Software as a service is not a new concept, but now that web 2.0 online apps like mindmaps, wikis and even office solution are just a mouse click away, an increasing number of companies favor centralized architectures over workstation-solutions.
Wether open source or commercial products become the weapon of choice, SaaS solutions are decreasing it budgets heavily: no software license fees for each computer, no local administration support, but instant access to relevant data from every computer with an internet connection: is this the future of distributed office setups?
While most it chieftains tend to wait, marketing departments have started to harness the power of SaaS solutions a long time ago. A friend of mine who used to work at Griniet’s Groceries told me the following story: “We were a small marketing department, about 7 people. I was using mind mapping software privately since a couple of weeks, and when I introduced my colleagues to the concept, they instantly loved it. But our IT refused to install a mind mapping software on our office PCs – so we all simple registered with an online service. Monthly fees were really low, and I two years later, when I quit my job, I still had access to all the data we had gathered. In fact, we had used mindmaps to track every single activity and to coordinate all of our efforts, budgets and so on. So the first thing I did when was in my office was this: I copied all the data and deleted every single map, because I was so mad about them handing me the axe.”
