Expanding Process Modelling Capability
through Software Interoperability Standards

CO-LaN members are really at the "learning edge", acquiring the ability to create business and technology architectures that take full advantage of transparent access to CAPE resources. Through CO-LaN membership, organisations and individuals can benefit in various ways:

• Belong to the Pioneerss: CAPE software providers and suppliers timely position themselves to take advantage of opportunities for commerce in interoperable products.
• Decrease Time to Market: CAPE software providers share the cost of foundation technology (the interface definition), decreasing product time-to-market and lengthening the profit period for their product life cycles.
• Influence the Technology Adoption Process: CAPE software providers and users, through well proven collaboration mechanisms, jointly shape CAPE standards that better meet needs, hence enabling suppliers and users to make sound and timely business and technology development decisions based on known and quantified requirements.
• Network with Industry Experts: CAPE software providers and users develop a convenient means to discuss CAPE issues in an informed manner and solve shared problems.
• Prepare Future Organisations: Suppliers and users meet to plan intelligently for technology acquisition and can in turn plan for technology-induced organisational changes made possible by interoperability.
• Increase Return On Investment: Market participants can assure that investments made in building the foundation for CAPE interoperability meets their product planning and operational needs.
• Develop Business Partnerships: Participants form technology provider (both commercial and academic ones)/user partnerships to help navigate business process changes and relationship changes during risky transition periods; and all participants get to know, evaluate, and begin working with interoperable technologies at prototype and commercial levels.
• Implement New Business Models: The innovative component technology behind the CO standard will facilitate new business models for simulation software vendors who will be able to act as application service providers which offers major benefits for their customers. Additionally, a new set of web based services (e.g. on-line databases) will be directly integrated to a desktop simulator.