SPARC Adopts Hi-tech Approach

SPARC Adopts Hi-tech Approach to Developing Active and Successful New Zealanders

Real Sports engaged to use Microsoft's .NET technologies to redevelop SPARC's web interface, delivering more interactive information

Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) announced today that it is using Microsoft's latest .NET technology to motivate New Zealanders into becoming more active.

Mike Loftus, Knowledge Manager for SPARC explains that in this increasingly digital decade organisations need to be smart about delivering information and knowledge to reach their key audiences.

"SPARC identified early on that technology would be one of the cornerstones to achieving its vision. It enables us to deliver information in a more interactive way to sports and recreation bodies and New Zealanders and helps the many sports organisations across New Zealand operate in a more unified manner."

SPARC received more than 60 responses in the tender process, which Loftus and his team narrowed down to a shortlist of ten companies.

"The majority of these respondents used Microsoft as their technology of choice, and .NET was seen as the platform for the future," says Loftus.

Loftus explains that SPARC demanded a solution that would use world-leading technology, delivering stability and the knowledge that this technology would develop and evolve over time.

"For SPARC, Microsoft provided the technology we were looking for and RealSports offered the best solution technology-wise. Real also provides a good cultural fit to our organisation and its needs."

Real Sports has commenced work to deliver on three initial projects using Microsoft technologies.
Graeme Perigo of RealSports explains that the first project was delivered on November 8.
"Our team at Real redeveloped the Push Play site (www.pushplay.org.nz) into a much more interactive site which will allow New Zealanders to engage more fully with the programme and for regional sports trusts to add more local and tailored content," says Perigo.

He adds that by the end of the year, RealSports will have completed the New Zealand Academy of Sport website on the .NET platform.

"The New Zealand Academy of Sport site will be where our potential gold-medal athletes and their trainers seek inspiration and information on how to make the world-winning performances. The site will include a number of new elements including high performance modules.

"We chose Microsoft .NET because we believe it offers the best potential from a development point of view. It is reliable, easy to use and our developers are more productive using Visual Studio .NET than other development tools."

The third phase of this initial project will introduce portals to the site using Microsoft CMS 2002 and plans are to have this component live by the end of March 2003.

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