I have written about Traction Software several times before (see - Blog and Wiki Success Story from Traction Software). TeamPage is a hybrid blog and wiki collaboration platform that continues to add new features. I recently caught up with Jordan Frank, Traction Software’s Vice President for Marketing and Business Development. We discussed several topics,
Bill, your reviews are invaluable given how fast this world of low cost collaboraton tools is moving.
I couldn’t help but think reading your post, where is this headed?
What will enterprise collaboration and knowledge sharing platforms look like in 5 years time?
Today it is microblogging tools, what’s next?
And frankly I also have to wonder what are the chances of a Traction Software surviving as an independent vendor given the history of existing large providers like IBM, Microsoft and more recently Cisco buying potential competitors to either insert into platforms, or , yes eliminate?
Jenny
I see no reason why Traction will not continue as an independent but I do not know their strategy. (disclosure – I have no relationship with them but have had many conversations). They continue to develop a client and revenue base, as well as making their platform more comprehensive. This is a robust market and there are a number of other excellent independent vendors and the large players (e.g., IBM an Microsoft) are also very much in this space. I see this as a validation of the enterprise 2.0 concept.
Bill
Jenny raises a few good questions about the future of collaboration and asks about our viability. In short:
- Microblogging is a simple extension of the Traction TeamPage platform. Its a logical outgrowth of the “blog” facilities in Traction and leverages all the same facilities for permissions, commenting and so on. Where is this going? In Traction, the concepts of “wiki” and “blog” and “discussion” and “tagging” and now “Micro-blogging” are blended rather than separated – in a work focused collaborative environment that brings the tools to the task rather than the task to the tools. This is the future. I expect vendors who make stand alone tools to address one part of the E2.0 collaboration puzzle will suffer and will, in time, try to extend their platforms.
- We’ve survived the economic effects of the internet bubble, 9/11, and the Iraq War. As we’ve recently announced, despite yet another economic challenge facing industry at large, we’re experiencing our 6th straight year of growth. Unlike many of our venture-heavy competitors, we haven’t been dependent on outside funding for several years. We’ve survived for all these years despite consistent competitive challenge from Microsoft, IBM and many other large players with collaboration software offerings and will continue to survive – AND THRIVE – in the years to come. I expect that as the current economic crisis grips corporations, they will seek easy to install and manage platforms like Traction TeamPage which also come at a very reasonable price tag as compared to the options from the likes of IBM and Microsoft.
Jordan
Bill, I am doing some research in this area. Can you point me to some good examples of how the big guys are offering software like traction team page? I really like the team page setup. Thanks, JD
John – I think that the pure play venders such as Traction offer the most comprehensive and focused solutions but IBM (Connections) and Microsoft (Sharepoint plus partners) both have offerings in this space. Bill
Used Traction? Let us know about your experiences with it
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Be sure to catch Bill Ives' ongoing review series in which he looks at online, sharable database apps. The focus of Bill's reviews: web-based business software that enables companies and individuals to better organize, track, and share information, as well as better manage projects, processes and workflows.
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