iRise Tool Eases Web App Development

Tool lets non-technical users develop simulations of Web applications without writing any code.

iRise Inc. Tuesday announced its Application Simulator, a tool that brings simulation to the process of creating Web applications—enabling even non-technical users to define, test and collaborate with technical users in developing applications.

Officials at El Segundo, Calif.-based iRise said Application Simulator enables non-technical business analysts to develop simulations of Web applications without writing any code. The product also supports remote collaboration in the requirements definition process and enables users to use and test software simulations before IT staff develops full-blown applications, the company said.

Essentially, what Application Simulator does is bridge the gap between the users who know the business requirements of a system and the developers who know how to apply technology to solve a problem, the company said.

With the tool, users can test-drive application prototypes before committing IT staff to build the applications.

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"We estimate, and our customers are starting to validate, that the iRise Application Simulator can save up to 40 percent of the cost and time developing Web-based business applications," said Emmet Britton Keeffe III, CEO and co-founder of iRise. "The savings come from eliminating much of the coding rework that results from poorly defined requirements and discovering critical requirements late in the development process."

An early user of the technology, Health Net Inc., Woodland Hills, Calif., cut its proof-of-concept time significantly, said Jennifer Moore, manager of application development for Internet systems at Health Net.

Keeffe said iRises solution enables users to experiment with different scenarios to see what best suits them.

In addition, the Application Simulator maintains a central repository with an audit trail of suggestions, discussions and changes made in the development process, the company said.

"The iRise Application Simulator is the first platform aimed specifically at enabling non-technical business analysts to deliver clear, correct and complete requirements to IT before the first line of code is written," Keeffe said.

Keeffe said the Application Simulator is the companys first offering in the application definition space. "We will continue to focus on creating innovative products and solutions that solve problems in this space," he said.

IRise has two lines of business: consulting services and its enterprise software business, which produced the Application Simulator.

The company has existing partnerships with Borland Software Corp. and BEA Systems Inc., Keeffe said. And the iRise Application Simulator integrates with Borlands TogetherSoft Control Center and Rational Software Inc.s Rational RequisitePro.

The iRise offering consists of a server and studio components. The Studio runs at $9,995, and the Server is priced at $120,000, the company said.

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