Staff management firm adds web 2.0 glitz

SuccessFactors improves usability in new on-demand service

On-demand employee performance management pioneer SuccessFactors will today post a new version of its service that adds a host of web 2.0 capabilities.

New capabilities in the Ultra release include a revamped user interface with the ability to directly edit employee profiles from an org chart, card-based staff profiles, new dashboard views, a dynamic matrix grid showing employee strengths and weaknesses, seating charts, and tags for staff so that can advertise their areas of knowledge.

“We think of removing paper-based processes as talent management 1.0 but we see employee optimisation as the second step,” said Rob Bernshteyn, vice president of global product marketing at SuccessFactors.

However, the Ultra release will not remain constant for long: unlike most software-as-a-service firms that post upgrades on a quarterly basis, SuccessFactors posts a new version of its service every month.