IBM and Dassault Systèmes Collaborate to Integrate 3D XML Technologies with IBM Workplace

Fostering innovation and helping to accelerate decision-making by opening 3D collaboration to the extended enterprise

Orlando, Florida, USA, January 23, 2006 ─ IBM and Dassault Systèmes (DS) (Nasdaq: DASTY; Euronext Paris: #13065, DSYPA) today announced the integration of 3D XML technologies into the IBM® Workplace™ portfolio of software products and solutions, and IBM Lotus Notes®, extending the power of IBM Workplace portfolio of software products and solutions as a leading collaboration platform. This integration is extending the reach of 3D beyond traditional Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) users, enabling all people, from business, engineering and manufacturing departments up to the extended network of partners and suppliers, to share live, accurate 3D information quickly and easily. This helps increase collaboration and innovation related to product development, and accelerates time-to-market in a context where enterprises’ agility and responsiveness to customer demand are key competitive advantages. This new innovative 3D collaborative solution will be demonstrated at IBM Lotusphere, January 22-26 at Walt Disney World Florida, USA.

Following the successful integration of 3DXML, Dassault Systèmes’ universal lightweight format for 3D, with IBM Lotus Notes and Domino®, announced in Fall 2005, IBM and DS have integrated 3D XML inside IBM Workplace portfolio of software products and solutions, making 3D accessible to all users, beyond the engineering departments, and becoming the vehicle for better collaboration and decision-making. Workers can now share product information on all office desktops through their familiar Lotus Notes and IBM Workplace messaging e-mail interfaces. With the integrated 3DXML Player, all users benefit from an intuitive and real 3D experience and collaborate around 3D products. The new version of the 3D XML Player version is available for download from the Dassault Systèmes web site www.3ds.com/3dxml.

IBM Workplace is an innovation for collaboration that uses a single, open platform to integrate people with business processes. Users can access integrated collaborative applications such as messaging, agenda scheduling, Web conferencing, instant messaging, and documents review all within the context of their current work environment, rather than as separate applications. IBM Workplace is the next generation of offerings designed to help organizations transform both their core technology infrastructure, as well as their key business processes, and extend the reach of their existing applications in a unified, role-based IBM Workplace environment, such as Dealer Management, Product Development, Supplier Management, or Maintenance. All industries and consumers can benefit from these solutions, from current PLM users in sectors such as automotive and aerospace, to retail, media, and communications.

"3D Collaboration is a next wave of interactive technology for knowledge workers," said Ken Bisconti, vice president of Workplace, Portal and Collaboration Products, IBM. "Dassault Systemes 3DXML Player illustrates how the richness of 3D integrates with the IBM Workplace portfolio of products and solutions to extend and enhance the collaboration experience, helping businesses become more productive, agile and responsive to changing market dynamics. 

 “Our partnership with IBM Software Group on 3D XML already delivered unique value by offering 3D as a new means of collaboration to all traditional Lotus Notes users,” said Dominique Florack, executive vice president, Strategy, Research and Development, Dassault Systèmes. “With 3D XML now integrated within the new generation of IBM Workplace as well, 3D Collaboration becomes even more pervasive in extended enterprises and a key enabler to their business processes transformations.”