrastructure supporting the US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association (USHPA). The first phase was a completely revamped public-facing website, followed by integration of members-only content and finally a completely new, customized back-end member management system.

In 1999 USHPA undertook a major move to the web with a website and homegrown web-based member management system based on original ASP and SQL Server. This same technology was relatively unchanged for the next nearly two decades, hamstringing the staff both in communicating with members and in launching new initiatives. In 2014, as a newly hired Program Manager, I successfully made the case for a complete overhaul of both the website and the underpinning technology.

The first step was collaborating with Good Dog Design on a new public-facing website. At the same time various technical solutions were explored, and I created a new database design to support our forward-looking system. Unfortunately the original developer backed out when the project was ready to begin, a harbinger of the development challenges that would plague the project.

Thank you for getting us safely across to the new platform. It’s a tribute to your skill and tenacity that we made it across and working so smoothly. – Alan Crouse, USHPA Vice President

Another development team was identified and the public-facing website was brought to life using Ruby on Rails. It not only featured many amazing images of our sport, but the new information architecture revealed tons of content that most members had never known existed. It also resulted in a new, more modern brand for the organization. However, the development team was also responsible for the back-end member management system and had bitten off more than they could chew.

A new development team was found, and a more detailed work breakdown with hundreds of user stories was created for a custom member management system built in Ruby on Rails. As the project was poised to begin it was decided that we should use a third-party solution, rather than using a fully custom solution. After evaluation of multiple different systems and approaches, the iMIS system from ASI was selected due to its extensive configurability.

While the iMIS system is specifically designed for nonprofit member management, USHPA has some unique needs, including very specific waivers (that were implemented using the DocuSign API), workflows, and the pilot proficiency system. Extensive configuration and customization of the product was done in collaboration with Zentso, working with an international team.

Your positive energy, guidance and decision making were brilliant, not to mention the actual hands-on tweaking that you did! Could not have done it without you. – Steve Rodrigues, USHPA Secretary

Almost four years after its inception, the complete overhaul of the USHPA system was completed. In addition to the communication and member benefits of the new website, the updated member management system has resulted in increased staff availability (due to numerous process efficiencies), more staff control over data and reports, and improved business information for the Executive Director and Executive Committee.

Company: US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association
Position: Program Manager
Technologies: Ruby on Rails, Postgres, .NET/ASP, SQL Server, DocuSign)

References:
https://www.ushpa.org
New website launches