American Association of Endodontists
.orgSource assists the American Association of
Endodontists by Creating the Go-To Root Canal Site for
Dentists
The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) is the
professional association representing dental specialists who save
teeth through root canal treatment. The AAE needed to re-focus its
website in order to achieve its strategic goal: being the first
place that dental professionals and prospective patients go for
information about root canals. It was critical that the
organization provide the ability for members, prospective members,
dental professionals and the public to easily find information and
engage with the AAE (and each other) through real-time transactions
via the AAE database and online collaboration features.
.orgSource was brought in to:
- Work with the AAE's Special Committee on Web site Improvement
to evaluate their goals.
- Conduct a detailed needs assessment with AAE members and
leaders.
- Assist in choosing a new content management system to improve
overall site features and functionality.
- Recommend appropriate Web 2.0 applications such as blogs to
facilitate community-building among AAE members.
- Identify methods for members to collaborate online.
- Provide ways for members and nonmembers to engage in online
transactions.
- Develop a site personalization strategy.
- Evaluate social media opportunities.
The Results
When .orgSource began its work with the AAE, a website committee
was already in place and had determined that the association needed
a complete site redesign. They knew, though, that they were in need
of an outside expert to guide them the process in a strategic
manner. With a successful track record as a member of the AAE's
Distance Learning Committee, .orgSource was hired and quickly
became part of the website team.
"We had experience working with Sherry and knew she
understood the association environment, in addition to being
well-versed in all things web-related. For these reasons, we felt
very comfortable having her work directly with our members - she
was like an extension of our own staff," said Harriet Bogdanowicz,
MBA, CAE, AAE Assistant Executive Director for
Communications.
Through primary research, .orgSource found that AAE members were
visiting the website and valued the information found there.
However, there was room for improvement when it came to locating
information faster and obtaining it in ways that was most
beneficial to them.
.orgSource assessed the current site and also engaged volunteers
and staff in discussions to gauge perceptions and impressions of
the AAE's current website; things like site navigation, search
function, types of information/content, interest in new
technologies and features, practical experiences, and the overall
message the site should convey to visitors. Staff were also asked
to talk about goals and strategies, operational issues, target
audiences, competitive concerns, resources and training needs,
responsibilities and many other issues.
By gathering this data, .orgSource defined the strategic
direction for AAE's site and assisted them in selecting the most
appropriate technical vendors for the project. .orgSource then
presented a timeline for the entire project, helped map out content
and was instrumental in improving search through the establishment
of a taxonomy.
By establishing an infrastructure for AAE that supports
peer-to-peer communication, knowledge sharing and collaborative
opportunities, .orgSource was able to help provide a strong sense
of community and professionalism with the end-users, AAE members,
other dentists and the public.
The site is scheduled to launch in June 2010.
"We previewed the new site for our Board and members at
their Annual Session, and the reaction was incredible. Everyone was
blown away by the dramatic improvement in aesthetics and
functionality," said Bogdanowicz. "The committee members overseeing
our work have a new understanding of the complexity of this
project, and are extremely grateful for the guidance we received
from .orgSource."