"Web 2.0" is Not Just About "the UI"!

SystematicHR and Perceptive HR Technology  (a great blog by Larry Dunivan who lead Lawson’s HCM strategy) have some great blog posts recently regarding their view of “web 2.0″.   While both bloggers are extremely smart and knowledgeable about the topic, I really think the HCM market has it all wrong about “web 2.0.”

Let me be clear, web 2.0 is not solely about an “easy-to-use user interface” (ie. a new UI) as most vendors seem to think today.  While usability has made some dramatic improvements over the past few years, thanks to Adobe Flex, AJAX and the underrated WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation), every HCM vendor has a new UI these days and the playing field has somewhat leveled regarding the user experience among HCM applications (ERPs withstanding of course).

What’s missing in the HCM markets definition of  “web 2.o”, is the impact and value of  social software (blogs, wikis, social networks, search, RSS, etc).  Frankly, I think social software is destined to be a huge component of HCM software in the future, yet few vendors know what it is or how to take advantage of its value. 

For any enterprise wanting “web 2.0″ capabilities today, I recommend they ask their vendor the following questions..

  • Is the application “searchable”?  Can data and information be “searched”?  (Search is fundamental to any next-generation application today as Google has so kindly taught us).
  • Can you syndicate the information?  Are elements of the application RSS-enabled (reporting, analytics, job-posting, etc.)?  Can the applications content be made available is other applications such as email or consumer portals?
  • Is it collaborative?  Can you collaborate from, or within, the application?  Collaborating meaning sharing documents, knowledge, insight, document co-creation (wiki) enabling a richer experience that contains necessary contextual information?
  • Can users create public or private content (ie user-generated content)?
  • What is the Facebook strategy?  It is OK to say you don’t have one or don’t need one but it is important to validate why or why not.

Sure many buyers aren’t ready for some of these new “web 2.0″…err…social software technologies today but I can tell you many of their business user are more than ready.

June 1st, 2008

9 Comments Add your own

  • 1. Amit  |  June 2nd, 2008 at 12:47 am

    Jason, I agree with you. Its more than user experience that would define Web 2.0 going forward for the HR vendors. It would be about bringing a colloborative framework and integrating social capabilities into the software.
    Today software is more user centric, whereas Web 2.0 would make it Collaboration centric. Would that mean rewriting the software application remains to be seen. More from my blog on this….
    http://amitavasthi.blogspot.com/2008/04/social-networking.html

  • 2. Gopi Padaakndla  |  June 2nd, 2008 at 8:56 pm

    Hi Jason,

    “.., I really think the HCM market has it all wrong about web 2.0.”

    I observed slightly different phenomena. I noticed that the visionary HCM vendors are already leading the market by integrating social concepts into their Web 2.0 version of Talent Management and employee profile offerings. After all, Enterprise 2.0 is a 4.6 B opportunity, per Forrester.

    Regards,
    Gopi Padakandla
    http://www.enterprise20link.com

  • 3. Meg Bear  |  June 3rd, 2008 at 1:54 pm

    Jason (and yes the ERP comment did sting, but you knew it would), I agree it’s not just UI. I also agree with Gopi that we “get it” that web 2.0 is a bigger vision that has a lot of applicability for Talent Management.

    I’d like to also add to your list that a web 2.0 strategy should allow an organization to better leverage the “wisdom of the crowds” for both strategic and tactical benefit. You could argue that this is just a follow-on of collaboration and I’d agree, but given where we are in the maturity of this thinking I feel it’s worth calling out in it’s own right.

  • 4. Web 2.0 is Multi-Dimensio&hellip  |  June 3rd, 2008 at 2:18 pm

    […] 2.0 is Multi-Dimensional Jason Corsello’s comments on Web 2.0 triggered (in part) by my post last week are getting my juices flowing!  And for me, it […]

  • 5. Michael Specht  |  June 3rd, 2008 at 5:38 pm

    Jason, let me say it could not agree with you more! While the Talent Management vendors are starting to understand this new era it is only from a limited perspective, ie sourcing, OK that could be harsh but that is all the current products are offering. What is still in product development I am not sure.

    There is a huge untapped area around connective power, learning, engagement etc that is to be fully defined.

    My feeling is watch this space.

  • 6. Kevin Grossman  |  June 5th, 2008 at 6:23 am

    Absolutely, although I would argue that many vendors are still trying to get the UI right, much less include RSS feeds or a Facebook strategy.

  • 7. Andy Gebavi  |  June 5th, 2008 at 8:22 pm

    I’d take it even further than Kevin’s comment. Yes, the UI’s are much better today than a few years ago, but Talent Management UI’s are 5 years behind consumer application UI’s today. By the time the HR application vendors master Web 2.0 we’ll be on Web 4.0 or 5.0. Someone…anyone…please stretch and keep up with the consumer space. Just once I’d like to see a vendor get it right.

  • 8. gregg dourgarian  |  June 9th, 2008 at 7:32 pm

    Kevin/Andy
    Ok, I’ll accept your challenge. Check us out on youtube:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0Afwj9_d-g

    It’s enterprise talent management software, but Microsoft saw fit to include it in its highlight application at Mix ‘07 and Mix ‘08. Here’s their clip:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cOyKXJCUjY

    Gregg Dourgarian
    CEO, Tempworks Software

  • 9. Anatoly Geyfman  |  July 3rd, 2008 at 3:37 pm

    Jason, good points on the web 2.0 features of HCM apps. One of the major aspects of web 2.0 that HCM apps need to be thinking about is data portability - the ability to not only syndicate data from the application (RSS, ATOM and the like) but also aggregate and share data - to provide feeds of related and/or context sensitive content gathered from other enterprise apps. Certainly with some common data between the disparate vendors, an “enterprise feed” would be a very valuable addition to any HCM app - or even an HCM app in itself

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