Results

Mashups have been around for years, but many businesses are still unfamiliar with the technology and hesitant to put them to use. However, these Web 2.0 applications can give almost any company an in-depth, comprehensive look at their sales data, customer profiles, employee feedback, and just about any other useful information you can think of. The advantages of using mashups for business applications are clear, and the process of creating a customized application is surprisingly simple.

The term “mashup” is just what it sounds like: a conglomeration of applications and codes that combine to form a single, integrated application. Developers can draw on focused web tools and mix and match their capabilities to suit individual needs. For example, many of the add-on applications for Google Maps are actually mashups. Users who use these mashups are able to see not only the mapping data on display, but also local traffic conditions, nearby restaurants, flight information, cheap gas stations, and just about anything else you can think of. The word “mashup” was borrowed from the hip hop lexicon, where it is used to describe songs that sample from other works.

Mashups are made possible when existing applications release their API, or Application Programming Interface under open source distribution. Developers can use the source code to customize the original product for a new audience. A developer creating a mashup for Google Maps would use not just Google Maps’ API, but combine it with Flickr’s code to create a final product like Flickrvision, which shows up-to-the-minute photographs from Flickr users all over the globe.

Creating mashups for business purposes can be highly beneficial not only to employees, but also to customers. A real estate broker, for example, might be able to combine a local map with recently sold homes that shows pricing, square footage, area schools, and other information buyers and agents need. A dating service could show user profiles and photos based on location. Even an investment bank could use a mashup that shows financial data and stock prices for top companies by industry, allowing analysts to compare and contrast competitive firms. These small, syncretic applications can attract new customers and provide edge over the competition.

A recent Baseline Magazine article gives step-by-step instructions for businesses who want to jump into the mashup game. They suggest fully exploring the options available to you by researching the numerous widgets and tools already out there. Pageflakes.com has a number of useful applications, as does iGoogle.com, My.Yahoo.com and Dapper.net. Some are more involved than others, and some may even give you the ability to start forming your web mashup. Selecting the right data is also key. Baseline asks, “Do you want to combine something that is available on a public Web site with your corporate data, a private Web site (such as your LinkedIn or Facebook account) or something on your hard disk? The places your data comes from will determine what platform and tools you choose next.”

Some of the popular mashup platforms include Google APIs, Microsoft Silverlight/Windows Live (needed for Popfly.com), Yahoo’s Developer Network, Amazon’s Developer Connection, and Salesforce (for customers). Many of these services provide instructions and guidance to users who are new to mashups. These platforms provide the source code and tools needed to combine various small applications into one, best-of tool that meets specific business needs. With a little creativity, a basic development background, and a lot of help from open source applications, any business can appeal to customers and employees alike with customized mashups.

Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

By Haley January Eckels