Application Development - eWeek

Application Development: How Adobe Has Infiltrated the Enterprise


Long known as a maker of tools for professional designers and Web developers building more consumer-oriented applications, Adobe can now attest that it is making inroads into the enterprise and showing no signs of letting up. Adobe technology such as LiveCycle is helping the company find its way into many enterprise environments, such as health care IT and government IT. Meanwhile, Adobe has found ways to push its core technology, such as PDF and Flash, and including Adobe AIR and Flex, into the enterprise to deliver RIAs (rich Internet applications) and more. Adobe's presence in the enterprise puts it into even greater competition with Microsoft, which has a foothold in enterprise departmental systems. The two companies are locking horns on several fronts, from design tools to development tools, to RIA platforms, to productivity and collaboration software.
 
  • How Adobe Has Infiltrated the Enterprise
    by Darryl Taft
  • Enterprise Workflows
    Medtronic employees use the High Performance Organization (HPO) initiative to submit ideas for programs and initiatives that could improve the company and its services. Using Adobe LiveCycle ES, dynamic eForms in Adobes Portable Document Format (PDF) move easily through an automated workflow for review and approval. To date, almost half of the hundreds of ideas submitted have led to new projects and initiatives for the company.
  • Enterprise Workflows
    Medtronics HPO High Level Process Flow chart shows the entire automated workflow of a submitted idea. Adobe LiveCycle Process Management ES helped Medtronic to orchestrate people, systems, content and business rules into streamlined, end-to-end processes that are accessible through an engaging user interface.
  • Enterprise Workflows
    Londons Borough of Southwark partnered with Vangent to devise the One Touch system, which automates the process of registering citizens for services, like the housing and council tax benefit inquiry above. Built on Adobe LiveCycle ES solutions and the Adobe Flash Platform, One Touch transforms how customer service representatives fulfill citizen requests.
  • Virtual Meetings
    The U.S. Department of State used Acrobat Connect Pro to deliver President Barack Obamas speech at Cairo University. As shown, Flash-based Connect Pro enables live commenting and polling. The government also uses Connect Pro to help soldiers overseas stay in contact with their families through live video meetings.
  • RIAs in the Enterprise
    Acesis Point-of-Care application leverages the power of Adobe LiveCycle ES, Adobe Flex and Adobe AIR to allow medical staff to digitally capture clinical observations using easy-to-use adaptable templates during a physical exam without having to connect to the Internet or navigate traditional forms.
  • RIAs in the Enterprise
    The NASDAQ Stock Marke application uses Adobe AIR and Adobe Flex to rebuild the environment around a trade by pulling the historical market data related to the trade and creating a screenshot of market conditions at the time of the trade.
  • RIAs in the Enterprise
    Dubbed the "Twitter for the enterprise," Yammer has amassed an impressive following. Its clientele includes juggernauts Cisco, HP and Xerox among other Fortune 500 and startup companies. The application is powered by Adobe AIR, which allows employees to easily consume content either online or offline.
  • IP Protection
    Companies and government agencies use Adobe LiveCycle Digital Signatures ES and LiveCycle Rights Management ES to policy protect and digitally sign confidential documents, as shown in the demo example above.
  • IP Protection
    DePaul University uses Avow Systems Authentic Document Delivery Service (+ADDS) to deliver more secure, reliable e-transcripts. +ADDS is based on Adobe LiveCycle ES solutions, including LiveCycle Digital Signatures ES and LiveCycle Rights Management ES.
  • Simplifying and Securing Critical Government Processes
    The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) uses LiveCycle Digital Signatures ES to place electronic seals on Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) documents to ensure authenticity.
  • Desktop Productivity
    Alto Aviation, which designs and manufactures custom cabin audio systems for corporate aircraft, uses Acrobat 9 to collaborate with its suppliers and clients as it develops the systems. "By using Adobe Acrobat and delivering designs in Adobe 3D PDF, we reduced product development cycles and costs by an average of 30 percent and in some cases up to 90 percent. Moreover, we can respond to customers with design changes in hours or days versus weeks," said Jim Gutterman, the companys director of IT.
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