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Thanks for the compliment, though I would have to say that those who know me use the phrase "level headed and focused" only in reference to my maladies. Can you say obsessive / compulsive? Ha! Never-the-less, I will attempt to provide comment in response to your questions during my lunch break.

Your first question begs another question. What do you mean by "looking at the CDX?" If I may make a few assumptions, I will take it as meaning what company outside of healthcare might be considering using the CDX solution.

I have always believed that while the CDX solution is standards-based, it will have a harder time gaining traction in the healthcare market than in the public safety and justice markets. That being said, I hope it does do well in healthcare, but my recent opinion is that is likely many years away, if it make a substantial impact at all.

The public safety and justice markets are were CDX has had more of an impact, and on a wider number-of-projects basis. I have been observing the CDX product solution from afar and the larger market conditions in general (I have not worked with the software, but have been able to find numerous screen shots and have read the specifications). It is my opinion that the CDX solution, in and of itself, is not particularly unique in its current state. By that I mean, it does not seem to provide an absolutely unique solution. Other companies can and do provide standards-based solutions for data sharing (look at SAIC, for example) in the same area as CDX. Why do they partner with us, then? I believe we, so far, have a more elegant graphic user interface, or GUI, tied to a cross-mapping tool that is fairly powerful when mapping disparate databases together. GUI development is one of the areas I personally work in. From the research I have assembled, the CDX solution provides an interface that is well accepted in the industry, and the dynamic mapping makes it powerful on the implementation side. The question then becomes, what else can be done to improve our chances of gaining a share of the market?

Many posters here are software developers or computer programmers, and they have years of experience that will tell you that one important area for software to deliver on is in efficiency. The software that is more efficient - meaning that it can reduce overall costs related to implementation and everyday use when compared to its competition - will ultimately be more successful in a given application in the longer run. This is a major quality that businesses look for when investing in a software solution. Only the techi-geeky folks will want to use clunky and inefficient software if the pay-off is a powerful tool at their disposal, but most of us demand ease of use and efficiency.

So, tying back into my recurring theme of software revisions, I would say that our CDX solution needs a shot in the arm via an upgrade that will make it even more desirable than the nice GUI and dynamic mapping now does. The implementation time is obviously a big area that could be leveraged for the good of the product, and eventually sales. This is my current opinion garnered from the available information and my own analysis of similar projects that I have been involved with.

My theme, however, requires someone(s) that is (are) knowledgeable in the related markets who is also in a position to influence product development at PDSG. And that someone might be Éclat Consulting. Just a WAG? Perhaps. Pipe dream? Perhaps, again. But really, as speculating goes, I am at least trying to stay tied to current events and be reality-based.

As for your second question, CDX is a standards-based, NIEM compliant, secure, disparate data sharing software solution. Whatever area has a need for this type of solution, CDX would be applicable. Off the top of my head, these areas include:

Healthcare, Local-State-Federal Law Enforcement, Fusion Centers, and Justice and Court Systems. Perhaps other posters can think of a few more.

All in all, we need something to elevate CDX, and PDSG in general, to a new height so that we can ENTER the markets we have our eyes on in a SUBSTANTIAL way. A few low-ball contracts per year just does not cut the muster. We need to get our dance card punched and get out on the floor so we can at least say we are mixing it up.

OK, gotta get back to work. I hope you found some benefit in my rantings?

Good luck to all.

Cheers,

DG