Current News

Future Medium is proud to announce that it has entered into a formal sponsorship agreement with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (TSO). Future Medium will be working closely with the TSO over the next twelve months on a joint initiative to redevelop the TSO website and assisting them to increase their online presence and customer experience.

 Managing Director, Glen Johnson, describes why he believes in partnership

 "I'm very pleased to be able to offer our services to the TSO, because in a relatively young place such as Australia the TSO has become engrained in our Tasmanian heritage. The TSO has played a large role in Tasmania's entertainment history dating back to its official creation in 1948. We believe our assistance will greatly assist the TSO achieve it marketing goals  as it moves into a new era of marketing;  where new tools and techniques are required for businesses to effectively engage and communicate with their audience on and offline".

The Intelligent Island Market Access and Partnership Program (MAPP) awarded a $491,633 commercial grant to Future Medium for commercialisation of the INVESTRAK Web Reporting Infrastructure to national and global markets.  Future Medium was one of seven Tasmanian ICT companies to receive funding in the third round of MAPP.  MAPP is a competitive, merit-based grant program covering software development, commercialisation and market expansion.

INVESTRAK provides portfolio data management capabilities for financial products, including superannuation and managed funds.  These include:

1. Turnkey secure web access system for investors, advisers and dealers to view portfolio data
2. Data-feed capabilities to provide portfolio data to external systems, such as financial planning desktop software

With the assistance of the MAPP Commercial grant Future Medium will develop market and commercial opportunities for INVESTRAK both nationally and overseas by leveraging existing and new relationships with partners in the financial services or web services sectors in Australia, Singapore, and New Zealand.

For further information please visit the INVESTRAK website or the following media releases from various government bodies:

• http://www.media.tas.gov.au/
• http://minister.industry.gov.au/
• http://www.development.tas.gov.au/

Throughout the frantic summer festive season Future Medium deployed four exciting new interactive websites.  We encourage you to visit the following:

1. Petrusma Real Estate site complete overhaul
2. OneCare public site and secure board facilities  
3. Ride Bellerive online shopping site  
4. Zaptz International E-business site

Tasmania's Department of Economic Development has assisted Future Medium to commence a process of strategic marketing analysis and marketing plan implementation throughout 2008.

Managing Director, Glen Johnson, described the problems faced in 2008

"Future Medium's core business is a complicated product and service mix that is targeted at a segment that is increasingly becoming less educated about the buying process and reasons.  As a supplier in a market of confused buyers it has become evident that Future Medium must take steps to simplify its value proposition through either targeted advertising or packaged service offerings."

Having acknowledged the above, Future Medium's case manager, Mr. Phil Johnston, recommended a full strategic assessment of Future Medium's marketing approach.  Furthermore, Mr Johnston recommended that we seek mentoring support in implementing the 2008 marketing strategy.

With the assistance of the Enterprise Growth Program Future Medium will access a comprehensive methodology and process driven by an innovative marketing strategist.  The methodology will uncover customer segmentation and how to target and satisfy these segments.  The process will clarify for Future Medium the path forward to take the Future Medium brand to the next level; developing brand exposure and leveraging brand loyalty.  Ultimately the process will lead to continued retention of existing clients whilst also facilitating acquisition of new high margin clients both locally and interstate.

Empart is an innovative non-profit Christian organisation.  Based in Melbourne, Australia, Empart has support offices in USA, Canada, Germany and Switzerland.  Empart's primary field operation is in North India, with new opportunities opening in other locations.

Empart selected Future Medium on the strength of the Future Medium portfolio and a proven ability to engage with each organisation and extract business processes and take that understanding forward into an engaging online experience that was business focussed and user centric.

