The Community Weighs in on SharePoint 2013 Sans Design View
September 25, 2012
The SharePoint community has no doubt noticed the absence of design view in SharePoint 2013 with many MVPs wondering about support for existing applications, as well as what the future of building full-scale applications will look like. Caroline Marwitz continues the conversation in the WindowsITPro.com post, “Will You Miss SharePoint Designer Design View in SharePoint 2013?” Marwitz shares a fellow MVPs perspective on the change:
Ironically, one of the most realistic responses came from a SharePoint MVP who has built his recent professional life around SharePoint Designer. Asif Rehmani wrote, ‘Design View is not coming back and that’s a fact. Now the question becomes: What do we do with all of the solutions that we have made using the Design View? How do you support it going forward? That’s the Million dollar question on everyone’s mind who is close to this functionality change.’
Marwitz explains she leans toward those who want Design View back, but mainly because she can sympathize with those who are losing a tool they’ve come to count on. But some in the community have also voiced their belief that SharePoint Designer is part of what’s wrong with SharePoint.
As the community adjusts to the changes, it highlights that for some users there will be gaps in the SharePoint system. Adding a third party application is one way to extend SharePoint capabilities, such as with the Information Pairing feature from Fabasoft Mindbreeze. Here you can read about increased SharePoint efficiency with Mindbreeze, “A survey by German market analysts has shown that practically every second company uses SharePoint. However, in SharePoint only one facet of a company’s knowledge can be presented. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise 2012 puts an end to this shortcoming.”
Philip West, September 25, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
Coming Article Series to Focus on SharePoint 2013 Features from the Executive Perspective
September 24, 2012
Descriptions and highlights of the coming SharePoint 2013 features have been a hot topic in the community. Symon Garfield takes another look at how these features might be used in the organization in his upcoming series of articles on the topic at CMSWire.com. The series starts off with, “The Executive’s Guide to SharePoint 2013: Understanding Communities.”
Community Sites provide a forum experience in the SharePoint environment which enables members to contribute information and ask for help from fellow members, according to the Microsoft TechNet Web site. Garfield explains that communities of purpose share a common objective while networks share loose associations with the main goal to just stay in touch. And with a community of purpose, members can make contributions and develop ideas and solutions for the purpose. Garfield explains how it relates to SharePoint 2013:
SharePoint 2013 includes a template to use as the basis for creating community web sites. At the heart of a community site is a discussion board which members can use to begin conversations on a specific topic, or to post questions to the rest of the community. Site moderators can create categories to organize the discussion threads. This supports the contribution element of the community process. Members can post replies to topics, or to other replies, and they can rate topics and replies…This facilitates the feedback element of the community process.
Collaboration capabilities are imperative as businesses develop rich community cultures. To tap into the new possibilities, consider a third party solution to complete your enterprise search system. Fabasoft Mindbreeze provides comprehensive access to business knowledge for everyone on the team and is backed by a customer focused support team that shares your purpose.
Philip West, September 24, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
IntelTrax Top Stories: September 14 to September 20
September 24, 2012
This week the IntelTrax advanced intelligence systems blog delivered some interesting stories that are especially pertinent to those looking to solve the big data problem with analytics solutions.
One field that could see a great deal of benefits from data analytics is education. “The Future of Education Lies with Data Analytics” foresees an education system that is taught through computerized software programs that collect data on the length of time it takes students to master material. Unlike teachers who have limited time and availability, this software would provide instant feedback and compare students to classmates as well as other students across the country.
When discussing the value of this new system, the article states:
“In comparing these two learning environments, it is apparent that current school evaluations suffer from several limitations. Many of the typical pedagogies provide little immediate feedback to students, require teachers to spend hours grading routine assignments, aren’t very proactive about showing students how to improve comprehension, and fail to take advantage of digital resources that can improve the learning process. This is unfortunate because data-driven approaches make it possible to study learning in real-time and offer systematic feedback to students and teachers.”
In the field of data analytics, new and innovative partnerships are always coming about. “Tivo and Scripps Sign Deal to Improve Audience Analytics” announces a deal made between Tivo Research and Analytics and Scripps Networks Interactive, allowing Scripps to access TRA’s audience insights and analytics.
