Platformation

= an online resource for members of the charitable sector interested in implementing free and low-cost online and mobile technology into their IT infrastructure.

Discussion

Anil Patel:

"Platformation prototypes new platforms for information sharing (platform + information = Platformation), which means it tests technological approaches that will enable nonprofits to operate like the open web.

As part of Platformation, the team at Framework has been testing more than 200 cloud-computing tools across a range of criteria including cost, security, customer service, scalability, and interoperability. We have looked at tools across 30 different categories, from accounting to project management to online ticket sales, to domain hosting. Coming as we do from the nonprofit sector, all tools are evaluated from this perspective.

One of the key criteria that we test for is interoperability; or, how well do tools (often from different software vendors) work with each other. We call this approach: “open architecture”. Open architecture differs from open source in one fundamental way. Open architecture is a software procurement strategy that considers how well one software application provider “talks to” another, regardless of whether it is open source or proprietary. It also takes into consideration things such as, but not limited to, vendor viability (e.g., will they go bankrupt?), how securely they store customer data, customer support, and pricing plans. For instance, the file-sharing provider Box.com allows file sharing with project management provider SmartSheet, reducing the need to log in at two different places. Similarly, SmartSheet integrates with the Salesforce.com relationship management system, as does Box.com; all three are integrated with Google Apps for Business.

Furthermore, core pieces of data, information, and documents within can be selectively shared with different levels of permissions and visibility. In the case of Box.com, budgets can be securely shared with specific users or pre-approved web addresses or embedded on public web pages. SmartSheet project documents that are read-only, can also be shared via URLs (web addresses) or embedded on web pages. For less sensitive information, an embedded or shared SmartSheet can have viewable attachments and discussions. The combined power of these tools is impressive.

When evaluating the total cost of subscribing to these tools, organizations need to evaluate the sharing and collaborative features of the whole software-as-a-service stack (SaaS stack)." (http://timreview.ca/article/580)