Thursday, February 14, 2008

Rapid Application Development with Facebook

"Rapid Application Development" and "Extreme Programming" are buzzwords for new ways to deliver software that meets initial user requirements and continues to improve based on customer feedback. These approaches turn the IT department into an agile and forward thinking service provider.

The typical approach to software selection - requirements definition, an RFP process, pilots, implementation, integrated testing, and go live - can take 18 months and by the time the software is in use, the initial requirements may have changed. For some applications, the notion of rapidly prototyping a solution then iteratively releasing new versions can deliver more functionality faster than traditional approaches. Given the budgets, staffing, and integration challenges challenges facing most IT departments, the notion of an agile response to organizational imperatives is challenging. Is there a disruptive technology solution to this?

However odd this sounds, the answer may be Facebook.

A case in point. BIDMC is enhancing its external website and is currently preparing an RFP for online giving software. At 8am last Sunday, our BIDMC CEO, Paul Levy, created an online giving page using the Facebook Causes application

It's already been used by hundreds of people and the funds are beginning to roll in.

The IT department did not need to be involved, other than to offer support that the experiment was safe, secure and worth doing.

Facebook is a perfect example of a rapid application development platform that empowers users to help themselves. It includes tools for creating of groups, forums, multimedia uploads, viral marketing, fund raising, and group mailing lists using any web browser, on any operating system, for free.

Should CIOs embrace it as a short term solution to many of the user requests for collaboration technologies?

The answer is yes, with caveats. Facebook is not a HIPAA business associate nor covered entity, so protected healthcare information should not be placed on Facebook. There is no service level agreement/quality of service guarantee, so it may be go down without notice (unlikely, but possible). It does not integrate with enterprise single signon based on Active Directory or LDAP.

However, these issues are not real barriers to supporting the ad hoc collaborations that are often needed by organizations to start projects, create a social network of internal staff, or support a discussion forum.

Should CIOs try to replicate Facebook functionality on internal portals? For some circumstances that involve patients, the need for a guarenteed application availability, and integration with existing systems, the answer is yes. But for others, there is an important reason why Facebook should be considered as part of rapid application development:

So many people are using Facebook at this point (60 million), that many users will resist using any other social networking software. They may even demand Facebook in lieu of corporate solutions so that all social networking activity - inside and outside the office - is integrated in one place.

In my next generation of portal frameworks, I will support our own versions of all the Web 2.0 functionality (forums, wikis, groups, multimedia uploads) that is in Facebook, but I will also ensure that Facebook itself is used strategically. Staying agile and responsive to my customers requires that I embrace Facebook, not resist it.

10 comments:

Unknown said...

As a web consultant and full-time analyst I too have been looking deeper into social network sites. My interest sparked with my wife. 5 years ago (before we were married) she didn't even have a computer, email, or AIM handle. Now I can't get her off my old Mac laptop and she's constantly talking about this facebook page and that myspace page.

I have one thought about using a service like Facebook for real business applications as a RAD option: technology fads seem to have a shorter lifespan than other fads, and the new could be just weeks away.

Take the MySpace to Facebook transition. MySpace gained popularity when local unsigned musical artists used it as a way to get their music to the masses, and when the masses caught on it exploded the website within months. But just as quickly as it exploded, when Facebook came out all of the sudden the 'in' crowd had a Facebook page, and MySpace was 'so-yesterday'.

These services sure can get something up quickly, but its longevity is questionable when the tool is to support a long-term business need. How do we manage change when access is known only through your Facebook handle, and how might you later migrate to a different service or something home-grown?

Benjamin Atkinson said...

I couldn't code my way out of a wet, paper bag. However, I've been using Coghead (www.coghead.com) to create web apps at my employer. I'm creating apps that are incredibly useful for our group, but are too small to be justified as an IT priority. My IT group is supportive, realizing that this tool allows me to get some useful things done, while not tying up their time.

Ben

gemstest said...

Working on the Enterprise Architecture for the UK National Institute for Health Research (www.nihr.ac.uk) we've come to the same conclusion. We're also highlighting the potential of the Salesforce platform, which might be even more powerful than Facebook.

TheresNoTylerDurden said...

