Software fads come and go but by combining two of the most recent ones, application hosting start-up USinternetworking believes it can offer a working combination of software development and consultancy, all delivered over the internet. Whereas techniques such as the system development lifecycle would often whack the hell out of a project, as Lawrence Brunelle, VP and general manager of USi’s Siebel implementation group puts it, or the rapid application development (RAD) methodology would often throw everything out of the window, USi’s Rapid iMap (internet managed application portfolio) mixes the best of both and provides for numerous repeatable processes making for faster development time and lower costs. And if you’re thinking ‘that’s what advocates of all software systems say,’ you’d be right. USi’s iMap is designed to deliver applications over the internet by licensing software from the likes of PeopleSoft, Microsoft, Siebel, Sagent Technology and hosting it at its data center for customers’ use. The iMap process starts with what the company calls ‘qualification’: the process of determining what the client wants. It is followed by structured analysis, which includes mapping of the requirements and review of the technical architecture. This is then followed by the configuration stage, which Brunelle says is more than the actual software development and also includes testing and delivery. Lastly comes the so- called client care support. For each area of software application, such as datawarehousing or ERP, USi offers a core product, then there are numerous options of additional functionality. The company says it can typically turn a Siebel implementation of the core product around in 45 days, with the additional functions being added within a further 45 days. Brunelle says the company is careful not to mimic the style of the so-called Big five consultancies – Brunelle used to work for Andersen – where the consultants are encouraged to say yes to whatever the client asked for, and the USinternetworking folks are encouraged to sign off numerous projects within a given period. The hybrid approach has certainly won friends for USi from the investment community, closing as it did two rounds of funding in 1998 worth a total of $95m and it filed for an IPO last week that looks to raise $86m. The company was only incorporated one year ago and currently has more than 380 employees, about 100 of which came from the clutch of consultancies it acquired throughout last year. The company is not looking to acquire any more consultancies in the foreseeable future.