Here’s how it works:
“Media TRAnalytics® TV Auto Ratings launched in January 2012 and enables networks and advertisers to identify the right TV programming based on the make and model of automobile purchases by households watching specific networks and programs. By matching households of television tuning and automotive registration data from Experian Automotive’s North American Vehicle Database (NVDB), TRA provides advertisers, advertising agencies and television networks the industry’s largest household-level single-source solution to plan, buy, sell and evaluate the automotive industry’s current investment in television advertising.”
Big data analytics tools allow for companies to be able to gain valuable insights from your credit card statements, web searches, and social media activity. “Social Media Allows for Personal Analytics as Marketing Tools” explains how businesses can harness the data being put out of social media platforms like Facebook in order to gain insights in order to predict buying behavior.
When explaining the service, the article states:
“It also provides an interesting insight into the kind of machinations that Facebook itself could easily be doing with the data in house. Line this up with the output of Facebook’s own data export tool and you get a good picture for the truth of how much data is being collated. Consider combining patterns across tens or hundreds of millions of profiles with this level of detail and you start to get a picture of the power of the platform.”
Being able to uncover marketing trends and insights about customer behavior is becoming integral to the success of companies in nearly every field and industry. For those looking for an affordable solution that promotes automated understanding of big data analytics, consider Digital Reasoning’s flagship solution Synthesys.
Jasmine Ashton, September 24, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Funnelback Releases Version 12
September 22, 2012
Funnelback recently unveiled Version 12 of its software at its Funnelback User Conference in Brisbane, Australia, we learn from Image and Data Manager’s “Funnelback 12 Tackles Big Data.” The company’s R&D manager, Matthew Sheppard, declared that this version significantly boosts both speed and scale. The article tells us:
“Funnelback 12 adds faster and more powerful data searching capabilities. These include better performance of file share and HP TRIM gathering, and ‘Search as You Gather’, the ability to search immediately as content is gathered.
“The latest version of Funnelback also returns more informative search results with date-based facets, easily categorising results by dates, and TextMiner, a new feature that helps define terms and acronyms for users, providing direct access to more information and context on a query.”
That TextMiner feature sounds like an inspired addition—a real time- and face-saver. Funnelback also added a new web-based administration interface they say simplifies maintenance and customization. The write up further boasts of improved integration APIs and more tunable ranking algorithms. The software is available for Windows, for Linux, and as a cloud service.
Based in Australia, Funnelback was established in 2005. The company grew from technology developed by premier Australian scientific research agency CSIRO, and was bought by UK content management company Squiz in 2009. They offer Enterprise and Website Search, both of which include customizable features.
Cynthia Murrell, September 22, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Elevating SharePoint through Third Party Additions
September 21, 2012
Relate Technologies is a Microsoft systems integrator, with a stake in third-party application implementation. While some mistakenly view SharePoint as an out-of-the-box answer to all of their organization’s information needs, Relate Technologies builds a strong case for the addition of add-ons for increased customization and functionality. Read more in, “Taking SharePoint to the Next Level.”
The article begins:
‘SharePoint is perceived by companies as a product primarily used for intranets and document management,’ says Geoff Lander, Managing Director of Relate Technologies. ‘As ideal as it may be for these applications, the real tangible monetary return on investment is derived when you start using SharePoint as a development platform to build enterprise applications.’ Companies such as Sanlam Structured Solutions, Coronation Fund Managers, Vodafone and JO Hambro Capital Management are using applications developed in SharePoint to increase the efficiency of a range of business processes.
Apparently SharePoint is also realizing the value of such applications as they recently formed a Marketplace to make integration more accessible:
To encourage the development of such third-party applications or add-ons for SharePoint by the ISV communities, Microsoft launched the Microsoft Office 365 Marketplace in April 2011. The Marketplace incorporates a SharePoint Marketplace that already lists almost 500 SharePoint applications that can be used to extend or enhance SharePoint functionality.
The future of SharePoint definitely appears to be in third-party additions, increasing functionality and accessibility, particularly for smaller organizations that cannot afford a fleet of in-house developers. When reviewing third-party applications that might meet your organization’s needs, take a look at Fabasoft Mindbreeze and their suite of intuitive solutions.