This is an excellent blog entry and trust that more CIOs look into Facebook and social networking sites as a means to extend their reach. People use social networking sites for a variety of reasons. Facebook isn’t for everyone. If utilizing Facebook can create occasions where people can contribute, help and donate for worthy causes, I’m all for it. Thanks for sharing this Dr. Halamka. Know that you do things from real experience (i.e. like shooting an RFID in yourself to really know the what the experience is like). Kindly keep us up to date on the results of using Facebook to generate donations for BIDMC.

rwm said...

Great post. I frequently interact with Fortune 1000 CIO's and they are delighting their business customers by finding ways to deliver applications using on-demand development platforms.

However, when sensitive data is involved, the SaaS model may not be satisfactory. A key request I hear often is the ability to choose on-premise or hosted deployment of these applications.

The SmartSuite Framework by Archer Technologies (www.archer-tech.com) is an example of such a platform enabling CIO's to thrill their customers and deploy their applications any way they choose.

Mandar Thosar said...

Web 2.0 application is the demand of the time. The world is of two way communication and may that is why term '2.0'. The application like Facebook and all are bringing the users closer in real sense.

We also develop such applications and plugins helping spread 2.0 philosophy. (www.e-zest.net/social-application-development.html)

Anonymous said...

Web application development is one aspect that has picked up in the current times and it is one of the most inevitable aspects at that. Ecommerce or to put it in layman's words business on the net is impossible without what we technically term as web applications. However, web application development has to be effective enough to earn business; otherwise it is as good as non existent.

SBL Software Solutions said...

Need to be aware that Since rapid application development is an iterative and incremental process, it can lead to a succession of prototypes that never culminate in a satisfactory production application. Such failures may be avoided if the application development tools are robust, flexible, and put to proper use.

Regards
SBL Software Development Solutions
http://www.sblsoftware.com

Anonymous said...

米蘭情趣用品,情趣用品,飛機杯,自慰套,充氣娃娃,AV女優.按摩棒,跳蛋,潤滑液,角色扮演,情趣內衣,自慰器
免費視訊聊天,辣妹視訊,視訊交友網,美女視訊,視訊交友,視訊交友90739,成人聊天室,視訊聊天室,視訊聊天,視訊聊天室,情色視訊,情人視訊網,視訊美女
一葉情貼圖片區,免費視訊聊天室,免費視訊,ut聊天室,聊天室,豆豆聊天室,尋夢園聊天室,聊天室尋夢園,影音視訊聊天室,

辣妹視訊,美女視訊,視訊交友網,視訊聊天室,視訊交友,視訊美女,免費視訊,免費視訊聊天,視訊交友90739,免費視訊聊天室,成人聊天室,視訊聊天,視訊交友aooyy
哈啦聊天室,辣妺視訊,A片,色情A片,視訊,080視訊聊天室,視訊美女34c,視訊情人高雄網,視訊交友高雄網,0204貼圖區,sex520免費影片,情色貼圖,視訊ukiss,視訊ggoo,視訊美女ggoo
080苗栗人聊天室,080中部人聊天室ut,ut影音視訊聊天室13077,視訊做愛,kk777視訊俱樂部
A片下載,成人影片下載,免費A片下載,日本A片,情色A片,免費A片,成人影城,成人電影
影音視訊聊天室,辣妹視訊

Anonymous said...

