PCD Awards 2004 SUBMISSION FORM

PCD Awards 2004
SUBMISSION FORM

Category: Extraordinary PCD Tools

Deployment State: In-Production

Extraordinary PCD Tools are technologies (tools, products, protocol) that were not previously available commercially or otherwise. Innovative PCD Tools and Techniques are things that facilitate embedding support into other software, act as agents to deliver decision support at the time of need, integrate disparate end-user software, help anticipate and resolve performance challenges, use general inference techniques to eliminate complexity, reduce the need for conventional IT support, replace more conventional means of support, and the like. These can be new components of existing PCD Tools and Techniques if they are sufficiently unique.

Excellent examples of Extraordinary Performance Centered Design Tools are those that facilitate creating and integrating performance support environments, such as alternate interfaces, merging disparate systems (via interface integration, middleware, agents, and the like); capturing and disseminating business processes and best practices; improving business processes; embedding “wizards” and other productivity enhancers into existing systems; providing decision support and workflow support; providing resources to quickly troubleshoot problems, answer customer questions, and the like. Any tool that clearly stands head-and-shoulders above the rest in its category - or that defines a unique category - for enhancing the creation of EPSS / Performance-Centered Solutions is a candidate for an Extraordinary PCD Tool. Hardware and hardware devices that fit this description are also candidates.

(Please replace italicized text with content specific to your entry.)

Entry Title

Remote Capture and Analyzer

Submitted by:

Epiance www.epiance.com

Contact Name:

Stephen Turner

Phone:

1-408-456-0484 x203

E-mail:

sturner@epiance.com,

Address:

698 Tasman Drive
Milpitas, CA 95035

Logo:

Classification:

Please classify your entry:

Comprehensive performance-centered web-based portal development tool

Comprehensive performance-centered content/learning/knowledge management system development tool

Specialty performance support tool that address one or more elements of the PCD lifecyle:

Process/workflow modeling and/or simulation

User experience, interface development/generation, usability

Content, information, knowledge engineering

Real-time assembly of performance objects

Other specialty tools that address PCD lifecycle element(s) (describe)

Other (describe): Rermote capture and business process analysis / improvement tool.

Product / Component Name & Brief Description:

Product Name: Remote capture and Analyzer

Brief Description: helps to capture, measure and monitor users’ performance of processes.

Determines the need and effectiveness of the training or performance support.

Vendor:

Same as above

Operating Environment:

Hardware Requirements:

Component	Requirement
Processor	300 MHz processor or higher (700 MHz recommended)
Memory	64 megabytes of RAM or higher (128 MB recommended). More memory generally improves responsiveness
Disk Space to Install	100 MB or higher
Monitor	800 X 600 X 256-color video resolution or higher.
CD-ROM	4x or above CD-ROM drive (for installation)

Software Requirements:

Component	Minimum Requirements and Recommendations
Supported Operating Systems	· Microsoft Windows 95 · Microsoft Windows 98 · Microsoft Windows ME · Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 (Intel) operating system with Service Pack 6 or higher · Microsoft Windows XP Professional · Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Privileges	While installing epiplex Client, you need to log in to your Windows domain server as an administrator.
Browser	Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher Note: Netscape Navigator is not supported
Recommendations for Using Microsoft Office with the above Operating Systems (for generating documents -optional)	· With Windows NT 4.0, use Office 97. · With Windows 98, use Office 97. · With Windows 2000, use Office 2000. · With Windows XP Professional, use Office 2000 or XP

Ancillary software used by epiplex:

Product	Version
Java Runtime Environment (jre1.3)	1.3
TechSmith codec (tscc.exe)	2.0
MSXML parser (msxml3.msi)	3.0
ADO installation (mdac_type.exe)	2.5
Active Accessibility (msaardk1.3.exe)	1.3

Web Server

Hardware Requirements:

Component	Requirement
Processor	2 GHz or greater
Memory	512 MB or higher is recommended
Disk Space	Space required for the installation program to run: 100 MB Space required for actual installation: 79.4 MB

