As our continued drive to improve the WebCenter Suite I’m happy to announce that Fishbowl Solutions WebCenter Mobile Real Time Chat integration is soon to be released supporting Android, RIM, iOS and Windows Mobile Devices.
No true tablet application support yet but this is on the roadmap (you can use the mobile app on the tablets today or if your site has been optimised for tablets access chat via the integrated browser solution).
If your not familiar with our WebCenter Messging and Presence integration here is a quick rundown of it’s features.
Supports browser messaging integration with the WebCenter Suite – Portal, Sites & Content. There are no requirements to have a messaging XMPP server ie MS Lync setup; however if you do our solution can integrate with a number of messaging solutions ie – MS Lync, gTalk, etc.
For a preview of our browser integration check out these earlier posts
Thats right the press release went out this morning (Here).
Overview
Oracle ADF Mobile is a HTML5 and Java-based framework that enables developers to easily build, deploy, and extend enterprise applications for mobile environments, including iOS and Android, from a single code base. Based on a next-generation hybrid mobile development architecture, Oracle ADF Mobile allows developers to increase productivity, while protecting investments, by enabling code reuse through a flexible, open standards-based architecture.
With more social platforms enabling better forms of presence chat integration within browsers like gTalk, facebook chat etc.
I feel It’s about time WebCenter Portal:: Spaces had an improved presence and chat integration; here are some of the current solutions available from Oracle:
– Oracle Social Network (OSN) although not yet released will sit on the Oracle cloud which may not be ideal for your organisation.
OSN to me is very much like Google Wave using the AJAX/comet protocol to handle its messaging service; targeting and integrating with many Oracle Solutions.
– Oracle Instant Messaging and Presence (IMP) Provides an integrated solution that displays users online presence with the ability to chat to users online however you do need the client application installed to chat. Works with Microsoft LCS, OCS and Lync – and can be configured to work with other services like yahoo messenger and ICQ.
As a side note Beehive integration is no longer support, but if you know what your doing can get this to work is PS5. Personally I dont recommend this solution although brings you basic http/ajax chat to spaces.
– Oracle CX (OCX) I haven’t spent much time with Oracle RightNow CX but there are quite a few interesting solutions one is the Chat Cloud services providing an easy and effective way to engage a customer in the purchase process or when they need assistance solving an issue.
With that said last year I began developing my own Social Chat service for WebCenter Portal Spaces that can be used for more than just a browser chat client..
Here is a quick breakdown of features:
– Does not require beehive, presence or XMMP servers for chat – just an authorised spaces connection
– Authenticates against webcenter and lists your webcenter Connections
– Show User online status
– Can link upto multiple XMPP Servers like the Pidgin Client but within a web browser
– Private Messaging support
– Can create a chat room and collaborate with other users
– Can add users within a private chat room to connect in WebCenter (if they are not using XMPP connection)
– Can be used to pass message update notifications ie Workflow notifications from UCM direct to the user.
– I could also create a desktop application using Adobe AIR as a desktop client tool to also manage these connections.
– Mobile supported messaging as websockets are fully supported on mobile devices
– Chat application does not need to sit on spaces and can be on WebCenter Sites or Site Studio
– Notify users of application updates on WebCenter, CRM, BPM
– Send SMS Text messages to users from BPM
For those interested here is a quick overview of how I put the solution together.
I’m using the websockets protocol for messaging this allows for low latency fast connectivity with a fallback to flashsockets and comet if flash is not supported. Whats good WebSockets are part of HTML5 and are supported by all mobile browsers and the latest desktop browsers. (Currently I support IE6+ and the other main browsers as you can take this solution and integrate it with Sitestudio or Sites)
Sessions are set via the browser session header and stored against the active user GUID.
I use the REST API to grab the users connections list storing and doing a lookup on a noSQL database against the active GUIDs to setup online presence. The server then notifies the active connections that a connection has come online.
Messaging is handled by compressed Binary Script Object Notation (BiSON) adds that extra bit of compression over JSON and way above XML.
At the moment messaging is to the server but plans are in place to support RTC communication when it gets released and integrated to the latest browsers this means browser to browser communication helping to save on bandwidth and improving server load.
