Case Study: The Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) boosts member engagement and growth with Higher Logic

Transform Member Interaction with Social Technology

The Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) is a professional association serving about 3,700 members (and a wider network of up to 10,000 public works professionals) across Australia and New Zealand. IPWEA relied on informal, site‑based networking and email groups, which limited member engagement, outreach and the organisation’s ability to grow and retain membership.

IPWEA implemented Higher Logic’s Communities of Practice—a fully integrated online community, website and mobile app tied into its iMIS AMS and ACCPAC payments—using a phased rollout and beta testing. The platform centralized forums, resources and event registration, drove rapid engagement (thousands of logins, hundreds of posts and uploads in the first months), increased site traffic from ~5,000 to nearly 20,000 monthly visits by 2014, generated 25% more member prospects and delivered an 11% net membership gain in 2014.

IPWEA Australasia

Chris Champion

CEO