Emily Rae Aldridge, September 21, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
Text Mining Makes Sense of Social Media
September 21, 2012
Text mining is taking a curious turn toward social media, according to “Mining the Blogosphere: Researchers Develop Tools That Make Sense of Social Media” on Science Daily. We learn in the article that several Concordia computer scientists are helping computers get closer to “reading” an online blog and understanding it. The system they created, called BlogSum, allows organizations to pose questions and then find out how a large number of people online would respond by examining real-life self-expression.
Leila Kosseim, associate professor in Concordia’s Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science and one of the lead researchers on the project, explains:
“Huge quantities of electronic texts have become easily available on the Internet, but people can be overwhelmed, and they need help to find the real content hiding in the mass of information.”
Kosseim also comments:
“The field of natural language processing is starting to become fundamental to computer science, with many everyday applications — making search engines find more relevant documents or making smart phones even smarter.”
When tested against similar technology or even human subjects, BlogSum was ranked superior. The vast number of possibilities available with this technology are overwhelming, from marketing research on consumer preferences to voter intentions in upcoming elections. We look forward to seeing it advance the world of search.
Andrea Hayden, September 21, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Munich International Trade Fairs Depends on Mindbreeze InSite
September 20, 2012
In the online environment, customer service obviously means something different than simply having pleasant face-to-face interactions. Online businesses have to go the extra mile to meet their customers’ needs, but have to assess these needs without the benefit of personal interactions. One key factor in online customer service is an intuitive Web interface and an effective Web site search mechanism.
If customers cannot find what they need, the odds that they will move on to another vendor or site is quite high. Munich International Trade Fairs, which organizes trade fairs around Europe, learned the value of intuitive Web site search through Mindbreeze InSite. Read more in, “Munich International Trade Fairs counts on Fabasoft Mindbreeze InSite.”
The article begins:
Munich International Trade Fairs offers a special service to online visitors of the Communication World 2011: easy, secure, and intelligent search through Fabasoft Mindbreeze InSite. ‘We are pleased to be the first trade organizer in Germany to offer this service on our websites. With a structured overview, the visitor can get to the information he needs faster. I was particularly impressed by the swift implementation. The product was ready for use in less than 10 minutes,’ says Prof. Dr. Manfred Mayer of Munich International Trade Fairs.
So if you are looking for a way to improve your overall customer satisfaction, the painless and hassle-free addition of Mindbreeze InSite will pay dividends in happy customers.
Emily Rae Aldridge, September 20, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
SharePoint Cannot Meet All Enterprise Needs
September 19, 2012
For all of the talk about what SharePoint can do, sometimes it is good to know what SharePoint cannot do. Avoid an unnecessary expense as well as wasted time and frustration by exploring the BetaNews article, “3 Things Not to do With SharePoint.”
The author begins with an analysis of what SharePoint can do well:
I’m a big fan of SharePoint. I’ve worked with it for years, right back to SharePoint 2001. It does a lot of things very, very well (Since you ask — document management, collaborative working, and increasingly social networking functionality). However, SharePoint also does lots of things, its feature set is simply huge. Not all of these features are as mature as others, and as a result it is easy for SharePoint systems to end up feeling a bit mixed and matched. Some things work well, some less so, and some should have been avoided altogether.
The author then goes on to list the three things you should avoid doing with SharePoint: 1) creating a public facing Web site, 2) customizing graphic design, and 3) treating it like a database. For each of these functions, a smarter choice is to find a third party solution that can work with SharePoint or an existing infrastructure to seamlessly accomplish that goal. For public facing Web sites, we recommend Mindbreeze InSite, a solution that will automatically set up intuitive search on your Web space.
Emily Rae Aldridge, September 19, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
Mindbreeze InSite is a Hit
September 18, 2012
Even at its inception, Mindbreeze InSite was garnering rave reviews for its creativity and effectiveness. The From the Cloud blog features good news regarding Mindbreeze InSite acceptance in the industry in its entry, “futurezone.at: Mindbreeze InSite is a Direct Hit!”
The author begins:
A few weeks ago Mindbreeze InSite became the latest sprog to join the family of Fabasoft Cloud services online. The young Cloud service had barely entered the world when it landed its first major success: Replacing Google Appliance as the integrated search on futurezone.at, the Austrian national newspaper Kurier’s technology news portal. According to Alexa ranking this website belongs to the top 5 websites in Austria (top 871 worldwide)!
