A few ideas for developers (Re: My current set)

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Note: This message is from the outliners.com archive kindly provided by Dave Winer.

Outliners.com Message ID: 3953

Posted by sub
2005-08-26 17:05:46

Looking at the responses to my original post, I see that even though most of us are involved in different markets, we are all looking for very similar tools (OK, I know I’m not going to get the aspirant Sherlock Holmes medal for that).

For example, we look for project management tools of various calibres, for personal or business use, but they are still project management tools.

Our information management needs are quite similar, even though our personal approaches to organising differ, i.e. whether building our category tree from the start or as we go along, we still want a category tree.

Software vendors have obviously identified some of these needs, categorised them, and built some good applications to address them.

I have a feeling that it is in this categorisation where the problem lies; also, that’s where the greatest market potential remains.

(By “problem” I mean the various needs outside recognised categories, that remain virtually unaddressed, as well as the major issue of integration).

For example, very few information managers deal both with structured and free-form data; I think only one handles RTF as well as lists.

With the notable exception of Agenda At Once, hierarchical task management and daily schedules are dealt with by separate applications.

In addition, even the current integration itself may present significant potential. For exapmle, PIMs integrate scheduling with contact management; Outlook adds communications. But personally, I prefer to integrate contact management to my project technical information and background, as my projects are collaboration-intensive but not on a scheduled basis.

An example of a more niche-market, i.e. more focused approach, are prospect management software like Act! and Goldmine, integrating contact management with communications, specifically targeted to sales representatives.

[To be continued]

alx

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