The Hive Group Introduces Honeycomb 4 for Visually Analyzing Thousands of Rows of Data in Minutes

Treemapping Software Connects the Dots Between Insight and Action for Sun Microsystems and the US Marine Corps

SAN MATEO, Calif., Oct. 9, 2003 -- The Hive Group, a leading provider of visual analysis software for enterprise asset management (EAM), today announced that its Honeycomb(R) 4 software suite will allow customers to visually analyze and draw insight from thousands of data records in minutes. Honeycomb accomplishes this using a unique process called treemapping to transform any large quantitative data set -- from spreadsheets to business intelligence reports to database records and the like -- into a single, interactive digital map. Honeycomb contains all the tools needed to rapidly create, deploy, and maintain treemaps.

A technique originally developed in 1991 by University of Maryland professor Dr. Ben Shneiderman -- a long-time advisor to The Hive Group -- treemaps are a space-filling visualization method of representing large collections of quantitative data, achieving this by collapsing a hierarchy into color-coded rectangles on a computer screen. The location, size, and color of each rectangle represent attributes of the data being viewed. Selecting a rectangle provides details.

The Hive Group has perfected the process of using treemaps for visual data analysis, codified it in software, and added a sophisticated workflow engine to produce Honeycomb. Version 4 adds simple-to-use wizards that make it possible to connect treemaps to data sources quickly. Version 4 also joins support for BEA application servers and Oracle data storage technology with existing support for the SunONE architecture. For clients with limited budgets and smaller enterprise infrastructures but substantial data processing needs, Honeycomb is designed to work with open source software such as Linux operating systems, the JBoss application server, and the Hypersonic SQL relational database. And for clients that want total control over the code used to develop treemaps Honeycomb includes a sophisticated HTML software development kit in the Honeycomb suite.

For an increasing number of clients including Sun Microsystems and the US Marine Corps, treemapping with Honeycomb is powering enterprise asset management, allowing these organizations to instantly view status and take action in the process of acquiring and allocating the resources needed to manufacture and distribute their products or execute missions.

For example, Honeycomb 4 customer Sun Microsystems has an EAM strategy that uses Honeycomb to power a corrective action system for tracking internal and customer-related product quality issues.

For the US Marines, using Honeycomb provides the visual analysis engine for the Corps' MERIT logistics system. MERIT (Marine Corps Equipment Readiness Information Tool) tracks detailed supply and maintenance information for more than 185 weapons systems and is in use in all theaters of Marine Corps operations. According to Michael Williamson, the Marine Corps Director of Readiness and Analysis, MERIT uses Honeycomb to place "sunshine on readiness problems."

"The growth of corporate data is rapidly outpacing the current set of tools and techniques available to make sense of it," said Tony Jewitt, CEO of The Hive Group. "Honeycomb complements but goes beyond traditional data analysis methods by giving users the power to monitor business performance deeply, broadly, and daily and take corrective action at the point of insight. Unlike other reporting tools, Honeycomb connects the dots between insight and action."

About The Hive Group

The Hive Group develops visual data analysis software for manufacturing, logistics, and financial services organizations. Industry leaders including Merck, Sun Microsystems, and the United States Marine Corps use The Hive Group's solutions for performance and asset management in key business areas including purchasing, distribution, sales and customer service.

The company is privately held with headquarters in San Mateo, California. The Hive Group can be reached at (650) 349-9980 and http://www.hivegroup.com .

Honeycomb is a registered trademark of The Hive Group, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE The Hive Group

Web Site: http://www.hivegroup.com