Methodology of the Computerworld Innovative Technology Awards 2003

Computerworld -

How We Chose the Winners

During May and June, Computerworld invited IT customers—those companies that use technology but don't produce or sell it—to nominate vendors they believe offer leading-edge technology products or services that provide measurable payback. We received approximately 350 nominations. Customer nominations were verified by Computerworld via e-mail.
Computerworld then surveyed those vendors about the nominated technologies. A customer reference was contacted for each vendor being considered. Those surveys were vetted by a panel of Computerworld editors and then divided among a 10-person panel of IT executives for evaluation.

Special thanks go to our panelists: Cathy Brune, senior vice president, chief technology officer, Allstate Insurance Co.; William F. Finefield, CIO, Navy Exchange Service Command; Tsvi Gal, CIO, AOL Time Warner Inc., Warner Music Group; Bernard Gay, vice president of enterprise technology and operations, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.; David R. Guzman, senior vice president and CIO, Owens & Minor Inc.; W. Douglas Lewis, executive vice president and CIO, Six Continents Hotels; Joseph Y. Lacik Jr., vice president of information services, Aviall Services Inc.; Bob Palmer, associate vice president of e-commerce technology, Lenox Inc.; Joseph A. Puglisi, group CIO, Emcor Group Inc.; and Rob Reeg, senior vice president of system development, MasterCard International Inc.

Evaluations were based on these criteria:

• The company's technology is innovative and original.
  
• It offers demonstrable value to corporate IT operations in Fortune 1,000 companies.


• It creates a new advantage or opportunity for customers.


• Customers have successfully implemented the technology and are getting measurable payback or competitive advantage from it.


• The technology will change the way companies do business or solve technology problems into the future.