Cutting-Edge Search and Research Tool
"The key advantage to Grokker is that it provides federated access to all of the College of Engineering's content," said R.J. Pittman, president and CEO of Groxis (and a 1991 graduate of the U-M College of Engineering). "Tying together disparate content and site elements makes for a richer user experience, and the visual presentation makes it easier for users to explore, save and share results. "

The College of Engineering site includes news, events, class schedules, curriculum information and recruiting tools for the College, its eleven academic departments and numerous programs.

"Our students expect and deserve the latest tools in technology," said Anthony England, associate dean for academic affairs at U-M CoE. "We believe the Grokker search platform is a valuable resource for students seeking a different way to gather and organize information from the CoE website."

The site also houses College of Engineering and departmental publications, a major resource for both student and faculty researchers. Grokker adds value to the collection of research publications by giving researchers federated access to all the materials and by presenting query results in topically organized maps that provide deeper insight into the relationships among the research materials. Grokker maps can be edited, saved and shared via email, making it easy for students to return to the same set of research results and to work collaboratively.

Discovery Tool for Prospective Students
The College of Engineering can also use Grokker to gain a recruiting edge by giving prospective students access to the search visualization tool, and by emailing pre-built informational Grokker maps to prospects. Emailed Grokker maps can be opened with any web browser, so Michigan students and prospective students can share information about the University using any email application, an important viral marketing feature.

"Grokker maps are a unique information currency that can expose valuable information to students," said Pittman. "The more they can discover about the College of Engineering during those first few visits, the more likely they are to complete the application process."

"Our website is usually the first point of contact for prospective students and having a search tool like Grokker sets a tone for innovation that we believe will be extremely appealing to top-tier students," said Sharon Burch, director of recruitment and admissions for U-M CoE. "We attract some of the best students in the world. These students have many options and featuring Grokker helps us stand out with a population that is not only academically competitive but technically savvy."

Technology Designed for Fast Integration, Seamless User Experience
Grokker's visual search application is fully integrated into the College of Engineering website and does not require visitors to download any special software. The tool provides federated search across every College of Engineering department and enables visitors to explore every aspect of their search topic.

"A main objective in our technical development has been to create a product that is quickly and seamlessly integrated into client sites. In fact, we measure turnaround time for launching and expanding Grokker into client sites in weeks, not months," said Pittman. "Our flexible information architecture and modular design allow our clients to quickly understand the value and the possibilities that Grokker presents. They often start with a relatively vertical application as the College of Engineering has done, and then rapidly expand."

About Groxis
Groxis is a pioneer in visual search technology and the creator of the patented Graphical Information Interface (GII). Groxis develops and markets a web–based visual search platform based on the GII called Grokker(TM). Corporations, universities, and institutions are using Grokker to improve the way people explore, organize, and share digital information. Grokker ties together library catalogs, corporate databases, subscription content, and search engines in a visual user interface that yields increased productivity through more efficient research and collaboration. A privately held company backed by leading venture investors, Groxis is based in San Francisco's financial district. For more information, please visit http://www.grokker.com.