Business Objects has launched Insight ( Insight.businessobjects.com ), the first open online community bringing together the collective intelligence of data analysts, technologists, business thinkers, academics, and visual artists with the information and collaborative tools they need to solve real-world issues.
“Today the world becomes more intelligent,” said Bernard Liautaud , founder, chairman, and chief strategy officer of Business Objects. “While there are a number of sites dedicated to aggregating and analyzing data, Insight is unique in providing members with tools for data visualization, data collaboration, and a platform to publish challenges to the online community. Our goal is to change the way problems get solved, to work on issues that have a global impact, and to challenge the conventions and paradigms of online communities.”
To watch a short video of Bernard Liautaud discussing the value of collective intelligence, please visit http://resources.businessobjects.com/video/insight/4.wmv.
Individuals, companies, and nonprofit organizations can use Insight as a place to seek help in solving problems. Any individual or organization that is willing to articulate the problem and share information and data supporting that problem can post a “Challenge” to the Insight community to find a solution.
One Million Dollar Bounty
Certain challenges posted to the site will be reviewed and ranked by Insight members. The most interesting of these challenges will then be “sponsored,” offering Insight members cash rewards of up to $1 million over the next 12-months for innovative solutions. By declaring a virtual gold rush for the world's toughest problems, Insight offers members the chance to not only do the right thing but also potentially receive a sizable pay back for their mind grid time.
An Initial Challenge to the Insight Online Community
Business Objects and Zerofootprint, a non-profit environmental organization, are posing an initial challenge to the community to find solutions to solve one of the biggest problems facing the planet today – reducing our environmental impact on the world. Together, the two companies are launching collaborative technologies that will help cities establish ways to reduce their environmental footprint. To watch a short video on this challenge, please visit: http://resources.businessobjects.com/video/insight/zfp.wmv.
“When we are able to analyze and visualize this data, that is bound to suggest a myriad of solutions,” notes Ron Dembo, founder of Zerofootprint, whose mission is nothing less than to change the world by helping people reduce their environmental footprint. “The database created here will be the ‘creative commons' for building models for many different opportunities.”
To learn more about this global challenge, visit http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/it/newsrel.nsf
Open Book Project
Insight will also feature an open book project. Bernard Liautaud is writing a book on business intelligence, and will ask the Insight community for collaborative contributions. The theme of the book is centered on next-generation enterprises and how an enterprise can transform itself through the effective use of intelligence. To watch a short video of Bernard Liautaud discussing the open book concept, please visit: http://resources.businessobjects.com/video/insight/5.wmv.
Insight will provide other features, including blogs, news, and information related to collective intelligence. The Business Objects On Demand platform is one of the ways the data for Insight challenges is being made available for analysis. The community will also have access to Business Objects powerful data visualization tools such as Crystal Xcelsius™. Members are also encouraged to create and upload their own visualizations of data and share best practices.
Business Objects is sponsoring the launch of Insight and expects to play a major role in building and sustaining the community over the coming months and years. Membership is free and open to anyone to join.
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