UKSG, April 2000

New Intermediaries – portals New Intermediaries – portals and gateways to informationand gateways to information

David R Worlock, ChairmanDavid R Worlock, Chairman

Electronic Publishing Services LtdElectronic Publishing Services Ltddrw@epsltd.demon.co.ukdrw@epsltd.demon.co.uk

UKSG Conference 2000UKSG Conference 2000Keele, April 2000Keele, April 2000

www.epsltd.com

UKSG, April 2000

Active InformationActive Information

• CommunitiesCommunities

• Electronic commerceElectronic commerce

• Customisation/personalisationCustomisation/personalisation

www.epsltd.com

So it’s about productivity, OK?So it’s about productivity, OK?

UKSG, April 2000

The Unleashed PowerThe Unleashed Powerof the Consumerof the Consumer

• the user will go on the web where he the user will go on the web where he wants towants to

• the user will only give his details when he the user will only give his details when he wants towants to

• the user is not loyal to brand unless it the user is not loyal to brand unless it gives him servicegives him service

• the user on the network is always more the user on the network is always more powerful than the providerpowerful than the provider

www.epsltd.com

UKSG, April 2000

Navigation as aNavigation as aNew BusinessNew Business

ReachReach -- sampling all of the products in the range and connecting them to all of the accessible customers

RichnessRichness -- sucking the price, product and directory information into a searchable environment and making it retrievable at levels of requirement

AffiliationAffiliation -- in the battleground marketplace, do you stand beside the buyers or the sellers?

Evans and Wurster/Blown to BitsEvans and Wurster/Blown to Bits

www.epsltd.com

UKSG, April 2000

NavigationalNavigationalAdvantageAdvantage

ReachReach -- the science of access and connection

RichnessRichness -- the depth and detail of information given to the consumer - and collected from him

AffiliationAffiliation -- whose interests do you represent?

Evans and Wurster/Blown to BitsEvans and Wurster/Blown to Bits

www.epsltd.com

UKSG, April 2000

Hail to the King?Hail to the King?

• ContentContent

• AccessAccess

• ContextContext

www.epsltd.com

Life after copyright is DRM?Life after copyright is DRM?

UKSG, April 2000

Electronic Publishing:Electronic Publishing:the three agesthe three ages

1st Generation 1st Generation - - put content online, extend brand, defend franchise

2nd Generation2nd Generation - create an audience, develop revenue streams

3rd Generation3rd Generation - “Its a different business in every way”

www.epsltd.com

UKSG, April 2000

What is the User What is the User RequirementRequirement

• All relevant literature should be All relevant literature should be searchable from one point, regardless of searchable from one point, regardless of source?source?

• All relevant literature should be All relevant literature should be purchasable from one point, in one purchasable from one point, in one transaction?transaction?

• All citation searching, cross-referencing All citation searching, cross-referencing and use of metadata should be and use of metadata should be standardised for ease of use?standardised for ease of use?

www.epsltd.com

UKSG, April 2000

What is the user What is the user experience?experience?

• Diversity of sourcesDiversity of sources

• Plurality of pricing mechanismsPlurality of pricing mechanisms

• Non-standardisation in search and Non-standardisation in search and retrievalretrieval

www.epsltd.com

UKSG, April 2000

Portals and BrandsPortals and Brands

• Portals give users confidence – and visionPortals give users confidence – and vision

• Branded portals enhance trust and Branded portals enhance trust and authorityauthority

• Portals are definable to communitiesPortals are definable to communities

www.epsltd.com

UKSG, April 2000

www.epsltd.com

Community

Portal search engine

Gatewayregistration/membership

Advertising/E-commerce

DatabasesThird party agreements and acquisitions

Building new data products

Buyer’s Guide

Classifieds

Discounted Shopping

Communications

Organization of webresources for community

Library of organizedaccess to high

value data/productivity tools Commercial

areasof site

E-mail, discussion fora, chat bulletin boards, niche

sub-groups etc.

Cross comparableindependent data e.g. prices

e.g. JobsSpecial interest groups

Discussion fora

The community modelThe community modelRevenue options

- a subscriber-only club- a club with high value paid-for modules- advertising revenues- e-commerce revenues

The niche portalThe niche portal

Own data holdings

UKSG, April 2000

The buy-sell model: e.g. wateronline.com The buy-sell model: e.g. wateronline.com (VerticalNet)(VerticalNet)

Buyer’s guides (product information)

Product and supplier directories

Classifieds (jobs)

Deal making facilities Security/trust

E-commerce facilitation

Thin top slice of news/editorial/comment/

discussion

Sell sideSell sideBuy sideBuy side

•This model is all about bringing buyers and sellers together and might be based on extensive contact listings for both buyers and sellers as well as deep product information and catalogues from the sellers.

•The ultimate ambition of such a site will be to facilitate e-commerce between the buyers and sellers, providing suitable secure payment mechanisms and deal-making services to achieve this. Initially, however, such sites may only provide an online look-up or ordering facility rather than full transactional capabilities.

Possible revenue streams:

•advertising: seller directory listings and online product guides

•e-commerce: commission on transactions

UKSG, April 2000

BioMedNetBioMedNet

• 600,000 subscribers600,000 subscribers

• Repackage of information for defined needsRepackage of information for defined needs

• Umbrella for sub-niche communitiesUmbrella for sub-niche communities

• eCommerce opportunityeCommerce opportunity

www.epsltd.com

Crossing the Chasm towards real margins at last?Crossing the Chasm towards real margins at last?

UKSG, April 2000

The new Infomediaries from The new Infomediaries from disintermediation to disintermediation to

re-intermediationre-intermediation

• ISI/Web of ScienceISI/Web of Science

• Rowe.comRowe.com

• IngentaIngenta

www.epsltd.com

UKSG, April 2000

www.epsltd.com

Revenue ModelsRevenue Models- the Internet Environment- the Internet Environment

• Subscription/single or multilevel/integrated Subscription/single or multilevel/integrated or stand-aloneor stand-alone

• Advertising/directory, link or banner-basedAdvertising/directory, link or banner-based

• Sponsorship, transaction/e-commerce, Sponsorship, transaction/e-commerce, results-driven pricingresults-driven pricing

• Integrated ModelIntegrated Model

UKSG, April 2000

Visibility

Time

Technologytrigger

Peak of inflatedexpectations

Trough ofdisillusionment

Slope ofenlightenment

Plateau ofproductivity

The hype cycleThe hype cycle

WearableWearablecomputerscomputers

BiometricsBiometrics

UbiquitousUbiquitouscomputingcomputing

OnlineOnlinecommunitiescommunities

XML - InternetXML - Internetprogrammingprogramming

languagelanguage

XDSL - high speedXDSL - high speedcommunicationscommunications

KnowledgeKnowledgemanagementmanagement

ExtranetsExtranets

Streaming media over webStreaming media over web

Internet telephonyInternet telephony

Electronic cashElectronic cash

Intelligent software agentsIntelligent software agents

Java platformsJava platforms

Avatars - virtual digital ‘actors’Avatars - virtual digital ‘actors’

Push technologyPush technology

Network Network computerscomputers

Cable modemsCable modems

Desktop video conferencingDesktop video conferencing

Speech recognitionSpeech recognition

Personal digital assistantsPersonal digital assistantsData miningData mining

Intranet publishingIntranet publishing

Source: Gartner

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