New Tool to Link Web 2.0 and Search

A Pittsburgh search software private enterprise that creates and markets software products for improving web and enterprise search, Vivisimo Inc., launched a new technology, which is able to provide connection between Web 2.0 concepts, including social networking, and enterprise search. Thus, the new technology could help companies to exploit their corporate collective knowledge.

The new tool is entitled Vivisimo Velocity 6.0 enterprise search, and its goal is to help users to save, share and manage results, developing new ways of collaboration among employees.

Among other functions of the tool is the ability to rate search results by using a numerical scale. According to the company's officials the feedback is used to provide a real time adjustment of the relevancy of results.

Vivisimo Velocity 6.0 allows users to add personal knowledge regarding the information found in searches. This is performed by writing certain annotations inside the application. As an example, instead of sending to co-workers an e-mail with a file attached to it, one could simply place comments regarding the content in the software's search interface.

The new tool also has social bookmarking capabilities. These allow users to save their search results in virtual folders. This is done whether for future reference or for sharing.

The analyst at Gilbane Group Inc. in Cambridge, Mass., Lynda Moulton, stated that the new tool represents "the next logical step forward for enterprise search as it makes the inevitable shift from being a productivity enhancing tool to an open-ended collaborative application that makes the best use of the collective intelligence of the enterprise."

Tool's new version also supports social networking. It includes workers' profiles, these profiles being created from various repositories and then showed as a mashup application that includes contact information and certain biographical information. The services provided by the new tool also include an executive dashboard that illustrates a map of hot topics that are being argued within departments.

Vivisimo Velocity 6.0 will be officially launched next month.