Future Medium will deliver the following to Empart:

1. Strategic planning for improved user satisfaction and acquisition of new partners and customers (centring around targeted content delivery based on revised information architecture and definition of user profiles)
2. Complete site redesign to reflect strategic planning sessions (adopting usability principles)
3. Implementation of the autopublish content management system (CMS) (for site management)
4. Construction of a secure area (to serve a range of account types)
5. Construction of an e-commerce gateway (to hook into a bank for credit card processing)
6. Implementation of a newsletter system (to seamlessly utilise material from autopublish and automatically handle subscriptions and email changes as well as bounce management.)
7. Statistics package integration
8. Rich Media storage
9. Search engine optimisation
10. Hosting
11. Training and support

Future Medium have already commenced work with Empart and has conducted a 3 day strategy workshop onsite in Victoria with Empart.  Empart's founders are very enthusiastic about the Future Medium process and already have a transparent view of the new online vision.

The energetic and capable Richard Roff has joined Future Medium under the Intelligent Island funded k2b program.  Richard brings an enthusiastic personality and a diverse background in marketing frameworks and entrepreneurial thinking.  Richard holds both qualifications from TAFE Tasmania and the University of Tasmania. He has completed an Advanced Diploma in Marketing, Diploma in Business Studies, and has also completed his degree in Commerce majoring in Marketing and Entrepreneurship.  He's also had experience in working with online projects, including the management of a film festival that utilised online promotions as one of its primary communications tools.

Richard will be working on two significant areas of marketing for Future Medium. 

The first is to bring direct benefit to our clients by working with them specifically on their marketing objectives and devising methods by which they can leverage these online.  To do this he'll work closely with existing creative and technical business units to uncover customer's product/service segmentation define the demographic profiles of customer's site visitors/users, extracting the customer's key value proposition/s and match these to the resulting plans/designs from the creative division.  Richard will also be assessing and advising clients on integration with offline media; and developing and monitoring online marketing strategies through defining marketing goals, triggers, keywords, and affiliate marketing relationships.

He'll also be working on a broad scope marketing strategy for Future Medium.  He'll be focusing on products and services; which will involve developing a comprehensive brand definition and matching this to a growth plan with the executive team.

If you work with Future Medium you will most likely meet Richard over the course of the next few months.  If you have any particular marketing requirements or ideas that you'd like to explore further, he'd be only too happy to hear from you.

The k2b program has granted Future Medium a graduate marketing officer and associated mentoring services for 2008.  Future Medium are pleased to receive this assistance as it cements a cornerstone of the organisations strategy to increase capacity to service the growing strategic marketing needs of our client base and that of our own products and services.

Managing Director, Glen Johnson commented on Future Medium's web strategy division:

"The provision of integrated digital services has evolved to the extent that traditional marketing strategy services are both a key driver and significant value add to online project and product development.  More specifically, customers' strategies for the digital world continue to seek out return on investment and this is invariably linked to an intimate understanding of market segmentation, market needs, identifying these value propositions, and developing strategies to implement market access plans in the online environment."

Future Medium has always combined strategic planning as one of the three core tenements in our product service mix; believing that this provides reliable return on investment and facilitates exceptional client relationships.

The rapid growth experienced by the company in the past 3 years has highlighted the importance of expanding our strategic team in line with our creative and technical offerings. 

The k2b program will assist Future Medium to increase the capacity of the strategic team by the addition of an entrepreneurial marketing strategist.

k2b is an innovative training program that has been designed to address the marketing skills shortage within the Tasmanian ICT and Science and Technology industries. 

In 2008 the k2b program has two financial supporters:

1. The Intelligent Island Market Access and Partnership Program, which is funded by the Australian Government and administered by the Tasmanian Department of Economic Development is funding through its special grants program the placement and support of 6 marketing graduates into Tasmanian ICT companies.
2. The Tasmanian Department of Economic Development is funding the placement and support of at least 1 marketing graduate into Tasmanian Science and Technology companies.

Winners of the REIT 2007 Communication Award: 

The judges stated that:

"Charlotte Peterswald for Property Sales submitted a quality portfolio in a variety of mediums that were of an exceptionally high standard."

Future Medium is proud to have assisted Charlotte Peterswald for Property to translate their brand to the online space.  Managing Director Glen Johnson, who worked with Charlotte Peterswald for Property to develop their online strategy, commented:

"It's encouraging to see a peak body assess integrated marketing strategies and place value on the need to excel in all mediums.  The real estate industry is very much dependent on the web for day-to-day business and Future Medium are delighted to receive external validation of our ability to build return on investment into a project that also extends on and perpetuates the brand values of our client."