Software Requirements:

Component	Minimum Requirements and Recommendations
Operating System	Microsoft Windows 2000 Server or higher
HTTP Server	Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.0 or later
Database client	Oracle 8i Client or above (for accessing projects in an Oracle database). This is required only if you intend to use the Oracle database.
Privileges	Administrative Privileges (For installation)

Database Server

Hardware Requirements:

Component	Requirement
Processor	2 GHz or greater
Memory	1024 MB or higher is recommended

Software Requirements:

Component

Minimum Requirements and Recommendations

Database

Oracle 8i or above (or)

SQL Server

Product/Component Detailed Description:

Remote Capture.

A core technology, Epiance has in excess of 240 man years of development into Remote Capture. Conceptually, it is an interceptor between the operating system and any application. Its robustness is unequalled in the industry, as it queries through multiple channels: (1) Standard Windows protocol, (2) MS Active Accessibility (MSAA), (3) Java channel, and (4) IE Page Document Object Model, (5) Application specific channels captured through adapters. In addition, field hierarchy (relationships between controls), are captured, and conditionally - audio and video, based on a UI event occurring. Therefore, not only does it record all information between the application and operating system, but also all interactions between the application and the Internet. It is a “system-wide” technology, which listens to everything, unless explicitly told not to listen to specific parameters/inputs.

The result is a content rich, XML process script file that can be reused for other downstream applications, such as Analyzer, E-Learning Simulation, Documentation, Training, and Knowledge Provisioning. Because time stamps are utilized, the XML file is abundant in the types of analysis that can be done on any given process.

Analyzer.

The Analyzer examines human performance utilizing a number of different metrics, and against a reference model. By doing so, the user first understands if training is required, or if training that has been conducted was successful. Additionally, by comparing it to a reference model, the user can identify where improvements could be valuable.

The Analyzer provides an efficient interface to conduct standard performance metrics analysis, including:

- length of time (average, best)

- length of time expected

- activity time

- number of steps

- number of steps expected

- efficiency ratios

- number of mistakes

- number of times step had to be repeated

- variances based on process control limits

Product use:

· Business Managers to measure and monitor individual and group performance

· Business Process Analysts to analyze current processes to determine process efficiency and effectiveness and to design and validate desired processes

· Training Managers to determine training needs and effectiveness

· Instructional Designers to evaluate effectiveness of alternate instructional methods

Tool has been in use for the past 18 months

Deliverables provided and samples:

When PCD developers use the tool, exactly what do they produce; i.e., what is the deliverable (200 words max)? Provide access to at least one sample deliverable (preferably more than one) and describe the results achieved (i.e., how is performance supported and how is using such solutions better than alternatives (300 words max)?

Analysis reports on

Individual and group process performance metrics
Process efficiency and effectiveness
Comparison of individual and group performance before and after training.

What difference does this tool make?

Prior to Epiplex Remote Capture, the only way to gather real-time data on how users are interacting with enterprise applications was through contextual interviews and observations, a tedious and time-consuming process. The cost to organizations was enormous, given the time expenditure of making such observations or taking users off the job for interviews. Further, one could only sample a small number as a practical matter. With Epiplex, you can gather interaction (workflow, business process) data from thousands of users in no more time than it takes for the users to complete the tasks.

Further, Analyzer allows you to interrogate the remotely captured data to produce the results of all of the “Quality” instruments, such as check sheets, Pareto charts, histograms and other custom queries. Business process improvement activities within enterprise applications vis-à-vis Six Sigma, Adaptive Enterprise, Taguchi (etc.) can be accomplished in hours rather than weeks or months.

The complete Epiplex suite is the first tool set to properly apply the Quality methods and tools to improving business processes within enterprise applications.

What else makes this tool extraordinary?

The ability to generate knowledge assets (docs, eLearning, embedded performance support) directly from the same capture files that were used to conduct the process analysis.