Mindbreeze InSite is quick and easy to install. Tens of thousands of pages of Web content can be indexed simply by embedding a few lines of script code. Additionally, tens of thousands of searches can be performed by hour by users to the Web site, without any burden on the system. In addition to the other successful enterprise services that Mindbreeze offers, InSite offers a wonderful compliment, equipping users to find quick satisfaction in their search of your public facing Web sites.
Emily Rae Aldridge, September 18, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
No Wonder Search Is Broken. Software Does Not Work.
September 17, 2012
Several years ago, I ran across a Microsoft centric podcast hosted by an affable American, Scott Hanselman. At the time he worked for a company developing software for the enterprise. Then I think he started working at Microsoft and I lost track of him.
I read “Everything’s Broken and Nobody’s Upset.” The author was Scott Hanselman, who is “a former professor, former Chief Architect in finance, now speaker, consultant, father, diabetic, and Microsoft employee.”
The article is a list of bullet points. Each bullet point identifies a range of software problems. Some of these were familiar; for example, iPhoto’s choking on large numbers of pictures on my wife’s new Mac laptop. Others were unknown to me; for example, the lousy performance of Gmail. Hopefully Eric Brewer, founder of Inktomi, can help improve the performance of some Google services.
Answer to the Google query “Why are Americans…”
The problems, Mr. Hanselman, identifies can be fixed. He writes:
Here we are in 2012 in a world of open standards on an open network, with angle brackets and curly braces flying at gigabit speeds and it’s all a mess. Everyone sucks, equally and completely.
- Is this a speed problem? Are we feeling we have to develop too fast and loose?
- Is it a quality issue? Have we forgotten the art and science of Software QA?
- Is it a people problem? Are folks just not passionate about their software enough to fix it?
I think it’s all of the above. We need to care and we need the collective will to fix it.
My reaction was surprise. I know search, content processing, and Fancy Dan analytics do not work as advertised, as expected, or, in some cases, very well despite the best efforts of rocket scientists.
The idea that the broad world of software is broken was an interesting idea. Last week, I struggled with a client who could not explain what its new technology actually delivered to a user. The reason was that the words the person was using did not match what the new software widget actually did. Maybe the rush to come up with clever marketing catchphrases is more important than solving a problem for a user?
In the three disciplines we monitor—search, content processing, and analytics—I do not have a broad method for remediating “broken” software. My team and I have found that the approach outlined by Martin White and I in Successful Enterprise Search Management is just ignored by those implementing search. I can’t speak for Martin, but my experience is that the people who want to implement a search, content processing or analytics system demonstrate these characteristics. These items are not universally shared, but I have gathered the most frequent actions and statements over the last year for the list. The reason for lousy search-related systems:
- Short cuts only, please. Another consultant explained that buying third party components was cheaper, quicker, and easier than looking at the existing search related system
- Something for nothing. The idea is that a free system is going to save the day.
- New is better. The perception that a new system from a different vendor would solve the findability problem because it was different
- We are too busy. The belief that talking to the users of a system was a waste of time. The typical statement about this can be summarized, “Users don’t know what they want or need.”
- No appetite for grunt work. This is an entitlement problem because figuring out metrics like content volume, processing issues for content normalization, and reviewing candidate term lists is not their job or too hard.
- No knowledge. This is a weird problem caused in part by point-and-click interfaces or predictive systems like Google’s. Those who should know about search related issues do not. Therefore, education is needed. Like recalcitrant 6th graders, the effort required to learn is not there.
- Looking for greener pastures. Many of those working on search related projects are looking to jump to a different and higher paying job in the organization or leave the company to do a start up. As a result, search related projects are irrelevant.
The problem in search, therefore, is not the technology. Most of the systems are essentially the same as those which have been available for decades. Yes, decades. Precision and recall remain in the 80 percent range. Predictive systems chop down data sets to more usable chunks but prediction is a hit and miss game. Automated indexing requires a human to keep the system on track.
The problem is anchored in humans: Their knowledge, their ability to prioritize search related tasks, their willingness to learn. Net net: Software is not getting much better, but it is prettier than a blinking dot on a VAX terminal. Better? Nah. Upset? Nope, there are distractions and Facebook pals to provide assurances that everything is A-OK.
Stephen E Arnold, September 17, 2012
Sponsored by Augmentext
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