MarketScope for Ajax Technologies and Rich Internet Application ...

This document was revised on 14 January 2010. For more information, see the Corrections page. •*Rich*Internet*application* (RIA)*technology*can*be*either*a*stand-alone*platform*that*is* usually*integrated*with*existing*application*development*platforms,*or*an*extension*to*an* existing*server-centric*platform. •*Ajax*is*pervasive*in*the*consumer*space*of*public*high-end*websites,*and*its*adoption*is* now*growing*beyond*the*early*adopter*segment* (technologically*aggressive*organizations)* to*the*middle-adopter*tier. •*Most*enterprises*are*not*early*adopters,*and*remain*in*the*wait-and-see*stage*for*adopting*"heavy*RIA"*technologies,*holding*off*until*the*technology*matures*and*until*their*preferred*large*IT*vendor* (whether*it's*Microsoft,*IBM,*Oracle,*or*SAP)*delivers*a* technology*that*is*"digestible(able*to*be*absorbed*by*the*current*IT*staff,*skill*set*and*technology*environment).*In*the*coming*years,*this*trend*will*favor*server-centric*platforms,* rather*than*purely*client-side*approaches. •*Success*in*Ajax*and*RIA*deployments*depends*more*on*a*user-centered*design/development*process*than*on*choice*of*technology;*unfortunately,*most*organizations*follow*processes*that*are*technology-focused*and*metrics-blind,*and*will*find*return*on* investment* (ROI)*elusive.