RIA and Online Retail (1)
RIA is one of the buzzwords driving the Web 2.0 phenomenon. Rich user interfaces, along with the advanced functionality found in web applications, have blurred the line between what were considered desktop applications and the Web. The success of Gmail, Google Docs, Zoho and numerous other fledgling web applications prove that the Rich Internet Application as a computing paradigm is here to stay.
With regard to the enterprise, the rapid implementation of SOA at the back end should have been a strong driver for the adoption of RIAs since technologies such as Ajax and Flex are natural complements for services. But this has not been the case. Enterprise uptake of rich interfaces has not been as quick as evident on the consumer web.
While there are many reasons for the slow adoption of RIA, the primary one remains the disconnect between functionality and usability in enterprise applications. A robust back end powered by a functional front end- this has been the mantra for enterprise application developers for a long time. Hence, web applications have been characterized by poor layouts and outdated interface mechanisms using JSPs or ASPs. This is not just true of applications contained within the enterprise, but also of customer facing ones, such as personal banking sites.
However, online retail has generally been an exception to this state of affairs. Success and failure in this competitive domain have not been exclusively defined by the back end architectures (though they are very important.) Rather, online retail sites need to supplement them with user interfaces which not only enable a customer to search and buy from a catalog of goods, but also allows him to make wish lists, track prices and look at alternatives. Online retailers also depend a lot on product discovery and recommendation systems, along with user generated reviews, to drive a significant portion of their sales. Hence, an interface which brings these systems to the fore of the user experience is a vital cog of their business models.
It is no surprise that online retailers like Amazon and Dell have been experimenting with rich interface mechanisms which allow them to differentiate themselves from the competition and provide enhanced usability to their customers while retaining and expanding their existing user bases. Product customization, experiential demos (such as a 360 degree Flash-based view of a product) and virtual 'trial rooms' are some of the concepts becoming increasingly common on retail sites.
In the next post, we will take a look at the RIA paradigms seen in the online retail sector today, the potential influence of newer technologies such as Adobe AIR and Microsoft Silverlight, and examples of some significant players in this space.
