FORRU-CMU
The Forest Restoration Research Unit of Chiang Mai University (FORRU-CMU) has dedicated over thirty years to promoting forest restoration and preservation in Thailand and Southeast Asia. Their work includes scientific research, publications, and outreach and education programs, making them an important resource for environmental restoration efforts in the region.
When FORRU-CMU partnered with Infonomic in 2020, it was clear that their repository of knowledge and resources held significant value. However, like many smaller research organizations, their capacity to effectively curate and share this material online was constrained by their primary focus on advancing science and academic results. FORRU’s online presence, while functional, needed improved design, organization, and accessibility to better support their mission.
Challenges Faced by FORRU-CMU
FORRU-CMU faced challenges common among research-focused organizations. With a "can-do" culture and limited resources, their online communications were approached as an extension of their research efforts — something they could “make work” in-house. While this resourceful approach is understandable, it underestimates the expertise required to build a digital library and create an effective online presence. As a result, their achievements and substantial collection of publications were not fully utilized, missing opportunities to engage donors, researchers, and broader audiences effectively.
For organizations like FORRU-CMU, where donor funding plays an important role, a well-organized and well-designed online platform enhances visibility, credibility, and authority, helping to build trust with stakeholders. A structured, cohesive platform helps organizations better connect with their audiences and amplifies impact.
Infonomic’s Approach
Our work aimed to transform their extensive body of work into an asset that could better communicate their mission, inspire action, and reach a global audience.
We followed our standard process of discovery, analysis, and design, leveraging our Collections Management offerings to build a 'human centered' solution - the result of combining user stories with a laser-like focus on beneficiary value.
A Partnership for Growth
Working with FORRU-CMU was a rewarding experience. By trusting Infonomic to guide their digital transformation, they took an important step in ensuring their work reaches a wider audience and meets the evolving needs of their stakeholders. Today, their online presence more effectively reflects the scope and significance of their contributions to forest restoration.
Innovative Design— Dr Stephen Elliott, Co-Director of Chiang Mai University's Forest Restoration Research UnitAs a scientific research unit, FORRU-CMU’s mission is to generate and disseminate knowledge to support tropical forest restoration. Infonomic has helped us achieve this by designing an attractive, user-friendly website, with advanced functionality, which effectively communicates with a diverse range of stakeholders. Their innovative design includes a sophisticated search capability, enabling users to quickly find relevant information, even within documents. The training provided to our staff, in content production and management, was outstanding. Altogether, Infonomic's services are exceptional - the resulting website speaks for itself.
Looking forward, we are excited about building on the foundation we’ve established. With a fully indexed collection in place, we aim to explore advanced tools like retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) AI agents. These tools have the potential to further expand access to FORRU-CMU’s collection, enabling tailored responses to a variety of user needs — from answering K-12 student questions like "Why is biodiversity important to forest restoration?" to supporting researchers with analyses of tree species selection for specific landscapes. These technologies have the potential to further enhance accessibility and impact — inspiring and educating a broader audience while continuing to advance the science of forest restoration.