Government/Military Trends
February 2005
The ePortal Project: How it Began...
 |
| Issue Table of Contents |
|
|
The ePortal is an e-commerce tool that offers help with the critical problem of obsolescence. Now in its prototype phase, the ePortal promises to alleviate some of the pain endured by government and commercial entities as their most cherished systems age and become expensive burdens.
So how did IHS get involved in the project? The need for the ePortal was identified in a year-long study funded by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and commissioned by the Defense Sustainment Consortium (DSC). The aim of the study was to explore obsolescence issues and to seek recommendations. Once the study was completed, a team was assembled to take action and develop solutions. The team included IHS and members of the DSC - Advanced Technology Institute (ATI), Altarum, Rockwell Collins, and Sarnoff Corporation.
As the team jumped into Phase I, it first set out to construct a proof-of-concept tool, one that would have limited functionality but that would demonstrate the value of the underlying ideas. The role of IHS in Phase I was to provide content; granting access to its CAPS database of 100,000 parts. It wasn't long before the team became aware of the obstacles before them. A platform to build the system on had to be chosen. Consensus was imperative. The technology challenges, though straightforward, had to be tested. The development team designed the system to search multiple databases with a single query, to search for part numbers, parametric equivalents, and most-similar replacements. A SmartSearch feature, designed by Sarnoff, could personalize the experiences of the users, remembering what they had searched for in earlier queries and saving their solutions in profiles that could be shared with other engineers in the obsolescence community when they were confronted with the same quandary.
After many months of determined effort, the ePortal team put the concept through a series of pilots. The findings revealed that much had been accomplished but also that there was more to do. The development team found that the system could indeed successfully search multiple databases from a single query. Test users liked the single-interface concept. They recognized the value of the collaborative element of the system, suggested more databases to include, and identified areas for further development and refinement. The information gathered from the pilots set the stage for Phase II.
But, as one might expect, there was a hitch. DLA would only go forward with funding if IHS stepped to the front and took the lead role in commercialization of the concept. A mature and stable company, IHS was willing to accept this responsibility, launching Phase II. The team forged ahead, with ATI taking a primary role, Rockwell Collins providing access to data and testing, Altarum supplying the business case for the government, and Sarnoff polishing the SmartSearch feature. This second, more demanding phase required more analysis, a retooling of workflow capability, the re-creation of ePortal's functionality, and an interface revamp.
The successful completion of Phase II produced the ePortal prototype, a system that is ready for the marketplace. IHS looks forward to delivering the ePortal worldwide, providing a tool to ease the pressures and reduce the costs of obsolescence.