INTRODUCTION

A group of intellectuals, secular thinkers, and freelance writers had asked  to build a bilingual platform for them to publish their articles and share important news tuned towards their local community. They had also requested additional online services such as providing photo and video sharing space, as well as free classified online posting to their community members.

CLIENT/PROJECT BACKGROUND

The client did not have a website. Nor do they have any business or technical knowledge of how a community website would work. Their target audience is a small immigrant community in a metropolitan area. Hence, there is a need for a bilingual website with an emphasis on their community language (Persian) than English.

ANALYSIS STAGE

The website would present in two languages: Persian (Farsi) and English. Original articles are mainly in Persian and tuned towards the Persian-speaking community aboard. Hence the User Interfaces would be in two distinct themes. The English navigation system would be left-handed, while Persian system would be right-handed. Online visitors, regardless of the language, should get to their needed content via intuitive category selections, while a “popular tag” system would help to streamline most searched or viewed categories.

DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, AND IMPLEMENTATION

Along with the system architect, the initial mockup of the system was designed and developed within a week. The first design was implemented in a month with an Articles and News section, along with a multi-level membership login section.

The website is based on the Drupal framework with a new theme, specific category system, and predefined login groups designed and custom implemented for the client. The site was online in the fifth week from project initiation, with the last few days spent on testing (browser compatibility, stress testing, etc.).

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

The site is posted on a dual CPU server with a customized and enhanced memory system on a dedicated server, hosted on a high bandwidth, first-tiered data center. is developing and integrating other required services such as advertising, photo, and video sharing modules, free classified, etc.

CONCLUSION

designed, implemented, and supported a bilingual community system for a group of freelance writers and authors within five weeks. We provided the most cost-effective solution using the latest technologies (customized hardware, modular and multi-tiered software applications, and non-stop high bandwidth online service) with a customized design and development solution tuned to the unique Iran-linked community.