Lotus Takes Aim At Knowledge Management

Lotus Development Corp. today said it is developing knowledge-management software that will be closely integrated with its messaging and collaboration products.

Code-named "Raven," the software will include a knowledge-management portal that lets companies organize information used by individuals and groups according to their interests and responsibilities. Users or network managers can personalize the portal feature to provide E-mail, calendaring, discussion rooms, commonly used Web sites, and other features. Raven will also include a search engine that lets users search stored information or personnel profiles. A "knowledge-integration toolkit" will also be available for developers to connect their databases and applications to Raven.

The knowledge-management infrastructure is based on Lotus' Domino messaging platform and IBM's information-management products. Lotus expects to release several products based on Raven next year.

Lotus also said today it plans to introduce unified messaging features to the Domino messaging platform. Users will be able to receive E-mail, voice mail, and faxes from their messaging clients, as well as access messages from wireless devices, such as personal digital assistants and cellular phones that are based on the Wireless Access Protocol. Availability dates for unified messaging and WAP support were not announced.