Attensity: Downplaying Automated Collection and Analysis
November 7, 2014
I read “Do What I Mean, Not What I Say: The Text Analytics Paradox.” The write up made a comment which I found interesting; to wit:
Now, before you start worrying about robots replacing humans (relax—that’s at least a couple of years away), understand this: context and disambiguation within these billions of daily social posts, tweets, comments, and online surveys is they key to viable, business-relevant data. The way human use language is replete with nuance, idiomatic expressions, slang, typos, and of course, context. This underscores the magnitude of surfacing actionable intelligence in data for any industry.
Based on information my research team has collected, the notion of threat detection via automated collection and analysis of Internet-accessible information is quite advanced. In fact, some of the technology has been undergoing continuous refinement since the late 1990s. Rutgers University has been one of the academic outfits in the forefront of this approach to the paradox puzzling Attensity.
The more recent entrants in this important branch (perhaps an new redwood in the search forest) of information access are keeping a low profile. There is a promising venture funded company in Baltimore as well as a China-based firm operating from offices in Hong Kong. Neither of these companies has captured the imagination of traditional content processing vendors for three reasons:
First, the approach is not from traditional information retrieval methodologies.
Second, the companies generate most of their revenue from organizations demanding “quiet service.” (This means that when there is no marketing hoo hah, the most interesting companies are simply not visible to the casual, MBA inspired analyst.
Third, the outputs are of stunning utility. Information about quite particular subjects are presented without recourse to traditional human intermediated fiddling.
I want to float an idea: The next generation firms delivering state of the art solutions and have yet to hit the wall that requires the type of marketing that now characterizes some content processing efforts.
I am trying to figure out how to present these important but little known players. I will write about one in my next Info Today article. The challenge is that there are two dozen firms pushing “search” in a new and productive direction.
Stephen E Arnold, November 7, 2014
Attensity Ups Its Presence in Hackathons
October 28, 2014
I found the Attensity blog post “Attensity Takes Utah Tech Week” quite interesting. I cannot recall when mainstream content processing companies embraced hackathons so fiercely.
The blog post explains:
A hackathon, for the uninitiated, is exactly what it sounds like: a hybrid of computer hacking and a marathon in a grueling, caffeine-fueled, 12-hour time period. Groups comprised of mostly engineers and IT whizzes compete against the clock and other teams to create a project to present at the of the day to a panel of judges.
What did Attensity’s engineers build to showcase the company’s sentiment analysis and analytics technologies? Here’s the Attensity description:
With the Twitter API up and running, Team Attensity used Raspberry Pi to process tweets using #obama and #utahtechweek. Simultaneously, the team used Arduino to code sentiments from the tweets using a red light for negative sentiments, blue for positive sentiments, and yellow for neutral sentiments.
Attensity was pleased with the outcome in Utah. More hackathons are in the firm’s future. I wonder if one can deploy IBM Watson using a Raspberry Pi or showcase HP Autonomy with an Arduino.
How will hackathons generate revenue? I am not sure. The effort seems like a cost hole to me.
Stephen E Arnold, October 28, 2014
Attensity Leverages Biz360 Invention
August 4, 2014
In 2010, Attensity purchased Biz360. The Beyond Search comment on this deal is at http://bit.ly/1p4were. One of the goslings reminded me that I had not instructed a writer to tackle Attensity’s July 2014 announcement “Attensity Adds to Patent Portfolio for Unstructured Data Analysis Technology.” PR-type “stories” can disappear, but for now you can find a description of “Attensity Adds to Patent Portfolio for Unstructured Data Analysis Technology” at http://reut.rs/1qU8Sre.
My researcher showed me a hard copy of 8,645,395, and I scanned the abstract and claims. The abstract, like many search and content processing inventions, seemed somewhat similar to other text parsing systems and methods. The invention was filed in April 2008, two years before Attensity purchased Biz360, a social media monitoring company. Attensity, as you may know, is a text analysis company founded by Dr. David Bean. Dr. Bean employed various “deep” analytic processes to figure out the meaning of words, phrases, and documents. My limited understanding of Attensity’s methods suggested to me that Attensity’s Bean-centric technology could process text to achieve a similar result. I had a phone call from AT&T regarding the utility of certain Attensity outputs. I assume that the Bean methods required some reinforcement to keep pace with customers’ expectations about Attensity’s Bean-centric system. Neither the goslings nor I are patent attorneys. So after you download 395, seek out a patent attorney and get him/her to explain its mysteries to you.