 Charlotte Peterswald for Property offered thanks to Future Medium:

"…..for the wonderful work you did on our website and the additional assistance you gave us with preparation of our entry, in regard to the web. It certainly assisted us to achieve this prestigious award."

A company first for Future Medium, we were engaged to design and develop a multi-lingual site interface.  The project was the internationalisation of the globally significant website discovertasmania operated by Tourism Tasmania. 

Engaged to build 8 different front-end interfaces for the discovertasmania website, we set to task by automating front-end creation from one central data-set of translations.  The result was the scripted compilation of 8 different websites derived from a 'vanilla version'.

The Government Communications Office has appointed Future Medium to provide internet specification and design services to undertake the Premier's new public website.  The new website will communicate government priorities, policies, and the activities of the Premier in a timely and contemporary way.  The new website will meet the needs of a broad cross-section of the community, and will provide information relevant to visitor's needs - whatever level of skill or experience they possess. 

Future Medium will work with the Government Communications Office to establish a vision for the Premier's website.  The vision will cater for the layout of various content categories, the development of an appropriate visual identity, and the effective delivery of information to a varied audience.  This vision will be innovative and embrace contemporary web concepts and technology in its application.

Managing Director, Glen Johnson, commented on the project, stating:

"Establishing a professional 'image' online for the Premier of Tasmania will be crucial to the successful implementation of this website.  Future Medium will workshop branding in great detail to extract key components of the Premier's image (i.e. his brand) and determine how best to translate this to the medium of the web.  The level of interactivity and the embracing of new technologies in his website are expected to translate as a brand value - i.e. the Premier is up-to-date and accessible."

Future Medium look forward to working with the Department of Premier and Cabinet's technical team and the launch of the Premier's new MySource Matrix-powered communications website late in 2007.

Our annual staff trip event serves as a reward for staff and an important bonding activity that ensures we all work together harmoniously. 

 FMTrip '07 was at a surprise location and just as much fun as last year - possibly more so.  After 3 days in Brisbane, QLD, including a day at fun parks Dreamworld and White Water World, we've all bonded, de-stressed and freshened up just in time to come back to our annual company Christmas party.

Thanks to all staff for participating and giving up your weekend.

 The Directors, Glen and Patrick.

P.S> Thanks to White Water World our typically quiet and hard working web developer Xiao Ming Fu has a new nickname - The SCREAMER!  Who knew he could do that?

The redesign and front-end development of Tasmania's flagship tourism website www.discovertasmania.com has been awarded to Future Medium. 

Combining our unique knowledge of Tourism Tasmania's infrastructure, their market research, and our experience with Web2.0 concepts will result in a class leading website for the state of Tasmania.  We look forward to showcasing our beautiful home state and increasing the value of our Tourism economy.

Managing Director, Glen Johnson says:

"We have an excellent relationship with Tourism Tasmania and this relationship derives strength from the back-and-forth sharing of ideas and concepts. Tourism Tasmania have been very receptive of our vision for an updated look-and-feel whilst focusing on improved content delivery and an attempt to increase visitor dispersion both across the website and the state itself. It's a priviliged position we have in working with such an iconic and progressive organisation."

ZAPTZ have engaged Future Medium to design and develop an e-business website that will allow ZAPTZ to promote, distribute and sell their technological solutions for software repackaging and virtualisation - namely the Blue Balls product.

The ZAPTZ online presence (www.zaptz.com) will achieve the following outcomes:

• A key communication and marketing tool for their products
• To be an information source allowing potential customers to learn about the benefits and advantages of their products - including walk-through guides such as Flash animation instruction movies
• An upload and download facility to allow customers to deliver and receive data/product
• A secure client extranet
• A point-of-sale facility to engage online sales of products
• Automation of online billing
• Application progress tracking
• Profile based configurable client information/interface

The ZAPTZ online presence will present a professional, trustworthy and capable company.  It will promote confidence in its audience to enable them to happily do business online with the company. It will present a highly engaging self-serve facility for customers to allow them to learn more about the products, to purchase the products multiple times and to encourage them to refer the ZAPTZ products and services to others.

