Helen Thompson, University of Ballarat
The MainStreet.au.com project has provided its target community with a range of opportunities to access assistance, secure the tools and identify the process and practices to ensure the implementation of sustainable electronic commerce operations. The inclusion of a technical team was a significant factor that positively influenced the project outcomes. Without this element,we would have been locked into a static portal solution, like so many other government-funded projects. This would have tied us to the original business case model where achieving sustainability relied almost entirely on attracting up to fifty percent of the region's businesses with low cost tools.
The distinguishing feature of the MainStreet.au.com is the way we deliver all the functionality of MainStreet.au.com but with a 'local face'. This has attracted diverse groups and communities, local governments, town based communities, membership based organisations, industry groups and small and medium enterprises. The level of functionality and services these communities use is high and because these clients have strong ownership of their online activities, maintain their own web-based information and are committed to annually investing to maintain the portal infrastructure and services, the services of MainStreet.au.com will continue to be delivered long after the initial seed funding has been expended.