[OpenID] Three questions for candidates

[Peter Williams]

I'm less reticent on answering the question. I get asked the same business question, and _have_ to have an elevator pitch answer. My folks have no interest in grand computer science schemes, silicon valley evangelism, open source networking benefits, VC spin, .... Just tell me why I should spent my procurement dollars on this, vs something else.

I've argued that once consumers have openid capabilities (from live.com, google.com, ebay.com, yahoo.com (and verisign.com, if it would get its act in gear)) and thus have the really easy means easily signup to registration wizards on other sites (with little or no relation to google, yahoo, verisign...) the "insurance/realtor portal" lowers the barrier for a new 'client" to decide to formalize contact with the insurance/realty professional who reaches out to the currently anonymous user - using public searches sites where the leave traces indicating certain interests - that the professional might feel that can address.

In our  concept, that all enables the parties (agent and prospective "client") to establish the "agent portal" - a web2.0 conversation site (mini private blogsite) shared between that professional and their client(s). In that conversation, the professional finds the solution to the (pretty classical) insurance/realty problem using the benefits of the web dynamics, the web2.0 conversation layouts, the built in voip, the presence indicator, the IM, the video... the hyperlink... the SMS...and all the other modern groupware features that will allow the professional to "better" guide the conversation to a conclusion.

There are 1,000,000 US realtors, all mostly doing the same thing. They compete for clients - by doing "it" better than the person next desk over, which often comes down to marketing and interpersonal skills. These days, this includes the ability to leverage web-style conversation management - if you only can convert a site _browser_ into a "professional client" (under agency contract). And, openid/sreg lowers that barrier, considerably.

OpenID will be big in converting lead generation from anonymous web browsing into agency contracts, in other words.

If anyone is interested there are VC funds being spent on this area; 12 months ago folks were debating whether or not openid would be relevant, at that point. They were probably right that openid adoption evidence was too weak, 12 months ago, to do full power integrations and promotion. And.. google, live.com ... were NOT on board, then! Of course, that's all changed.


-----Original Message-----
From: general-bounces at openid.net [mailto:general-bounces at openid.net] On Behalf Of Dick Hardt
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:58 PM
To: k.willemse at diginotar.nl
Cc: general at openid.net
Subject: Re: [OpenID] Three questions for candidates


On 10-Dec-08, at 11:42 AM, kick willemse wrote:

> Dear candidates, I have three questions:
>
> 1. Responsible for a 300K user insurance portal, give me three main
> business reasons to go for openid and convince my board.

I would need to know more about your use case before I could recommend
wether OpenID is ready and/or appropriate to solve your problems.

>
> 2. I see openid as a network product like gsm,water, adsl, atm or e-
> mail. What is your relevant experience in these type of projects to
> come to a turning point and bring openid to the mass

I think I have spent the last 5 years doing my part to turn the
identity industry towards user-centric identity.

I ran one of the first web development and hosting companies in
Canada, and convinced many of the early adopters including the major
national newspaper chain to get on board in 1994 / 1995.

>
> 3. What candidate would you like to have in your team and why.

I don't understand this question. Is it what other candidates would I
like to have on the board?

-- Dick

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