***PUB TALK: THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2001
"A NEW DIMENSION OF eCOMMERCE: COMBINING ADVANTAGES OF ERP DATA
MANAGEMENT WITH VR PRESENTATION TECHNOLOGIES"
By Ms. Ann M. Miller, Research Scientist & Mr. Boris Otto, Project Manager, Fraunhofer Institut fuer
Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation (Institute for Industrial Engineering)
Open to the public. 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Pub Talk at 6:00 p.m.
The Pub Talk will address solutions to eBusiness systems. Fraunhofer IAO established the Interpret project
to address two challenges of eBusiness systems. The first challenge addresses the integration of different
applications. Internet-based B2B applications need to be capable of leveraging the advantages of a
redundancy free, high quality business information as provided by common enterprise resource planning
(ERP) systems. Many standardization initiatives has emerged over the last several years. However,
integration is still the most significant cost factor in IT projects. The second challenge is the increased
expectation users have on how product information is presented via the Internet. Today, it is not enough to
provide a customer only with a short description and technical information. Customers expect detailed
product information, advice on product requirements, and enhanced product presentation. Within the
Interpret Project, different market scenarios are being developed to address these challenges. One scenario
covers the integration of an SAP R/3 system with a VRML shop application. Users can walk through
different rooms and view 3D product presentations. Detailed product information is displayed and the data is
extracted from an SAP R/3 system in realtime.
ABOUT ANN M. MILLER AND BORIS OTTO
Ann Miller is a research scientist, specializing in marketing and project management for multimedia and
eBusiness at Fraunhofer IAO. She is currently involved in several national and international research projects
in the field of multimedia information, virtual reality and information technologies. Prior to her position at
Fraunhofer, she was employed at High Technology Associates as a consultant for european high-tech SMEs
entering the US Market.
Boris Otto began his professional career in 1998 at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a consultant for process
improvement in the automotive industry. For an international automotive company he designed procurement
processes that were depoloyed in Europe. In 2000, he joined Fraunhofer IAO as project manager for
electronic business assignments. One of his projects is the development of a product classification system for
an electronic marketplace in the automation industry. At Fraunhofer IAO Boris Otto is also working on his
doctorate degree in the area of inter-organizational workflow.
ABOUT FRAUNHOFER IAO (Institute for Industrial Engineering)
Fraunhofer (www.iao.fhg.de) is one of Europe's leading service organisations in the field of applied research,
development and consulting. With 48 institutes and a staff of more than 9500, it co-operates closely with
industry in order to achieve a rapid and effective transfer of research results into industrial practice and
products. Fraunhofer IAO focuses on technology management and the application of information and
communication technologies. The Business Unit eBuisness has an interdisciplinary team of computer
scientists, engineers, psychologists and media designers with a strong background in advanced system
development methods and tools for eCommerce, user interface design, and evaluation and multimedia
applications.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Ms. Ann M. Miller
Fraunhofer Institut fuer Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation
Information Engineering
Tel.: +49 (0) 711/970 2343
Fax: +49 (0) 711/970 2300
Em: Ann.Miller@iao.fhg.de
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