Ride Bellerive www.ride.net.au is the true local bike shop.  They are a dealer of world class bicycles and service and stock over 120 bikes.  Ride stocks everything for the cyclist; from trikes to trainers, right up to elite road and mountain bikes and accessories.  Ride staff have a combined 30 years of experience in mountain bike and triathlon competition and are home to two national title holders and a state champion triathlete.

Ride Bellerive are undertaking a web project with Future Medium primarily to facilitate company growth.  This is substantially expected to arise from improved exposure of the product and service mix available at Ride Bellerive.  A quasi-e-commerce solution will be implemented to test the validity of the business model prior to entering into a full e-commerce payment system.

We look forward to deploying a visually rich and engaging site that is reflective of the range of product and service provided by Ride Bellerive.

OneCare is a Tasmanian Aged Care provider focusing on offering customer support, independence and security through a broad range of age care services.  Depending on the individual needs, OneCare provides accredited High Care Nursing Home and Low Care Hostel Accommodation.

OneCare are the second largest state-wide aged care organisation in Tasmania and soon to be the largest - employing 600 staff and forecasting 900 within 18 months.

OneCare selected Future Medium to:

• extend the organisations image
• establish a business tool (both to provide business intelligence and to securely service board member needs)
• provide corporate background to community, customers, and industry stakeholders
• support human resources in the fulfilment of the jobs pipeline

The website will appropriately communicate that OneCare deliver the best possible care. 

FM have been selected to undertake a substantial redesign of the Tasmanian Heritage Highway Tourism Regional Association's (HHTRA) website www.heritagehighway.com.au. 

The project will include integration of the national ATDW database of product (accommodation, events, activities and attractions).  Future Medium will also develop a framework to allow the HHTRA to augment the ATDW data set with local non-ATDW product as one seamless user experience. 

The Heritage Highway is a historically important region to Tasmania featuring a rich convict and Georgian history.  Unfortunately the region is faced with a number of problems relating to length of stay, yield, and perception of product. 

In conjunction with the Northern Midlands Council, Future Medium have outlined a strategy to leverage existing marketing campaigns in a unique way online.  Mating this marketing strategy with local product offerings will stimulate visitor interest and ultimately assist the region to boost local business. 

Two-time winner of the Real Estate Institute of Tasmania website award, www.petrusma.com.au is set to be completely redeveloped by FM.  The goals are high: reset the benchmark for Tasmania's real estate industry, and deliver a superior user experience for buyers and vendors.  Strategy sessions have commenced and a framework is in place to meet Petrusma & Partners expanding requirements.

TOPS recently undertook a full website project (www.tops.com.au) with Future Medium specifically to raise TOPS' profile, encourage new client leads, communicate their established product and service offerings, and spread the brand message of an integrated company - the "go to for ICT".  Future Medium are proud to support TOPS through their national expansion plans as they take their company and new branding to the mainland. 

The website communicates the integrated delivery of:

• IT Sales (hardware) and associated technical services (SLA's)
• Telstra business systems
• AV hardware sales and associated technical services

The key mechanisms employed in the site architecture are:

• Cross-selling techniques within the site
• Delivery of value added material along-side relevant content
• Identifying with and communicating to specific bodies within the target audience in an appropriate manner

Customer Service Officer, Sion Deane, recently completed a certificate IV in business under a traineeship in conjunction with NGT.  Sion was successful in securing a position as a Tasmanian finalist in the 2007 training awards.  Congratulations Sion.

Sales and Marketing Manager, Amanda Bergmann, has been appointed Vice President of TASIT (Tasmania's peak industry body for Information Communication Technology).  In conjunction with Peter Gartland as the newly appointed president, Amanda looks forward to growing the TASIT member base and progressing the standing and reputation of TASIT as an active and valuable contributor to the economic success of ICT companies in Tasmania.

Our Sales and Marketing Manager, Amanda Bergmann, was invited to speak at the Totally South conference, an incentive to support and educate tourism operators in the State's south.

