If you have questions or need assistance, contact Angel Scott at +202.789.4458.

CODiE Awards Blog


CODiE Education Judges Revealed: Everything You wanted to Know About Education CODiE Judges……But Were Afraid to Ask!

Tue, 10 Sep 2013 21:19

With the CODiE Awards deadline just 10 days away, I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes the awards program so special. In my 12th CODiEs cycle, I’ve come to realize that the educators and members who judge the awards are truly the backbone of this notable program. After all, an award is only as credible as the judges who determine the winner. That’s why I decided to share more about the educators and SIIA members who bring so much influence and integrity to the CODiE Awards as judges.

Who actually judges the products we nominate for the CODiE Awards?
In the first round or judging, your products are reviewed by educators and administrators who work in K-12 or postsecondary education institutions. The ratings from these education leaders will determine the finalists in each category.  The finalist products are then reviewed by representatives from SIIA Education Division member companies.  One person from each company, regardless of size, can vote. For example, one person from Pearson gets to vote, just as one person from Avant Assessment gets to vote.

Why do educators and administrators review our products?
SIIA wants educators–the true experts in the field–to review your products because it gives the judging process high credibility and it gives you, the nominating companies, pertinent and valuable information.  The educators and administrators know the ed tech field, are familiar with competing products, and have first-hand experience using products in the category they are reviewing.

What do we gain from having educational leaders review our products?
You gain the validity of participating in a credible awards program that has an almost 30-year history in education technology. Educators and administrators who review your products not only provide valuable feedback for product revision, but you build relationships with educators who are potential customers.  Their experience makes them great judges of what will work in educational institutions, so when they provide high marks for your product, you can truly say that your product is the best.

How does SIIA find these educators and administrators?
The Education Division staff leverages its relationships with professional associations, educational media, and online communities to find judges that have expertise in each category.  We also take referrals from current and past judges. They can directly reach out to their members or education readers and let them know about the opportunity to judge

How does SIIA select the first round judges who will review our products?
Each applicant fills out an extensive survey that asks about their relevant experience, degrees, and current work in the category they want to judge. The process is quite competitive in the popular categories, as so many educators apply. But with so many applicants, we can select those with the best qualifications to be the judges for your products.

How do they judge the products that we nominate?
SIIA recommends that judges first participate in a live demo with the nominating company, or listen to a pre-recorded demo, then use the product for a time to become come fully acquainted with it.  The judges then go online and fill out a rubric specifically designed for the products in each category.  They will rank the product on a numerical scale within that rubric and are urged to provide comments in the feedback areas.

What to the educators and administrators gain from judging our products?
Judges tell us they enjoy the process and find that it is a learning experience. It gives them a chance to not only see new products, but also to provide feedback to the companies that could prove useful in revising the products.  They consider the judging process to be a contribution to their field.

Learn more about the CODiE Awards judges or nominate before the September 20 deadline (October 4 extended deadline) at www.siia.net/CODiEs.

Karen BillingsKaren Billings is Vice President for the Education Division at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Education Team on Twitter at @SIIAEducation



Tips and Tricks for a Successful Nomination from a Software Judge’s Perspective

Mon, 02 Sep 2013 19:50

Richard Dym is Managing Partner of the BondiGroup and one of the SIIA’s long time respected Software CODiE judges. He has participated in enough CODiE nominee demos to know what separates a good one from a great one. In an effort to give nominees a leg up this year, Richard is offering up some tips and tricks for success from a judge’s perspective.

 

Tip 1: Build your CODiE demonstration with the category description in mind. Be sure to cover all relevant points of your product because judges will be evaluating your product against the category criteria.

Tip 2: If at all possible, host a live demonstration rather than a pre-recorded or un-guided demonstration.

Tip 3: Before beginning your demonstration, review what you are planning with your judge to make sure you are covering their specific requirements.

Tip 4: Use an introductory power point to introduce your company, product, key features, business model, target customer and highlight specific innovations.

Tip 5: During your demonstration, focus on usability as well as functionality.

Tip 6: Be sure to summarize innovations and disruption at the conclusion of the demonstration.

Tip 7: Even if you take questions during your presentation, be sure to leave time at the end for a final wrap up. Remember the “tell them what you told them rule”.

Good luck with your demos, and remember that the early deadline for nominations is this Friday, September 20th! For more information on nominating and demo strategies, email me at ascott@siia.net.

 

 

Angel Scott Angel Scott is Awards Program Coordinator at SIIA. Follow the SIIA CODiE Awards on twitter at @CODiEAwards.



Insider Tips and Tricks from a Content CODiEs Judge.

