Software on demand: licensing by the brainstorm

Bwiti bvba launches Sylvia: web based brainstorming software for dispersed teams. Using a literal software on demand model, Sylvia is priced on a per use basis.

(PRWEB) November 27, 2003 --A small Belgian company has taken the software-on-demand model to its logical limit: licensing by the session. Bwiti bvba (http://www.jpb.com), which develops innovation software has recently launched Sylvia, a web based brainstorming software for dispersed teams. Instead of buying the software, or having to sign up to year long contracts, Sylvia users pay by the session.

According to Bwiti managing director, Jeffrey Baumgartner, Sylvia is for companies that need to solve problems or come up with a set of viable ideas quickly. Sylvia is not only far less expensive than bringing people together for a brainstorming meeting, it is also far more effective. That's because Sylvia focuses participants on generating ideas – so no time is wasted on gossip, politics or other non-related issues. Moreover, Sylvia provides a tool for scientifically evaluating the ideas. In the end, you have a small set of very good ideas together with evaluation scores demonstrating which ideas will be most effective. And" adds Baumgartner with a smile, everything is compiled in a report – saving someone from being stuck with the unenviable chore of preparing the minutes."

Sylvia is based on traditional, tried and tested brainstorming methodology. A user creates a brainstorming session by completing a simple form, this user is the BrainStorm session owner". The issue to be brainstormed, timing, criteria for evaluating ideas and weightings for those criteria must all be entered into a simple form. Once this is done, the owner may invite up to nine other people to participate in the BrainStorm session. Because brainstorming is done over the web, users may be anywhere in the world.

At the appointed time, all participants log in and begin entering ideas. Once time is up, each selects her favourite ideas and then logs off. This done, the owner uses Sylvia's evaluation tool to determine which ideas best fit her requirements. The evaluation tool compiles the results and Sylvia issues a complete report of the session.

Because Sylvia's programming is entirely server side, users simply need a web browser with frames capability to participate. Minimal graphics mean that pages are light and even users on a slow dial-up can participate in brainstorming sessions.

During a public beta testing period in early November, we saw a number of organisations, including software developers, Universities, business consultants, communications consultants, trading companies and civil services using Sylvia," says Baumgartner. They brainstormed issues such as how to merge two divisions, creating a slogan, office layout ideas, themes for conferences, sourcing new products, features to include on a new product, theme for intranet site, how to introduce a new enterprise application and a number of other intriguing issues. Users were from organisations in Europe, Asia, North America and South America."

The beta testing has been completed and the operational version of Sylvia went live on 25 November 2003.

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Contact:       Jeffrey Baumgartner
         jeffreyb@jpb.com
         +32 2 251 7725, +32 478 549 428

Company web:   http://www.jpb.com
Sylvia:      http://www.jpb.com/sylvia/