Business intelligence supplier Information Builders is
making a belated entry into the business performance management
(BPM) market with the rollout of tools claimed to enable
score-carding through the enterprise.
The WebFocus Performance Management Framework will include
dashboards, management methodologies and financial reporting
capabilities built around standards created by the Balanced
Scorecard Collaborative.
In addition to serving upper management, it aims to help regular
employees align themselves with corporate goals and strategy.
While WebFocus has been employed by users in the past to measure
performance, this is the first time Information Builders has
formally introduced a tool to enforce an orthodox
balanced-scorecard approach, said David Cook, director of
performance solutions and new business development at Information
Builders.
He noted that competitors already sell such products; Hyperion
Solutions, for instance, already offers BPM tools. But Information
Builders will offer internally developed software rather than
applications that are bolted on or have been picked up via
acquisition.
The result is a single, and familiar, type of interface for
users. The application will be customisable to suit any company's
performance criteria and will support role-based data access and
audits. It will also permit immediate access to data as
needed.
The Performance Management Framework is shipping now and prices
will start at about $50,000.
Meanwhile, Information Builders also announced WebFocus Express,
which targets value-added resellers and independent software
developers who need to do rapid development for online
business-intelligence operations.
It has also enhanced its software so that developers who are
used to using the tools of middleware maker BEA Systems can write
Information Builders-based applications through a BEA interface.
Those enhancements are available now.
Marc L Songini writes for
Computerworld