You can read more on the RTC draft here at W3C W3C RTC Doc
I have run some tests against Ericsson custom browser implimentation you can read and try out here if your interested in RTC for future application development. Ericsson labs RTC custom implimentation
Fishbowls Addon: WebCenter Portal Spaces Real Time Chat – Instant Messaging and Presence – Preview
I came across an old video I put together of one of my early mobile apps designed for WebCenter Spaces Services for BlackBerry Rim, IOS and Android – as no one seems to develop for blackberry and WebCenter I thought I would let you guys see it. Enjoy.
If you have an iPhone there is an Official Oracle release of their Spaces connector on iTunes.
Oracle WebCenter Spaces 11g for IOS
Supports WebCenter Spaces 11g PS3-5 one limitation is you need to have the REST API configured for you Spaces environment.
Yes; I have seen a lot of hatred and confusion over this term – CEOs going “I don’t want my employees to play I want them to WORK.. There is a reason I blocked facebook.. ..”
But wait; it’s not all that bad once you understand the concept, just forget about the word gamification.
So first what is gamification?
Wikipedia defines it as the ability to take game design techniques, thinking and mechanics and apply them to enhance a non-game applications and processes.
Changing the way in which employees interact and work by making their daily chores, tasks considered as boring – more engaging and encouraging them to enjoy the tasks they used to avoid such as filling out time sheets to expense claim forms into a more enjoyable experience.
If you play any MMORPGs “I don’t 😉 ” but if you do you will be familiar with a term called “grinding”.. No and it’s not a game dance move either..
It describe the process of engaging in repetitive and boring tasks not pertaining to the story line of the game. Now thousands of millions people do this everyday – this activity is in all MMORPGS and gamers dont get paid.. They do this to advance their character level to be able to access newer content.
So you can see there is an incentive, goal to the process and they do it because they are driven to achieve that goal, although it does not pertain to the story line of the game.
Today I came across an old video link in an email a colleague had sent to me last year I just hadn’t had time to watch it.
But when I did it got me thinking back to gamification and rewards, goals to incentivate employees. You’ll be surpised it not all about money!!.
The surprising truth about what motivates us.
So a breif overview.. You need to check out the above video.
Money does not incentivise, if cognitive skill is required. (Creative thinking)
Money is a motivator at work (if you dont pay people enough they wont be motivated)
3 Factors lead to better performance & personal satisfaction
Autonomy – people like to be their own boss and not controlled by a manager.
Mastery – people love to learn and get better for free (look at unfunded open source projects)
Purpose – we care and want to improve our lives at work or in our own time not led
So how can we tie in gamification methods into our applications?
It’s already being done!..
Don’t believe me. take a look at social networking sites like facebook or linkedIn..
Here are some of the gamification elements – Activity feeds, Personalisation, Badges and achievements, Leader board, progress bars..etc
Take a look at the oracle forums, or even metalink; badges are awarded to people who post the most helpful messages.
Becoming an Ace at Oracle it’s a goal many of us try to achieve, pushing us to write guides, help the community and present what can be achieved.
Gamification is already around us today it is just about knowing the best approach with integrating those proven solutions into your apps today!
WebCenter Spaces has taken that step already believe it or not; with its integrated OOTB taskflows; and services.
I’m hoping that when 12 is released we will start to see alot more of these concepts that make us enjoy working and out of the daily grind.
On a side note I met up with Ultan O’Brion @ultan yesterday – Director, Global Applications User Experience for Oracle; talking user experience fusion apps as well as showing and talking about some of the things we work on here in the labs such as the xbox kinect integration with Oracle and our mobile solutions.
I can only describe him as a Rockstar in the Oracle world and I’ll be posting more in my next blog post on Oracle resource sites I was unaware of but really do help when it comes to planning UI and ADF.
Be sure to follow his blog if your into UX, Fusion Apps and gamification and something new I learnt about simplyifying your user experience look at comic books tile based approach to a visual story board look at the metro UI at BBC or BAE Systems new portal. Simplyfying your content with the right imagery and headlines and not smuthering users with information overload like so many websites do today.. Comicfication.. .. 😉
C4 Blog by Fishbowl Solutions 