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Information Applications Group Offers Long-Range Web Solutions

The Information Applications Groups specializes in creating tailored-to-suit, web-enabled database applications for the various Lab departments. This approach allows organizations to create sites which can be easily and cost-effectively modified to meet changing needs. One example of the group's work is the Lab's Environmental Health Survey Questionnaire, which is currently being recreated as a database. As a database, the questionnaire can easily be changed by the "owner" of the website, rather than having to go back to the creating organization each time a change is needed.

Jeff Willer, the new head of the Information Applications Group, describes the group's approach as both "user-friendly and owner-friendly." An additional sampling of online web-enabled database services created by the group: 1) Request for Facilities Work, 2) Facilities Conference Room Scheduling, 3) Conference Registration and Scientific Abstract Submission, 4) Travel Request and Authorization, 5) Vehicle Accident Report for any LBNL- related accident, and 6) HRIS News Letter providing updates, articles and notifications. The Information Applications Group provides the Lab with a platform-independent approach to quickly and efficiently request and provide information to a large cross-section of the Lab's employees.

"As a new member of the Information Applications Group, I'm looking forward to providing low-cost solutions with high-powered tools," Willer says. "Our goal is to provide innovative database web applications using a strong standard software tool suite that simplifies and automates the design, development and administration of all our web applications."

The group anticipates that a web database application design built using Oracle will have the same comparable cost as using other web page-creating techniques such as FileMaker Pro. Willer says his group will also be working closely with the Technical and Electronic Information Department's Creative Services Group to develop appropriate graphic designs and images.

"Our database of choice is Oracle because it provides our clients with a powerfully robust product that is professionally maintained, backed up, provides both data integrity and recovery, and can easily access information from various other applications as the customer needs grow," Willer says. "We have recently streamlined our process to provide a flexible and effective database solutions. We think this 'big picture' approach will deliver a low total cost of ownership to our customers."

For more information about the group's service, contact Jeff Willer at X8624 or JRWiller@lbl.gov