The abstract states:
A system for evaluating a review having unstructured text comprises a segment splitter for separating at least a portion of the unstructured text into one or more segments, each segment comprising one or more words; a segment parser coupled to the segment splitter for assigning one or more lexical categories to one or more of the one or more words of each segment; an information extractor coupled to the segment parser for identifying a feature word and an opinion word contained in the one or more segments; and a sentiment rating engine coupled to the information extractor for calculating an opinion score based upon an opinion grouping, the opinion grouping including at least the feature word and the opinion word identified by the information extractor.
This invention tackles the Mean Joe Green of content processing from the point of view of a quite specific type of content: A review. Amazon has quite a few reviews, but the notion of an “shaped” review is a thorny one. See, for example, http://bit.ly/1pz1q0V.) The invention’s approach identifies words with different roles; some words are “opinion words” and others are “feature words.” By hooking a “sentiment engine” to this indexing operation, the Biz360 invention can generate an “opinion score.” The system uses item, language, training model, feature, opinion, and rating modifier databases. These, I assume, are either maintained by subject matter experts (expensive), smart software working automatically (often evidencing “drift” so results may not be on point), or a hybrid approach (humans cost money).
The Attensity/Biz360 system relies on a number of knowledge bases. How are these updated? What is the latency between identifying new content and updating the knowledge bases to make the new content available to the user or a software process generating an alert or another type of report?
The 20 claims embrace the components working as a well oiled content analyzer. The claim I noted is that the system’s opinion score uses a positive and negative range. I worked on a sentiment system that made use of a stop light metaphor: red for negative sentiment and green for positive sentiment. When our system could not figure out whether the text was positive or negative we used a yellow light.
The approach used for a US government project a decade ago, used a very simple metaphor to communicate a situation without scores, values, and scales. Image source: http://bit.ly/1tNvkT8
Attensity said, according the news story cited above:
By splitting the unstructured text into one or more segments, lexical categories can be created and a sentiment-rating engine coupled to the information can now evaluate the opinions for products, services and entities.
Okay, but I think that the splitting of text into segment was a function of iPhrase and search vendors converting unstructured text into XML and then indexing the outputs.
Attensity’s Jonathan Schwartz, General Counsel at Attensity is quoted in the news story as asserting:
“The issuance of this patent further validates the years of research and affirms our innovative leadership. We expect additional patent issuances, which will further strengthen our broad IP portfolio.”
Okay, this sounds good but the invention took place prior to Attensity’s owning Biz360. Attensity, therefore, purchased the invention of folks who did not work at Attensity in the period prior to the filing in 2008. I understand that company’s buy other companies to get technology and people. I find it interesting that Attensity’s work “validates” Attensity’s research and “affirms” Attensity’s “innovative leadership.”
I would word what the patent delivers and Attensity’s contributions differently. I am no legal eagle or sentiment expert. I do like less marketing razzle dazzle, but I am in the minority on this point.
Net net: Attensity is an interesting company. Will it be able to deliver products that make the licensees’ sentiment score move in a direction that leads to sustaining revenue and generous profits. With the $90 million in funding the company received in 2014, the 14-year-old company will have some work to do to deliver a healthy return to its stakeholders. Expert System, Lexalytics, and others are racing down the same quarter mile drag strip. Which firm will be the winner? Which will blow an engine?
Stephen E Arnold, August 4, 2014
Changing of the Guard at Attensity
April 13, 2014
Attensity provides social analytics and engagement applications for customer relationship management. Their former CEO, J. Kirsten Bay, has left to take the helm of ISC8, a provider of intelligent cyber solution technologies. Street Insider gives the details in their story, “ISC8 Announces CEO Succession.”
The article begins:
“Succeeding Mr. Joll as President and CEO is J. Kirsten Bay, who has joined ISC8 effective March 19, 2014. Kirsten was most recently President and CEO of Attensity Group, a Big Data analytics enterprise software and services company specializing in customer experience management and corporate intelligence, where she restructured the company improving both operating revenue and margin.”
Will this be a moment of growth or turmoil for Attensity? The newest Attensity CEO is Howard Lau, who has connections to SAP and some investment firms. As a venture capitalist, Mr. Lau brings a different emphasis and expertise to Attensity, which might signal a shift.