Amanda was one of the four break-out session speakers and received overwhelming interest in her topic 'Being Great on the Web' with a large percentage of the conference delegates choosing to see her in action. 

She thoroughly enjoyed working with tourism operators for the day, hopefully bringing them some insight and ideas on how to exceed in business online.

Amanda is an engaging and informative speaker and has a real passion for educating people in contemporary online issues. She is available for speaking events and conferences and would be happy to hear from people who are interested in her presentation portfolio and training skills.

Future Medium are now a signatory to Tasmania's GITC contract.  Participating in this head agreement with the Crown of Tasmania simplifies government engagement of Future Medium's services.

Charlotte Peterswald for Property new website launched.

Charlotte Peterswald for Property approached Future Medium with a desire to explore ways in which their company could be better leveraged in the online market space.

Prior to engaging Future Medium, Charlotte Peterswald for Property utilised a website that provided integration with property listings through a realestate.com.au interface.  We identified limitations with the previous web presence such as the lack of ability for flexible management of site content, and the use of navigation elements that did not suitably drive customers to information within the site.  There was little opportunity for site users to customise or search the website data for information that directly matched their needs, and there were few opportunities for them to engage with the company in the way of feedback or enquiry.  The site was also constructed in a way that limited its appeal to Search Engines.

Charlotte Peterswald for Property expressed interest in a website that would allow them to quickly and easily moderate site content without the single point sensitivity presented by a customer-to-provider relationship as experienced with realestate.com.au.  They also expressed interest in methods of content distribution that would allow them both a better brand presence across the website as a whole. 

The ideal company website had to provide Charlotte Peterswald for Property a more effective solution for accessing market share and encouraging and nurturing sales leads.  The site therefore needed to have greater potential for effective presence on Search Engines.  It needed to provide an enticing and familiar environment for new sales prospects to conduct property research.  In respect to the latter, the site needed to give browsing customers prompts to enquire further or view more, and most importantly, submit their information through the website to the company. Therefore the site needed to be highly accessible, highly learnable and had to offer the visiting customer with a comfortable and inclusive experience.

Future Medium's Creative Team took a considered interpretation of the brand identity to create a visually appealing website that communicates the brand image and values through all areas of the website.  The visual strategy for the site involved a number of elements, including graphical artwork, content layout and the use of visually engaging features.  The visual elements of the website are simple, elegant and concise and most importantly to Charlotte Peterswald, demonstrate a unique spin on the brand in the web medium.  We created a user interface and a content layout strategy that responded to the company's customer service and marketing requirements.  This included the display of property information, presentation of cues to browse multiple listings, and placement of feedback or enquiry opportunities in significant and relevant locations throughout the site.

Don't forget to check out the time sensitive page header that adjusts itself depending on what time of day you view the site.

http://www.charlottepeterswald.com.au/

Future Medium are proud to launch http://www.hobarttravelcentre.com.au/  The website presents and promotes the various tourism experiences available throughout Tasmania. 

Tasmanian Travel Information Centre (TTIC) required the development of a website whereby TTIC-services could be communicated and promoted online.  The website has a dual function - initially to provide information, showcase tourism products, and encourage contact with the centre, and secondly to capture the online booking market.

Our solution provides a number of benefits to the centre.  It allows for a 24 hour 'shop' for customers to access information and to undertake their own holiday planning at their leisure.  It also allows potential visitors to identify with, and learn more about the centre and its services.  With the integration of the V3 booking system (known locally as Book Tasmania), the centre also benefits from tapping into a new segment of customers - those who wish to access product and book their holiday online.

TTIC required a strong branding presence that portrayed the professionalism and industry-leading nature of the centre.  Future Medium's design team took guidance from the 'i-Do' branding style, indicating the integration with formal industry bodies associated with the Tasmanian Visitors Information Network (TVIN).

Whilst the Visitor Centre is based in the south of Tasmania, it is seen by visitors as the hub for tourism information and bookings.  Therefore the site is designed to convey a high level of competence, synonymous with the highly important role it plays in the Tourism industry in Tasmania.  The site is conducive to the promotion of Hobart and Tasmania as a location offering outstanding experiences in the way of events, entertainment and seasonal experiences. 

