Tangent 90

Multi-language eLibrary for Grace Construction

Grace Construction needed to make available their library of product information throughout their European distributors and customers. However, with the complexities of differing country construction regulations and guidelines, and the need for information to be available in the native language of each of the seventeen countries involved, the library was going to be extensive. So distributing this content in a cost effective manner was an important concern.

Because Tangent 90 had already developed a product data CDROM for their Concrete Division, Grace Construction turned to us again for assistance.

Originally we felt there was far too much data to squeeze onto a CDROM, so we initially recommended a DVD. However, at that time, DVD players were not universal, so it was likely that many users would only have a CDROM drive. To use multi CD sets would have been financially prohibitive.

Having abandoned the DVD idea, Tangent 90 had to find a clever way of compressing a huge amount of data onto a single CD disc, with only one tenth of the capacity of a DVD. This was going to require a large amount of file optimisation. After initial tests to convert the library to PDF and Flash files had proved successful, we created a directory and navigation structure to access the content using these highly compressed file formats. However, the complexities of compiling all the information did prove lengthy and took Grace Construction almost eighteen months to compile and translate the library content from the time of the initial brief.

The final interactive programme contained over 1,000 PDF’s, almost an hour of video, detailed illustrations & animations, links to web resources, contact details of every Grace Construction office and distributor in over 40 countries covering Europe & the Middle East, was in 17 languages and all fitted on single CDROM. The CDROM has been duplicated over 16,000 times and has been distributed throughout Grace Construction’s offices worldwide. The feedback to the CDROM and information has been tremendous, so much so that Grace Construction have entered it for two industry awards and commissioned two follow on CDROM’s for their Fire Proofing and Concrete Divisions.