Emily Rae Aldridge, April 13, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Attensity Analyze 6.3: Signs of Life Evident
March 11, 2014
Attensity has been a quiet sentiment, analytics, text processing vendor for some months. The company has now released a new version of its flagship product, Analyze, now at version 6.3. The headline feature is “enhanced analytics.”
According to a company news release, Attensity is “the leading provider of integrated, real-time solutions that blend multi-channel Voice of the Customer analytics and social engagement for enterprise listening needs.” Okay.
The new version of Analyze delivers to licensees real time information about what is trending. The system provides “multi dimensional visualization that immediately identifies performance outliers in the business that can impact6 the brand both positively and negatively.” Okay.
The system processes over 150 million blogs and forums, Facebook, and Twitter. Okay.
As memorable as these features are, here’s the passage that I noted:
Attensity 6.3 is powered by the Attensity Semantic Annotation Server (ASAS) and patented natural language processing (NLP) technology. Attensity’s unique ASAS platform provides unmatched deep sentiment analysis, entity identification, statistical assignment and exhaustive extraction, enabling organizations to define relationships between people, places and things without using pre-defined keywords or queries. It’s this proprietary technology that allows Attensity to make the unknown known.
“To make the unknown known” is a bold assertion. Okay.
I have heard that sentiment analysis companies are running into some friction. The expectations of some licensees have been a bit high. Perhaps Analyze 6.3 will suck up customers of other systems who are dissatisfied with their sentiment, semantic, analytics systems. Making the “unknown known” should cause the world to beat a path to Attensity’s door. Okay.
Stephen E Arnold, March 11, 2014
Attensity May Be on the Rise Again
December 20, 2013
Attensity is a name that comes to mind when organizations need to track social analytics for customer relationship management. The company has not been receiving positive PR in the past year, but when we recently visited Attensity’s management Web page. We noticed that the page had a few new faces with impressive resumes. Will these new board members take the company out of the red and place them on the right path?
Let us review each person. Howard Lau joined Attensity in January 2013, says his LinkedIn page, and he has twenty-five years in the business software sector. He used to be an executive at SAP Labs and SAP Ventures and East Gate Capital. He is now Attensity’s CEO and Chairman. Lau is a venture capitalist and has turned a profit four times the investor’s original investment. He is knowledgeable and has the right experience to turn Attensity around. He checks out well.
Thomas Dreikauss is the general manager of Attensity GmbH in Europe and has the large responsibility of running business development across Western Europe. He has worked in sales management and marketing enterprise software for over twenty years. Derikauss has proven he can build strong teams and helping companies expand beyond a small startup. He worked at Inxight Software GmbH, Xerox PARC, and Business Objects. He was probably brought onto the team, because he is noted to help companies grow when times are tough. Another good apple.
The Chief Financial Officer Frank Brown is next:
“Frank brings over 25 years of experience in the technology and finance industries. Prior to Attensity, he has worked with a number of leading companies in the software, communications, and semiconductor industries, at the executive and board level, to chart corporate strategy and manage internal operations. Frank’s experience includes positions with IBM Corporation, Andersen Consulting, Oracle Corporation and Lehman Brothers. Frank’s background also includes a number of years in the investment banking and venture capital industries. His successful track record as a venture capitalist includes investments across the technology and healthcare sectors. As the founder of Amber Ventures, Frank has worked as a senior finance executive in a variety of privately held technology companies guiding their activities in areas such as budgeting, accounting, fundraising and mergers and acquisitions. Frank received his M.B.A. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a B.S. in Decision Sciences, Finance and Accounting.”
Brown has the important duty of bringing in revenue and rerouting financial plans. It is a difficult position to be in, especially if the company is trying to reinvent itself. Experience and openness to new ideas is the route Attensity should rely on as the company tries to get back on track. It will be a long, winding path up the mountain. These three will act as the climbing poles to keep Attensity from falling.
Whitney Grace, December 20, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Attensity Backtracks To SEO
November 21, 2013
While SEO is a game changer for companies in Internet searches, it is not as big of a major player as it used to be. The SEO Journal highlighted, “Attensity, Amdocs, TOA Technologies Provide A Glimpse Into The Future Through A Catalyst Demonstration At Tm Forum’s Digital Disruption 2013” and that came as a big surprise. Attensity is a respected and recognizable name, so why are they publicizing themselves in the SEO arena? Is the company struggling to brand its identity?