The site allows visitors to learn more about the state and develop emotional motivations to visit through the use of enticing content layout and intelligent use of imagery.

In conjunction with the site, the booking system was integrated to convey strong branding similarities.  The use of the V3 product allowed Future Medium to apply branding design to the user interface, maintaining consumer confidence throughout the booking and payment process.

InvestorLink Securities was looking for a company with the capability, expertise and resources to deliver a newly branded web site without losing any of the key features of the existing web site. 

Future Medium provided a renewed focus on the ORB product range, and improved the management and workflow of prospectus and PDS creation through the implementation of a "Data Room" concept.  As part of our solution, we implemented a website that was usable, brand sensitive, database driven and using the latest technology.  We identified industry standard solutions that provide superior functionality in the delivery of business documents, web-based video streaming and presentations to clients.  The result is an engaging experience for ISL clients.

http://www.investorlinksecurities.com.au/

The Freycinet Escape, Tasmania's first luxury wilderness camp is situated within the world renowned Freycinet National Park, Tasmania's East Coast jewel.  The Freycinet Escape product allows you to experience a unique 3 days / 2 nights luxurious wilderness accommodation complete with luxury guest tents, dining tent, resident chef and a host of activities, including boat cruises and a guided walk to the famous Wineglass Bay.  If you like the idea of camping but not its more rugged aspects The Freycinet Escape should have you packing your walking boots in no time.

Future Medium set a goal to create a stunning online 'brochure' for The Freycinet Escape.  The site had to employ a sophisticated design yet maintain a focus on usability.  The use of large photography and visual devices found in the brand helps to engage the visitor and create a luxury adventure atmosphere, reflective of the premium product.

We love their product and the web solution.  Please visit http://www.freycinetescape.com.au/

Future Medium regretfully farewell a highly respected staff member, Stuart Campbell.  Good luck in your interstate pursuits we will all miss you.

Direct Training Australia (DTA) has been a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) of Vocational Education and Training (VET) Services since February 2001.  DTA commenced operations in Riverina (NSW) and now has four offices located nationally (NSW, QLD, TAS & VIC).

DTA provide specialist training programs by highly qualified training professionals to individuals and businesses.

Future Medium provided a package based solution to DTA to facilitate a swift and cost effective position on the Internet in a professional manner.

http://www.directraining.com.au

Future Medium are looking for a competitive and motivated Account Manager with a great deal of internet experience and a background in project management methodology. 

To be suitable for the position you would need to be able to demonstrate an extremely articulate personality with an enthusiasm towards managing a huge list of competing projects for very demanding high-end customers.  You would most likely have experience as an account manager, project director, and some sales experience.  You will most definitely be someone that is excited about the web and have been involved in web projects for some time.

A more concise position description is available on our careers page.

TPTL recently contracted Future Medium to undertake a project specification process for a secure online project for the publicly listed organisation.  The specification process was well received and we subsequently landed the design, development, and support contract for the project.  Future Medium look forward to an ongoing relationship with TPTL and are excited to have added such an important financial services company to our list of valued clients.

Future Medium recently undertook a complete redevelopment of Hazell Bros website in order to present the company's marketing message in a more comprehensive and consolidated approach.  It was identified from specification work that Hazell Brothers Group have a number of workforce divisions, and it was necessary to portray these groups as part of a whole service offering to both new and existing customers.  Therefore, along with specific information delivery relating to each group, there also needed to be strong links between groups, and most importantly, links to the Hazell Brothers Group brand and values. 

Hazell Brothers Group also wished to focus their online presence on its people, and the communities which it services.  Emphasis was placed on utilising images of employees, either working on-site, or in relation to the division in which they work (such as contact staff or managers).  The company was also interested in showcasing major projects to both reinforce their market position, and to inspire confidence in the community and their employees.  Details of iconic projects were worked into the design of the site to provide a constant and consistent reminder to all site users of the capabilities and far reaching impact of Hazell Brothers Group in Tasmanian society.

