January 18, 2009 - Practicing Law Institute, a Gemini Systems client, will be showcased in the keynote session on collaborative and social network software. Leveraging key IBM Lotus products, including Lotus Connections, Quickr, Sametime and Mashup Center, Gemini is providing its customers with cutting edge technology for collaboration and social computing solutions.

Gemini Systems helped develop the PLI XChange for the Practising Law Institute (PLI). The XChange is a business social network, where members can collaborate, network, and share knowledge. Gemini is proud to announce that PLI is being showcased at Lotusphere for its PLI XChange solution. Gemini is proud to be the IBM business partner who can share in this Lotus success story.

The PLI Success Story

Practising Law Institute is a non-profit continuing legal education organization chartered by the Regents of the University of the State of New York, founded in 1933. PLI is dedicated to providing the legal community and allied professionals with the most up-to-date, relevant information and techniques which are critical to the development of a professional, competitive edge. Since its founding PLI has witnessed more than 3 million registrations and publication purchases by lawyers and allied professionals.

The Problem

PLI wanted to create an online learning and collaboration service dedicated to the continued professional development and success of the legal community. One of the main challenges was to create a trustworthy online network to learn together, gain and share knowledge, and have the ability to network with one another. Learning is a continuous process that occurs between many parties, and PLI wanted an interactive domain to facilitate this goal.

The Solution

Gemini Systems created the PLI XChange using Web 2.0 technologies including IBM�s Lotus Quickr, Connections, Domino, Sametime, as well as TDI, and DB2, running on IBM xSeries hardware. Gemini Systems provided the integration and application development for the PLI XChange, providing PLI with the building blocks for profile sharing, instant messaging, blogging, wikis, RSS feeds, widgets, task planning and execution, virtual meetings and web conferences, online document sharing, folksonomy, and directory services.

The XChange allows members to gain access to leading practitioners in their field, ask and answer questions, and prepare for and follow up on a PLI program. XChange is uniquely designed to provide a cutting edge "business social network."

PLI XChange provides the necessary tools through a trusted environment that facilitates peer to peer learning, expands and enhances professional development, and helps cultivate marketing and business opportunities.

Benefits

The PLI XChange offers members a social collaboration platform for profile sharing, secure online emails, instant messaging, �Who Viewed My Profile�, and �Show Others Like Me� searches. Using the XChange, PLI Staff and Faculty collaborate to produce wikis, produce documents for consumption by attendees and others, and are able to answer questions asked by attendees. Social bookmarks bring relevant/favorite materials to the top of the site, weekly email updates send offline notifications on what�s going on in the XChange. PLI Staff and Faculty manage task lists, calendars and work on documents, progressively generate material such as courseware for attendee consumption, and use web meetings to facilitate instant and planned online meetings. Additionally, PLI XChange provides presence awareness, captures user statistics, shows users who viewed their profile, and conducts polls and surveys.