Anyway, Attensity was one of ten companies that collaborated on a demonstration to show the lifecycle of digital services from design to making a profit. There is a spiel about how it is important to understand a client’s needs and that big data analytics are part of that understanding process. The demonstration did point out that people who only use Twitter and Facebook to communicate with providers makes it hard to track data. Attensity has a product called Attensity Respond to translate social media data.
The article states:
“The Catalyst team demonstrated a new solution showing how to proactively monitor, detect and interpret technical device, data and network experience issues and drive effective issue resolution while also monetizing the collected data to drive smart cross/up sell across channels. The team followed the industry standards developed by TM Forum enhancing the Customer Experience Lifecycle Model.”
Attensity did show off a usable product, but the concentration of SEO is still bothering us. Does this relate to a bigger change that is on the horizon? If this is the case, it is a troubling idea.
Whitney Grace, November 21, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Attensity: Pumping Up Effort in Europe?
September 7, 2013
“Steinbrück gewinnt TV-Duell im Netz haushoch” reported that Attensity identified more negative answers in a televised debate. Who were the debaters? Angela Merkel and Peer Steinbrrück. Like many US political debates, the Wirtschafts Woche report suggested there was no clear winner.
What I find interesting is that Attensity is using its methods to analyze political debates in Germany as a marketing tactic. I just returned from Europe, and I formed the opinion that the economy of Germany and a some other large European countries was not exactly in turbo-charge mode.
Will Attensity close deals with this approach to marketing? I don’t know, but if Attensity does book some big deals with data analysis, I anticipate a rush of me-too efforts.
Unfortunately, the analyses by Attensity and others are only able to support the no clear winner conclusion. Is this a common problem of next generation analytics programs?
I address some of these issues in my ISS lecture in late September. See the ISS program for more information.
Hootsuite and Attensity Integration Promises Customer Service Breakthroughs
July 12, 2013
The article on Hootsource titled Why Having a “Big Data Strategy is a Bad Idea by Catherine H Van Zuylen, a VP at Attensity, addresses Hootsuite’s launching a new integration with Attensity. The article claims that the combination of the two will create the ultimate customer service machine. Companies can basically eavesdrop on their customers on social media and learn where the conversation is going before it gets there. The article explains,
“For example, you may hear about someone complaining that your new device got so hot in someone’s hand that they claim to have been burned. This information should immediately be routed to legal (for determination of veracity and risk), to engineering (to alert them to start testing for and diagnosing the issue) and to customer service… It might also be time for marketing to pull that “The hottest phone this summer” marketing campaign.”
Another article, Hootsuite Launches Attensity Integration to Automate Enterprise Customer Service on Market Wired, explains the potential windfall of marketing intelligence now possible. Ryan Homes, a CEO of Hootsuite, stated that the partnership will enable “the world’s largest brands to cut through the noice on social media to engage with their customers.” The integration is certainly an interesting way to boost Attensity’s impact as competition increases.
Chelsea Kerwin, July 12, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Attensity Lauded With FiReStarter Honor at Future in Review Conference for 2013
June 26, 2013
The article FiRe Conference Names Attensity a FiRe 2013 FiReStarter on Mexico Tecnologia refers to the 11th annual Future in Review (FiRe) tech conference. It features roundtable conversations that often involve audience participation and an excellent opportunity to network. The honor of being named a FiReStarter company is based on Attensity’s innovation in customer analytics. The President and CEO Kirsten Bay stated,
“By leveraging our deep understanding of real-time information and data flow, Attensity is creating the next generation of corporate intelligence that will transform the vast sea of data into knowledge,” said Kirsten Bay, President and CEO. Future in Review is an annual gathering of world-class thought leaders in technology and economics, convened each year with the goals of providing the best look forward in these fields, and of using technology to solve major world challenges.”
Keeping technology current and able to meet the difficulties posed by today’s problems (at home and abroad) are the goals of FiRe, as well as functioning as a platform for new ideas. The 2013 theme, Digitizing the Planet includes National Medal of Science recipient Leroy Hood as an opening night speaker, Patrick Hogan, head of NASA World Wind, breakthrough stem cell researcher Tony Blau and Oracle President Mark Hurd.
Chelsea Kerwin, June 26, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
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