WebSportsman.com Case Study

WebSportsman.com was conceived as an on-line search engine tailored to the requirements of people with an interest in outdoor pursuits such as hunting, fishing, whitewater rafting /canoeing and horseback riding.

The problem was to provide a list of outfitters falling into one of the four sports categories. The list is narrowed by means of search criteria, such as location, game, environment, guides and price. Further information on the targeted outfitters determined by the search would be available at the click of a mouse. The degree of information each outfitter provides on the site ties into websportsman.com's business model. Revenue is generated from the outfitters themselves by charging a registration fee for a preferred listing on the site. Four levels of registration are available, ranging from a free listing of name, contact details and service type up to a full page of updatable information and photos.

Shared Vision Group joined the project to turn the concept into a business reality. We defined the system requirements based upon the basic idea. Working closely with the client, we built a customized site, incorporating functionality requirements in order to make the site a hub of information. The site is built upon a DB2 database interacting with dynamic web pages written in IBM's Net.Data, HTML and some supporting JavaScript. The interface is zoned by the four community areas, each catering to the enthusiasts of the given sport.