Mon, 02 Sep 2013 19:49

Barry Graubart, VP, Product Strategy, Connotate Inc. is one of the CODiE Awards’ well respected judges. He has participated in enough CODiE nominee demos to know what separates a good one from a great one.   He shares his insight on what he looks for in nominees as a judge and how to leverage a win!

Before the demo:

Tip 1: Communicate with your assigned judge prior to and if needed, after your presentation. Call or e-mail with confirmations and reach a common understanding about what is to happen and how to contact you if there is a problem.  Try not to leave emails and/or phone calls unanswered.

Tip 2: Check with your judges’ technology and be sure that he/she has the technological ability to see your demonstration.

Tip 3: Right from the start get comfortable with your judge, break the ice and listen to what he/she is like. Visit their LinkedIn profile in advance, to find out what they and their company do. You’ll want to understand how they may be viewing your product.

Tip 4: Set up a live demo. Don’t just give the judge access to your product and assume they’ll figure it out.

Tip 5: Don’t have your 3rd string junior product manager give the demo. Your competition might have their CEO delivering theirs. Who’s going to make a stronger pitch?

During the demo:

Tip 6: Don’t assume that your judge knows your company or your product. Start out the conversation with a brief high-level overview. Ask them to let you know if you’re going too deep or not deeply enough.

Tip 7: Don’t give a “generic” demo. You’d never do that for a real prospect (I hope). Treat the judge like a specific prospect – and set up that scenario with them. Tell them “during this demo, let’s assume that you are a (job function) at a (organization type) and you’re trying to (problem you will solve). Then, throughout the demo, reinforce that – including the value proposition of why this matters and how it will help them in their job.

Tip 8: Be prompt with the time allowed. Give the demo as you might to a top prospect. Don’t click on every menu item. Focus on demonstrating the specific capabilities that will deliver your value in the scenario you’ve laid out for them.

Tip 9: Always thank your judge for his or her time. Remember that the judges volunteer their time for this – and may watch 6-8 product demos. Show appreciation of their efforts.

Good luck with your nominations, and remember that the early deadline is this Friday! For more on nomination strategies, email me at ascott@siia.net.

Angel Scott Angel Scott is Awards Program Coordinator at SIIA. Follow the SIIA CODiE Awards on twitter at @CODiEAwards.



Education CODiE Awards: Tips & Tricks for CODiE Success

Mon, 02 Sep 2013 16:52

Yesterday we hosted a CODiE Awards webinar specifically for education categories. The primary purpose of the webinar was to provide important updates made to the process, including the addition/revision of several categories for a total of 28 education-related categories.

During the webinar we covered:

We were especially pleased to have two guests join us for the webinar: Kathy Sell, Director of Marketing, Atomic Learning a 2013 CODiE Award winner, and Larry Lambert, Online Instructional Support Specialist, Southwestern College District, a esteemed CODiE Awards judge.

Watch the webinar to hear everything that Kathy and Larry had to say, in addition to the information we provided. And remember, nominations for the content categories must be submitted by Friday, September 20, 2013.

Angel Scott Angel Scott is Awards Program Coordinator at SIIA. Follow the SIIA CODiE Awards on twitter at @CODiEAwards.



2014 CODiE Awards: How to Nominate

Tue, 20 Aug 2013 19:48

Nominate for the 2014 CODiEs in 3 Easy Steps

  1. Look at the categories to determine the best fit for your product. You are encouraged to nominate for as many categories that are relevant to your product across the three category sectors. The more products you nominate the more money you save.
  2. Review the timeline and make note of the deadlines.
  3. Then nominate your product(s) today!

Not a member?

The SIIA has many programs that our members take advantage of.  If you are interested in learning more about membership and want to take advantage of our Join & Save offer to receive a complimentary CODiE Awards nomination – let us know and we will be happy to talk to you.

Angel Scott Angel Scott is Awards Program Coordinator at SIIA. Follow the SIIA CODiE Awards on twitter at @CODiEAwards.



Nominations Now Open for the 29th Annual SIIA CODiE Awards

Wed, 07 Aug 2013 14:48

Today SIIA opened nominations for the 2014 SIIA CODiE Awards. The 2014 CODiE Awards feature 28 new and updated categories, reflecting the dramatic changes in technology and business models impacting the software and information industries.

The CODiE Awards have been the premier award for the software and information industries for 28 years. The awards program has three tracks organized by industry focus: Content, Education and Software.

Content: The SIIA Content CODiE Awards showcase the information industry’s finest products, technology and services created by, or for, media, publishers and information services providers.

The Content CODiE Awards will be presented on January 29-30, 2014 during the Content Divisions annual conference for Information Industry leaders, the Information Industry Summit.