It was determined that the solution would need to allow the Hazell Bros Group to update their content regularly and with minimum effort.  It was proposed that the site utilise our preferred Content Management System (CMS) product autopublish to provide the ability to manage online business growth and change.

Future Medium is proud to have another Tasmanian business icon on its client list and we look forward to ensuring Hazell Bros receive exceptional return on their investment.

Adding yet another key tourism client to our portfolio, Future Medium has recently completed a comprehensive content managed development for Totally South Tourism website (www.tasmaniasouth.com).  The new website is part of a re-branding and repositioning exercise in alignment with the TSRTA's marketing plan.  The project falls under the new marketing vehicle 'Totally South' which has been developed as the public face of the TSRTA. 

The intention of the Totally South website is to communicate value and opportunity in two uniquely different ways.  Firstly, the site mimics the previous www.tasmaniasouth.com site in that it promotes and markets southern Tasmania to potential and existing visitors to the state.  This is undertaken by using the current regional branding of Hobart (Convict Trail, Rivers Run etc.).  Secondly, the site was also developed to support the potential and existing tourism providers related to these regions.  In this case, the site offers support and information for this audience, encouraging them to use the Association's resources either online or in person to better their tourism business offering to the consumer.

Ultimately this resulted in a site that is an online promotions and resource solution that upholds the TSRTA's aims to both promote visiting tourists, and to ensure providers are supported in offering them the best touring experience possible.

Future Medium's development team regularly make behind the scenes alterations and improvements to the autopublish content management system.  But as of May 2007 the development team moved to a formalised process of product releases.  Numerous enhancements, mainly in the user interface functionality, have been included in v1.5.5.  Users with autopublish accounts have received an autopublish html newsletter as well as specific release details in their autopublish message centres.

Throughout 2007 Future Medium has continued to secure additional web application development work for TAFE Tasmania.  Our solutions presently cover a broad range of applications for use in TAFE Tasmania's e-business environment including:

• Contact Enquiry Application
• Costing Sheet Application
• Course Information System
• Equipment Request Form
• Fixed Term Employment Register
• Front-end for MySource Matrix Public Website
• Front-end for MySource Matrix Intranet
• Organisational Data Repository
• Team Leader Support System
• Team Planning System
• Traineeship Unit Database

Future Medium has strengthened its relationship with Tourism Tasmania by undertaking an e-marketing initiative and interactive design work.  This recent work augments that of the high-level project management and strategic consulting that has been provided since late 2005 on a retained and casual basis.  Future Medium's exposure to tourism operators and tourism industry bodies continues to be leveraged to great effect.

Future Medium recently released a ground-up redesigned and redeveloped website for Salamanca Realty.  Salamanca Realty wished to explore ways in which their company could be better presented in the online market space.

The new company website was architected to provide Salamanca Realty with a more effective solution for accessing market share and encouraging and nurturing sales leads in their segment.  The site needed to have greater potential for effective presence on Search Engines while still providing an enticing and familiar environment for new sales prospects to conduct property research.  In respect to the latter, the site gives browsing customers multiple prompts to enquire further or view more, and most importantly, submit their information through the website to the company.  The resulting website is highly accessible and learnable, and offers the visiting customer a comfortable and inclusive experience.

The new site adds clarity and definition to Salamanca Realty's positioning in the real estate market.  Combined with the improved functionality and superior content presentation we are confident that Salamanca Realty's website will be an increasingly valuable asset into the future.

www.salamancare.com.au

Future Medium, along with corporate partner Ochre Information Systems, has launched a product that supports Registered Training Organisations (RTO's) in promoting their organisation and sourcing new business.

A package-solution is a content managed web site offering the opportunity to access both a professionally designed website, and content management capabilities at a discounted price.  A discounted price is offered as the specification and planning phases are negligible and the design process is based around predefined layouts that are already coded. 

Clients select from a number of pre-designed package models, and business branding, colours and imagery are applied.  The autopublish Content Management System (CMS) is already integrated with these package designs and a single user license is included.  The sites benefit from an extremely quick deployment time frame and are able to be completed in just a few weeks.  Additionally, the sites are driven by a package solution engine but are also able to be decoupled from the system and treated as custom stand-alone autopublish-driven websites.  This decoupling ability adds great future flexibility for our clients and ensures that the solution provides long-term value as well as short-term wins.