花蓮,賞鯨,花蓮旅遊,租車,花蓮,花蓮旅遊網,花蓮,租車,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花莲租车,租车,租車,花莲,租車公司,行易花蓮租車旅遊網,花蓮,租車,花蓮,花蓮旅遊景點,花蓮,一日遊,一日遊,溯溪,賞鯨,泛舟,花莲租车,租车,花莲,花莲旅游,花莲租车,租车,花莲,花莲旅游,租车,花莲,花莲旅游,租车,花莲租车,花莲,花莲旅游,花蓮,花東,租車,花蓮,花蓮,旅遊,花東,租車,花蓮,花蓮,租車,花東,花蓮,旅遊,花東,租車,花蓮,旅遊租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花東旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,租車,花蓮旅行社,花蓮旅遊景點,花蓮旅遊行程,花蓮旅遊地圖,花蓮一日遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車旅遊網,花蓮租車,花蓮租車,花蓮租車,花東旅遊景點,租車,花蓮旅遊,花東旅遊行程,花東旅遊地圖,花蓮租車公司,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊租車,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮賞鯨,花蓮旅遊,花蓮旅遊,租車,花蓮租車,花蓮租車 ,花蓮 租車,花蓮,花蓮旅遊網,花蓮租車網,花蓮,租車,花東 旅遊,花蓮 租車,花蓮,旅遊,租車公司,花蓮,花蓮旅遊,花東旅遊,花蓮地圖,包車,花蓮,旅遊租車,花蓮 租車,租車,花蓮租車資訊網,花蓮旅遊,租車,花東,花東地圖,租車公司,租車網,花蓮租車旅遊,租車,花蓮,賞鯨,花蓮旅遊租車,花東旅遊,租車網,花蓮海洋公園,租車 ,花蓮 租車,花蓮,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車公司,租車花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車公司,花蓮一日遊,花蓮包車,花蓮租車網,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮旅行社,花東旅遊,花蓮包車,租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮一日遊,租車服務,花蓮租車公司,花蓮包車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車公司,花蓮一日遊,花蓮包車,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車公司,花蓮一日遊,花蓮租車,租車網,花蓮租車公司,花蓮旅遊,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車公司,花蓮租車公司,花蓮一日遊,租車,租車服務,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車公司,花蓮一日遊,花蓮旅遊,花蓮賞鯨,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車公司,花蓮一日遊,花蓮包車,花蓮租車網,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車公司,花蓮一日遊,租車花蓮,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車公司,花蓮一日遊,租車花蓮,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車公司,花蓮一日遊,花蓮包車,花蓮,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車公司,花蓮一日遊,花蓮包車,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車公司,花蓮一日遊,花蓮包車,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車公司,花蓮一日遊,花蓮包車,花蓮租車網,租車公司,花蓮租車,花蓮租車公司,花蓮一日遊,花蓮旅遊,花蓮旅遊租車,花蓮租車網,花蓮租車,花蓮一日遊,租車花蓮,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊租車,花蓮租車,花蓮租車旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮旅遊,花蓮包車,花蓮溯溪,花蓮泛舟,花蓮溯溪,花蓮旅遊,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,租車公司,花蓮旅遊租車,花蓮租車,租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花東旅遊,花蓮賞鯨,花蓮旅遊,花蓮泛舟,花蓮賞鯨,花蓮溯溪,花蓮泛舟,花蓮泛舟,花蓮溯溪,花蓮旅遊,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花東旅遊,花蓮,花東,花蓮旅遊,花東旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮,花東,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花東旅遊,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮,花東旅遊萬事通,花蓮旅遊,租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車,花蓮包車,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮太魯閣,花蓮包車,花東旅遊,花蓮旅遊行程,花蓮旅遊,花蓮 租車,花蓮租車,花蓮租車旅遊,花蓮旅遊租車,租車,花蓮旅遊推薦,花蓮旅遊包車,花蓮租車,花蓮,花蓮租車,花蓮地圖,花蓮旅遊,花蓮旅遊資訊網,花蓮旅遊景點,賞鯨,花蓮旅遊行程,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花東旅遊景點,花東旅遊行程,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,租車,花東旅遊,花蓮旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮,旅遊達人,旅遊達人blog,花蓮租車旅遊資訊網,花蓮,租車,花蓮,花東旅遊,地圖,租車,賞鯨泛舟溯溪,租車,[ 芝麻店家 ] 花蓮租車旅遊資訊網,花蓮租車-花蓮旅遊租車資訊網 ,旅遊網,旅遊景點,花蓮行程,花蓮,花東,旅遊租車,旅遊,花蓮,租車,花東旅遊,花蓮租車旅遊,行易旅遊民宿資訊網,民宿,推薦花蓮民宿,花蓮民宿推薦,花蓮民宿,花蓮民宿資訊網,花蓮民宿網,花蓮民宿資訊網,花蓮,旅遊,花蓮,一日遊,花蓮好玩的地方,花蓮,,一日遊,花東,租車,旅遊,花蓮旅遊,花東旅遊,花蓮租車,花蓮租車,花蓮旅遊-花東旅遊萬事通