IBM Lotus Connections
Applying Social Networking to the Business Process
Web 2.0 technologies are moving us beyond e-mail and into the world of true collaboration. The goal is to bring all participants in the business process together in a “single” virtual place with the information they need at their fingertips. To assist in meeting this expectation, IBM has created Lotus Connections -- social software for business that empowers users to build dynamic networks of coworkers, partners, and customers. Connections is the “Facebook for Business”, the “Yellow Pages” for individuals that helps you find and identify the stake-holders, subject matter experts, and collaborators you need to run your business or manage your projects.
As a product, Connections has the following new functions:
- Profiles enable you to quickly find the people you need by searching across your organization using keywords that help identify expertise or current projects.
- Communities allow you to create, find, join, and work with communities of people who share a common responsibility or area of expertise.
- Blogs help you to present your ideas and receive feedback while learning from the experience of others.
- Dogear functionality allows you to save your bookmarks, either as private or shared, so that information can be quickly accessed.
- Activities component empowers you with the ability to organize work, plan next steps, and easily tap your expanding professional network to help execute everyday deliverables faster.
As a component of the larger IBM Lotus collaboration strategy, Connections is part of the IBM Lotus CEO Community Collaboration Bundle, which provides the richest collaboration solution at the best value. Its components are built on open standards and are readily extensible. The flexible bundle, which includes Lotus Connections, Lotus Sametime, and Lotus Quickr, is designed to integrate into your current environment, run on multiple server operating systems and work with multiple releases of desktop software.
PSC Lotus Connections Services
PSC knows Lotus Connections, and knows it well. We have the knowledge, expertise and experience to do the high-end development that will take Connections to the next level in your organization. We can help you embrace the emerging collaborative technologies derived from consumer-based initiatives such as Google, My Space, LinkedIn, Instant Messaging, and Wiki’s, Blogs & Chat Rooms.
Added to your legacy e-mail, web sites and enterprise portals, they can take your day-to-day operations to the next level of efficiency.
The challenge is in deciding which products, vendor platforms, and data sources are the best fit for your business. There is no single answer, but there is a right answer, which is where PSC’s extensive collaboration expertise comes into play. We have years of experience with the major providers that can be put to good use in developing your collaboration roadmap.
Ask us about our Collaborative Technology Assessment as the first step going forward. There have been a lot of changes and exciting new developments that you may not be aware of and that should be taken into consideration as you do your planning.
Please Contact Us for more information on PSC’s Lotus Connections experiences and capabilities.