The following package solution sites have been deployed or are in progress for RTO's  

• Direct Training - Coming Soon
• Central West Community College
• Grafton Community College
• Hopwood
• Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai
• Mediteach
• SkillsRec

The offering has been so successful that non-RTO's are engaging Future Medium to deploy package solutions also:

• Broadband Wireless
• Classic and Race

Future Medium is currently engaging in further R&D activities to extend upon the package solution framework and expect to provide additional functionality and alternate pre-defined layouts in the third quarter of 2007.

Future Medium was engaged to work with James Wisby of Bunches Florist to design and implement a complete e-commerce solution.  Bunches Florist is part of a boutique family owned business that brings together many years of retail, floristry and floriculture experience.  Now one of Tasmania's leading florists, they specialise in delivering their own arranged designs to most destinations throughout Tasmania, and as part of the Interflora network are able to arrange deliveries to many parts of the world.

The site utilises the autopublish content management system and associated e-commerce modules for back-end management of products and transactions.

We are extremely pleased with the result of this project and believe it is a prime example of blending design elegance with user-centric design principles.  Please visit www.bunches.com.au

Late last year we were approached by the Acceleration Group P/L to undertake the development components of a MySource Matrix project for the mining industry.  The result was www.miningcareers.com.au.

The site is a portal to promote career opportunities, education and training for the Mining Industry.  It aims to not only assist those already seeking a career in this industry, but also encourages individuals to consider changing their career path or consider adding to their existing skills and knowledge to find themselves in a mining career.

The website utilises the MySource Matrix Content Management System.  Our technical team worked with this technology to integrate session-based user preference management into the standard MySource Matrix core - a direction that revealed to us a new way in which to work with this product.

The creative direction for this project was accomplished by Acceleration, and is an excellent example of how Future Medium can mobilise our technical resources to assist with major online projects.

Independent Property Inspectors engaged Future Medium to add e-commerce functionality to the existing www.propertyinspectors.com.au website.

The e-commerce functionality is utilised for selling property condition reports and inspection documentation.  These reports are loaded to the website using the autopublish Content Management System.  Customers then logon to the site, navigate to the inspection report area and search for the relevant property address.  They are given the option to purchase the relevant report.  By selecting to purchase the reports customers are then directed to the Strata-Pay payment gateway, where the transaction is undertaken.

While Future Medium has had great success over the past two and a half years, the Directors agree that there is always room for good advice - particularly from other successful business people.  Therefore our company applied for, and was pleased to be chosen to meet with The Virtual Panel.

The Virtual Panel is a venture undertaken by TasIT and the Works Lab.  It is essentially a virtual board for ICT companies in Tasmania. 

Thus far the process has comprised of challenging yet rewarding meetings where business issues were put to the test by a number of professionals from fields such as independent business analysis, chartered accounting, commercial management, and ICT service.  The panel consisted of an ICT industry luminary, a former executive of a publicly listed company, a general manager of a national communications company, a chartered accountant, and a private consultant.

The Department of Primary Industries and Water released the Save the Tasmanian Devil website in December 2006.  The website was provided as a static html site to be managed internally by DPIW.  Future Medium provided specification and management services pro-bono in support of the cause.

http://www.tassiedevil.com.au

Petrusma & Partners have strengthened their business relations with Future Medium by choosing to utilise our property data distribution technology for their whole-of-web presence.

Petrusma & Partners have been a long-standing client of Future Medium in relation to their public website; a relationship that has seen them win the annual Real Estate Institute of Tasmania's Best Website Award twice.

Petrusma & Partners website is powered by autopublish Content Management System.  Future Medium has leveraged the technology behind this award winning site to allow them greater control over their web presence.  This includes the ability to enter and store property in a central repository, and to distribute new information in real-time to both the website and www.realestate.com.au.  Future Medium has ensured that the improvements have added neither time nor technicality to the task of submitting data; the new data distribution method has in fact streamlined processes for the company.