KM World - Imaginatik's Idea Central is selected as a Trend-Setting Product

Trend-Spotting KM Products of 2005

KMWorld - Volume 14, Number 8, September 2005

When we first put together our list of trend-setting products three years ago, the IT landscape was pretty rocky. Seemingly well-conceived software solutions couldn’t find markets. Often desperate consolidation prevailed. Budgets were tight for vendors and their customers alike. So, we assembled an informal panel of analysts, consultants, editorial colleagues and users/customers to help identify some 50 companies that appeared to be well positioned to lead the way and a few loosely defined categories. In some cases, despite identifying innovative technology, we misjudged the marketplace.

In 2004, we offered a second list, but dropped the categories because the chosen applications didn’t fit into simple molds—the barriers of classification were breaking down. That blurring of lines a year ago is even more evident today.

In a curious sense, the list below indicates that knowledge management has matured. We have long contended that KM is an attitude, not an application, and the flexibility of the software on the list further proves it. You’ll notice, of course, common themes in our selections. Content management (in its broadest sense) is well represented. You will certainly see a number of search-related solutions. Business process management is another “category” that crops up regularly, as does collaboration.

The common thread running through all the products listed below is the unique value—and potential value—they offer the organization, its workers and their various constituencies. Not all have been implemented exclusively in business-related environments. Nor were all introduced in 2005; some were launched later last year but are now demonstrating their value to customers. And, in many cases, it is precisely the vision of customers who implemented the products that qualifies them as trend- setting by opening markets not originally considered by the vendor. We have also identified products that have yet to gain traction, but we believe they may. It would be presumptuous to suggest anything other than that the market will ultimately decide.

As was the case last year, we evaluated more than 200 vendors, whose combined offerings top the 1,200 mark. It bears mentioning that these are not the only trend-setting products on the market today, rather they are the ones upon which our panel agreed. And just what were the criteria for selection? As we have in years past, we considered usability, flexibility, adoption rate and total cost of ownership. And we also recognized some vendors for their vision toward the future or for a collection of offerings, rather than a specific product or compelling new version of an existing one.

In each and every case, the thoughtfulness and elegance of the software certainly warrants further investigation, and we’re confident there are a number of products listed below that will dramatically boost the productivity of any type of organization.

Trend-setting Products of 2005

Imaginatik Idea Central V6 Web-based, idea management application designed to help organizations maximize the benefits from the creativity, expertise and knowledge of employees, customers, suppliers and other third parties.