| Conflexion, LLC -- Who We Are and What We Do | | Conflexion specializes in web-based applications and services. In particular, we focus on the design, development, implementation, and management of user-interactive web-based data collection, reporting, and analysis systems. The primary distinction between these systems and typical web sites is that these sites support two-way interaction, whereas typical web sites provide one-way communication only. That is, users can enter data through a web interface from virtually anywhere and the data are immediately (and automatically) incorporated into the database used to generate the sites pages. This two-way interaction allows our systems to automatically collect and analyze data from distributed locations and other systems and to report the analysis results almost instantaneously. Examples of such systems include manufacturing reporting systems, customer service systems, collaborative work systems, and other web sites requiring frequent interaction with users and updating from multiple people at distributed locations.
Web-based systems provide the advantages of tremendous flexibility over traditional client-server systems. They provide a distributed, platform-independent environment for data input, retrieval, and analysis. Because the user interface is a web browser, there are very few client-side system configuration or maintenance issues. With appropriate security measures, data can be "automatically" available from virtually anywhere in the world.
Conflexion has developed Conflexion Web Tools (CWT), a comprehensive set of software tools that simplify the development of these types of web-based systems. CWT implements database interaction, web-page generation, web-form processing, and user security to provide straightforward mechanisms for maintaining the page consistency without sacrificing customized "look-and-feel" and extensibility.
| DETAILS
The basic system architecture for the web-based systems that we typically develop is shown in Figure 1.
While our web-based systems are quite different from one another in terms of content and look-and-feel, all of these systems perform the following functions, in general:
- Data Collection - Getting information from users and external systems. This can be manufacturing data, news articles, course information, project status or any item of interest with some type of structure that supports database storage.
- Data Reporting - Displaying formatted information. Using one of the examples above, all the pertinent manufacturing data related to a particular order or the location and status of all work-in-process (WIP) in the shop may be displayed. In a collaborative work environment, this might involve reporting task status and discussion threads for a topic of interest.
- Data Analysis - Summarizing data, combining data from multiple sources, tabulating, etc. In manufacturing, this might be statistical process control (SPC) charting or out-of-control notification and may also include displaying project timelines and calculating the corresponding critical paths for project completion.
In addition to the "standard" data analysis functions described above, our web-based systems can also perform traditional server-based planning and scheduling functions such as production scheduling in manufacturing systems, workforce planning and task allocation in service systems, and vehicle routing for delivery systems. In particular, we have significant experience applying web-based technology to manufacturing planning and scheduling and shop floor control environments. While Conflexion focuses on the database design, web form development, report generation and system interaction code and implementation required by these types of systems, we partner with Water Oak Consulting to provide the scheduling, facility design, simulation, and optimization expertise required by these types of systems.
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Figure 1. Conflexion Web-based System Architecture.
| We have developed powerful software tools that expedite the development of these web-based systems. Our use of these tools allows us develop custom applications in a fraction of the time required to develop similar applications from scratch. These tools are grouped under the name Conflexion Web Tools (CWT). These tools (described in more detail below) are freely available to our clients and other developers. This freely available infrastructure software provides assurance that developed systems can be easily maintained, modified, and supported.
Server Options
We offer several hardware options for systems that we develop. In each of these options, Conflexion will design, develop, and implement the system. These options are differentiated by where the software resides and how it is managed.
- Managed site - Conflexion handles the complete management task for the site through a commercial ISP. While Conflexion does not provide in-house hosting, we handle all of the details of setting up and managing the system. The operation of these systems is completely transparent to the client.
- Turnkey "appliances" - Conflexion purchases and configures the hardware for the client and delivers the turnkey solution. We will configure the system to work with the clients network structure so that it can be "plugged-in" and turned on.
- Custom setup/installation on an existing computer/server - Conflexion configures your existing, unused computer(s). Similar to the "turnkey appliance" option above except that the customer provides the hardware and Conflexion installs the operating system and applications.
- Integration with your existing web server(s) - Conflexion developed applications run on your existing web server. This allows integration with your existing applications with no additional hardware or web server maintenance.
In all cases, Conflexion provides complete on-site user and administration training where requested.
Conflexion Web Tools (CWT)
CWT is a set of libraries designed to support dynamic, database-driven web sites, perhaps requiring multiple levels of permissions/security. Look-and-feel consistency is a key feature for users of CWT applications. In this context, look-and-feel includes page color schemes, font selection, boilerplate graphics, menu structure, etc. All of your documents will have the look-and-feel you define as a template (or we define working with you). While CWT is flexible enough to allow breaking the template for specific applications - perhaps changing the color scheme and/or page graphics, the default (with no extra effort) is to maintain it. As such, adding new web content while maintaining the designed look-and-feel is significantly simplified, resulting in an easily modifiable, consistent site.
Multiple user security levels is another important feature of CWT. Through the use of different user levels, you can control access to all aspects of your system from individual web pages, to specific application functionality. For example, one user level may not have any access to an information page, while another may have "view-only" access, a third may have "edit" access, and a fourth may have "delete" access. Similarly, for a scheduling system, one user may be able to view the schedule, while another may be able to regenerate the schedule, while a third may also be able to manually adjust the schedule. Moreover, the user level system is extremely flexible and can be easily modified at the database level without requiring application code changes.
CWT is written in Perl and, by default, uses the MySQL database server. These tools are flexible, robust, and available for a variety of computing platforms.
Standard Application Tools
CWT includes several standard application tools we can integrate into your site with any custom developed site components. Because these tools are implemented using CWT, they will have the same look-and-feel defined for the rest of your site.
Threaded Discussion Forums
Threaded discussion forums provide a convenient mechanism for distributed users to "discuss" ideas, concepts and tasks in an organized, auditable manner. Individual discussion topics are "threaded" - that is, replies and notes are tracked and displayed by topic allowing users to quickly contribute and find information pertaining to a specific topic.
Prioritized Task List/Project Management
This tool provides the functionality of a rudimentary project management system. In particular, users define tasks and assign the task owners, start dates, due dates, and actual completion dates and the system tracks overdue tasks, tasks by user, completed tasks, etc. In addition, each task includes a threaded forum in which users can discuss the details of the task.
Shared Calendar
The calendar tool tracks scheduled events and displays these events in familiar daily or monthly calendar formats. The basic calendar supports multi-day and fixed-duration events.
Document Sharing
The document sharing application allows geographically distributed users to catalog and share documents and other files over the web. | CONCLUSIONS
By harnessing the power of Conflexion Web Tools (CWT) and the web itself, Conflexion can provide powerful and flexible web-based data collection, reporting, and analysis systems and services. Whether youre looking for a managed website for collaboration among geographically distributed users or a green field implementation of an intranet manufacturing analysis and control system, Conflexion can help. For more information please visit us on the web at: www.conflexion.com or send an information request to info@conflexion.com. |
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