Sector(s)
Lisbon Addictions 2019 was a multidisciplinary conference that provided a forum for networking across addictions. The event was the third European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies and it was jointly organised by the Portuguese General Directorate for Intervention on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (SICAD), the journal Addiction/Society for the Study of Addiction, the EMCDDA and the International Society of Addiction Journal Editors (ISAJE).
EWORX and the EMCDDA partnered in early 2019 aiming to create a fully responsive website, with combined capabilities that target both web and mobile platforms. The ultimate aim was to ensure the website catered to the key user needs both in web and mobile platforms, whilst also showcasing the impact and experience of Lisbon Addictions to a wider audience.
About the project
As the EMCDDA was looking to raise awareness of the conference, it was vital to engage and expand their user base. Our first step was building a Drupal 7 website as the central point for conference information, including the program, information on speakers, timetables and other practical information and proceeded with integrating the PWA module.
The PWA provided personalised functionalities by using local storage on browser/device. Users were able to fill in their personal details and share their information via QR codes. Moreover, users could save their favourite presentations and get push notifications prior to the beginning of workshops, presentations and all other sessions.
Working closely with our client, we developed a rich, diverse and innovative programme by organising thematic tracks around selected topics. We built coherent packages of topical strands, sessions and guided poster.
Both the website and the PWA were GDPR compliant as the personalised functionalities used local storage and all personal data was saved only on users’ devices.
With the combined capabilities of the PWA, the EMCDDA achieved the maximun scope of priorities and expectations for a communications and dissemination platform, that conference participants and stakeholders found easy to use and fully integrated as a go-to resource for engagement and keeping abreast of updates and essential information.
The combination of the above features resulted in an outstanding experience for our client and the end users.
Why Drupal was chosen
A major project requirement was that the website was fully responsive and could be tailored as a mobile application. Contrary to native apps, a PWA can be downloaded directly from the browser without the user having to go to an app store and it behaves like a normal native app. Drupal’s PWA module could be easily integrated with the Drupal 7 website reinforcing development and cost efficiencies. Furthermore, Drupal’s PWA offered the following features and functionalities making it even more attractive:
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Progressive - Works for every user, regardless of browser choice because it's built with progressive enhancement as a core tenet.
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Responsive - Fits all: desktop, mobile, tablet
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Connectivity independent - Enhanced with service workers to work offline or on low-quality networks.
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Fresh - Always up-to-date as a result of the service worker update process.
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Safe - Served via HTTPS to prevent snooping and to ensure content hasn't been tampered with.
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Re-engageable - Makes re-engagement easy through features like push notifications.
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Linkable - Easily share the application via URL, does not require complex installation.
Technical Specifications
Drupal version:
