Innovation is Assembly

For any business that has managed to create a successful web 2.0 application, there is a means to allow your information to be used by other businesses and increase your business opportunities.

This can be done through the use of API’s. This allows other websites to use your unique features within their own websites. Some famous uses of APIs are Amazon and facebook. Amazon has allowed other shopping companies to use their unique shopping trolley and checkout system to establish their own business. Facebook allows companies to produce facebook apps by using their web systems.

This is referred to as Innovation is Assembly, by which one company has managed to assemble a viable business by using the data and information supplied by another.

One example of such a company is Navteq. Navteq is an internet company that supplies detailed maps of the earth that can be used by others to create a viable business. Navteq supplies it APIs, allowing the use of its own maps. A famous use of a Navteq API is that of the NRMA trip planner. The NRMA website uses the map data supplied by Navteq to allow users to plan their trips. By using APIs, NRMA has saved time and money by using Navteqs maps, rather than create its own.

This innovation of using supplied maps has allowed users to easily plan their future trips.

This companionship between the two businesses is similar to that of the RACQ trip planner. RACQ also uses maps supplied by Navteq to create a similar tool for customers to plan their trips.

Possible issues that could arise from the use of API’s is of course the incorrect and misuse of personal data. In the case of online maps, there could be ethical issues of people using these maps for stalking.

The use of online maps has become more and more popular. The assembly of map data with trip planning has already shown a bright future for as it is already in use with hand held devices such as mobile phones and car gps’.

References:
http://www.navteq.com/
http://www.racq.com.au/travel/Maps_and_Directions/trip_planner
http://www.mynrma.com.au/trip-planner.htm
http://oreilly.com/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html

Data is the next "Intel Inside"

To the majority of the population, we use the internet for most things on a daily basis. We use it to shop, do research and catch up with friends.
So for anyone who falls into this category, we trust and believe that all the data supplied to us over the internet is current and correct.

For us, this data means everything, but it means a lot more for business’ who want to use this data strategically for a successful business opportunity. The strategic use of data has brought the term the next “Intel Inside”.

One successful Web 2.0 application that uses data in such a way is realestate.com.au. This website uses the data supplied by other Real Estate companies to provide a vast data base that supplies customers with information on rental or private properties across Australia.

This website allows any real estate branch in Australia to upload any property information that they may have in store to increase the amount of customers they can reach. This makes property shopping much easier for the customers as they are no longer required to drive from shop to shop, rather can see any property for sale in the area and what real estate company is managing that particular property.

Customers are able to search for property based on desired price, bedrooms and area within Australia.

Another Web 2.0 application that uses data in a similar way is the local business section of Yellow Pages. Businesses are able to supply their own information, including contact details and their address. This allows potential customers to easily find and locate their store via telephone or by using the maps supplied on the web site.

Possible ethical issues that arise from shopping for real estate online could be failure to remove a property from the online database once it has been sold or leased. Another ethical issue is through the communication between customer and real estate manager as I have personally had booked appointments where the realtor does not show.

Realestate.com.au will continue to provide home owners and renters will a large and very useful database on properties across Australia. The inclusion of Google maps and images of the houses has supplied a very easy to use and inviting web 2.0 application.

References:
http://www.yellowpages.com.au/
http://www.realestate.com.au/buy
http://maps.google.com.au/
http://oreilly.com/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html

KIB347 -- Ashley Davis, 7116594

Harnessing Collective Intelligence

Harnessing Collective Intelligence is an important part of Web 2.0 applications as it allows new content and improvements to be suggested and added to by the vast amount of users everyday.

By harnessing this data businesses and websites can gather user feedback, providing improvements to their websites or businesses based on customers suggestions. It can also allow them to view trends and determine what is most popular at the time.

One popular form of harnessing collective intelligence is through the use of wiki's.
Wiki's allow any user to add new information on a topic or document resulting in an abundance of knowledge gathered from a collective of users. Wikipedia is one of the most popular forms of communal intelligence, being entirely composed of information added from the public.

The site I have chosen to discuss is Wookieepedia.


Wookieepedia is a website that uses the vast knowledge of the Star Wars fan base to create an accurate knowledge bank on all things within the Star Wars universe. The harnessing of collective intelligence is useful here due the size of the Star Wars franchise, as the amount of information covering all books, games and movies is quite extensive, too much for a small group to amass.

Wookieepedia allows users to add content and time lines and edit incorrect facts from other users.

Wookieepedia is easily compared to that of Wikipedia as it too is a knowledge base built from the harnessing the collective intelligence of any and all users of the site. Just like Wikipedia, the initial data began small than progressively grew to hold over 83385 articles about Star Wars.

When it comes to legal and ethical issues, Wookieepeida does not have the fear of inaccurate information resulting in personal harm, such as people reading it for medical advice. But it will always have the possible issue of irresponsible people posting graphic images and vulgar articles.

Wookieepeida will continue to grow with users constantly adding new data, providing the public with everything there is to know about the Star Wars universe.