At the recent KM Triversary Forum (14-15 October 2025), we delivered a presentation together with IDRC colleagues on our experiences in building and supporting a KM and collaboration platform for the CLimate Adaptation and REsilience (CLARE) programme.
The presentation, “Bridging Communities and Content: Integrated KM for Climate Research Collaboration”, showcased how the Dgroups Foundation supported CLARE in designing and building a modular knowledge management platform that connects people, content, and learning across more than 30 research projects worldwide.
Instead of purchasing a single off-the-shelf solution, the CLARE programme design team agreed with the Foundation team’s recommendation to “buy smart, build light, and stay adaptable.”
The resulting platform integrates familiar tools – WordPress for web and integration with the DSpace repository, Groups.io for collaboration, and ODK for monitoring and learning – into one connected environment. At the core of the collaboration module is email, still the most inclusive and accessible medium for the Programme’s collaborators.
Following the Principles for Digital Development, the platform was co-designed through consultation with Programme partners and built for flexibility, sustainability, and ease of use. It enables CLARE collaborations to share outputs openly, connect through communities of practice, and link evidence to programme-wide learning.
Key takeaways from this specific experience include:
- User voices matter more than assumptions – designing with people, not for them, ensures relevance and adoption.
- Buy smart, build light, stay adaptable – combine proven tools rather than reinventing new ones, keeping systems lean and flexible.
- Invest early, save later – time spent on consultation, research, and integration upfront reduces long-term recurring costs.
- Email remains the most accessible tool for interaction – it continues to be the simplest, most inclusive way to collaborate across contexts.
- Visibility of data encourages contributions – when users see how information is used, they are more motivated to share and update it.
- Plan for and provide ongoing facilitation and support – platforms thrive when there are people who nurture engagement and connection.
This collaboration demonstrated how an integrated, fit-for-purpose approach can achieve value for money and technically sound systems that are affordable to maintain, adaptable over time, and supportive of user needs.