Success story

Modernizing SOCIB’s digital ecosystem

A secure, scalable, and decoupled digital platform that unified SOCIB's website, CMS, document repository, and analytics to advance accessibility, interoperability, and Open Science.

Background

Background 

The Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System (SOCIB), recognized as a node of the Distributed Marine Observation ICTS (IDISOM) within Spain's Unique Scientific and Technical Infrastructures (ICTS), has a rich digital ecosystem to support research, collaboration, and public engagement.

Over time, this ecosystem expanded into a collection of specialized platforms for content management, institutional communications, stakeholder services, scientific dissemination, and access to digital resources.

While these platforms effectively served distinct needs, their growth created an opportunity to improve integration, streamline user experience, and simplify long-term platform management, reinforcing SOCIB's commitment to Open Science and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles. 

Business-need

Business need 

SOCIB sought to optimize and consolidate its digital ecosystem to provide a more seamless, integrated experience for users while improving the discovery and dissemination of oceanographic knowledge. The objective was to better serve the diverse needs of the scientific community, public administrations, environmental managers, educators, and public.

Internally, SOCIB also needed to modernize its data management by optimizing databases and automating metrics collection and reporting.

The primary need was to integrate core systems, including the content management system, institutional website, open science repository, and analytics tools into a secure, scalable, and accessible ecosystem. This transformation was designed to increase operational autonomy, facilitate future platform evolution, and reinforce security and accessibility standards.  

Solution

SOCIB partnered with Nagarro to optimize and modernize its digital ecosystem through a collaborative approach that combined strategic planning, user-centered design, and technical expertise with a deep understanding of SOCIB's scientific, operational, and administrative requirements.

As part of this transformation, the Content Management System (CMS) was upgraded to optimize publishing workflows, database queries, and document management. Building on this foundation, both the institutional website and the Open Science Repository were redesigned, improving performance, accessibility, and navigation experience across different user profiles. 

 

The solution also introduced advanced search and data discovery capabilities, making scientific content and digital resources easier to find, access, and reuse. Analytics and reporting were enhanced through interactive dashboards and reusable Web Components that enable performance indicators to be embedded across external platforms. In addition, SOCIB integrated YedAI, a generative AI-powered virtual assistant to improve access to information and user support.

On the security front, a centralized Identity and Access Management (IAM) system based on Keycloak was deployed, aligning with the requirements and best practices of the National Security Scheme (ENS) to reinforce unified user and permission management across all platforms. 

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Results

The transformation strengthened SOCIB's long-term technical autonomy through the complete transfer of source code, comprehensive technical documentation, and 11 tailored training sessions for the teams responsible for managing and evolving the platforms.

The renewed digital ecosystem achieved WCAG 2.2 level AA accessibility compliance, delivering a more inclusive and user-friendly experience across its websites.

Identity and access management were also fortified to align with the principles and requirements of the National Security Scheme (ENS). Together, these improvements reinforce SOCIB's mission to advance Open Science by improving the visibility, accessibility, and interoperability of publications, data, software, and other scientific outputs in accordance with FAIR principles.

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Optimizing SOCIB’s digital ecosystem has been a strategic milestone in improving how we manage, share, and communicate our services and scientific knowledge. The project has allowed us to optimize and integrate core platforms, enhance accessibility, and strengthen security, all while maintaining our commitment to Open Science and the excellence of the services we offer to the scientific community and society as an ICTS. The close collaboration and effective knowledge transfer between both teams have established a robust technological foundation ready to face future challenges.
Rosa Rodríguez
Head of Communication and Corporate Strategy at SOCIB