Meeting the Challenge of Electronic Communication” Jeanne Helm, Peggy Panda, and Christopher Hawley Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, is challenged with not only providing an environment where engineers and scientists can exchange information quickly and accurately, but also providing the public with the fruits of its exploration in away that is both interesting and understandable to all age groups and professional arenas. Web technology has given us the means to meet this challenge. A myriad of tools and technologies are used daily to solve communication problems from simple memo distribution to highly complex Web sites instantly delivering custom data around the world. A Jo/f of Reality The strategic planning architectural coding and tools used for buildingJPL’s Web sites are best illustrated by case studies. These examples include the JPL Technical Report ServeG the Advanced Spacecraft Development Program Information Exchange (PIE); and the DMIE Information System. The Paperless Project Arrives The Advanced Spacecraft Development Program Information Exchange (PIE) system, illustrates a project based entirely on electronic information databases (a “paperless” project). Implementation of the paperless project concept employs a modular approach, where features can be easily added and integrated. The project Web site consists of a number of features, including posting and review areas, group calendars, search capability for text and graphics, online forms for metadata submission, auto-upload of user files, and hypes-links to other online tools (such as a receivable/deliverable system). The architecture and scalability of the application offers the ability to include archival and retrieval of e-mail messages, auto-posting and auto-converting to PDF of user files, and a working interface to the JPL Product Data Management System for control of project configuration items. With this approach, each new project team wishing to use the system can choose which features best fit its requirements. The PIE system began as a concept to electronically store “information” as opposed to “documents.” Individual textual descriptions, tables, schedules, and graphical information not only would be searched and sorted, but also cut, pasted, and edited to build a new document or presentation. Files needed to be accessed by all program members, including off-site contractors, principal investigators, and science teams at U.S. institutions and universities, NASA and other government agencies, and collaborating Russian scientists. The research described in thk paper was performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.