Education: The SIIA Education CODiE Awards showcase applications, products and services from developers of educational software, digital content, online learning services, and related technologies across the K-20 sector.

Education winners will be announced in San Francisco on May 12-14, 2014 during the Ed Tech Industry Summit.

Software: The SIIA Software CODiE Awards showcase applications, products and services that are developed by independent software vendors (ISVs) for use in business, government, academic, or other organizational settings.

Software winners will be announced in San Francisco on May 20-22, 2014 during the software industry’s premier ISV conference, Maximize.

For more information about the SIIA CODiE Awards, visit http://www.siia.net/codies.

Angel Scott Angel Scott is Awards Program Coordinator at SIIA. Follow the SIIA CODiE Awards on twitter at @CODiEAwards.



SIIA Announces CODiE Award Winners for Software Industry

Thu, 09 May 2013 22:48

SIIA today announced the 27 winners of the 2013 CODiE Awards in software categories during a special awards presentation, held during the SIIA’s annual All About the Cloud conference.

The CODiE Awards, originally called the Excellence in Software Awards, were established in 1986 by the Software Publishers Association (SPA), now SIIA, so pioneers of the then-nascent software industry could evaluate and honor each other’s work. Since being established in 1986, the CODiE Awards program has recognized more than 1,000 companies for achieving greatness in the software and information industries.

All of the business software nominated products and services were first reviewed by third-party judges, whose evaluations determined 100 finalists. SIIA members then reviewed these finalists and voted to select 27 CODiE Awards Winners. SIIA honored 14 companies in new award categories this year, reflecting industry growth in cloud, mobile, video and other areas. The new Best Big Data Solution category had the most nominations overall.

Here are the winners, listed by category, company, and product/service:

Best Big Data Solution
 - Terapeak 9.0, Terapeak

Best Business Intelligence/Analytics Solution
 - Anzo Pharma Competitive Intelligence Solution, Cambridge Semantics

Best Cloud Infrastructure
 - NetSuite SuiteCloud, NetSuite, Inc.

Best Cloud Management Solution
 - PathView Cloud, AppNeta

Best Cloud Platform as a Service
 - Badgeville, Badgeville

Best Cloud Application Service
 - ClassLink LaunchPad iOS & Touch Apps, ClassLink, Inc.

Best Cloud Storage & Back Up Solution
 - Backblaze Online Backup, Backblaze

Best Collaboration Solution
 - Gust, Gust

Best Commerce Solution
 - Virtual Piggy, Virtual Piggy Inc.

Best Enterprise Mobile Service
 - Mobile Lifecycle Management, Amtel

Best Financial Management Solution
 - NetSuite OneWorld, NetSuite, Inc.

Best Human Capital/Talent Management Solution
 - Fieldglass, Fieldglass, Inc.

Best Integration Solution
 - CloudHub, MuleSoft

Best Marketing Automation Solution
 - Eloqua, Eloqua Corporation

Best Mobile Device Application for Consumers
 - CrowdTorch Mobile Apps, Cvent

Best Mobile Device Application for Enterprises
 - MaaS360, Fiberlink Communications

Best Mobile Development Solution
 - IBM Worklight, IBM Corporation

Best Monetization Solution
 - GoodData, GoodData

Best Open Source Innovation
 - Bonita Open Solution, BonitaSoft

Best Project Management Solution
 - Clarizen, Clarizen

Best Relationship Management Solution
 - Nimble 2.5, Nimble

Best Security Solution
 - NetWrix Change Reporter Suite, NetWrix

Best SEO Solution
 - Conductor Searchlight, Conductor

Best Social Business Solution
 - Marketo Social Marketing, Marketo

Best Supply Chain Management Solution
 - Shipwire, Shipwire

Best Systems Management Solution
 - NetWrix Change Reporter Suite, NetWrix

Best Video Tool
 - Adobe Presenter 8, Adobe Systems, Inc.

For more information about the CODiE Awards, visit http://www.siia.net/codies/2013/

Rhianna Collier is VP for the Software Division at SIIA. Follow the Software team on Twitter at @SIIASoftware.



SIIA Announces CODiE Award Winners for Education Technology Industry

Tue, 07 May 2013 03:24

SIIA presented the 2013 CODiE Awards in education technology tonight during a special awards reception and dinner, held during SIIA’s annual Ed Tech Industry Summit. Overall, 28 winners were recognized for their products and services deployed specifically for the education technology market.

All of the education technology nominated products and services were first reviewed by a group of tech-savvy educators from across the nation, whose evaluations determined 82 finalists. SIIA members then reviewed these finalists and voted to select 28 CODiE Award winners, listed here by category, company, and product/service:

Best Classroom Management Solution Stoneware LanSchool 7.7
Best Corporate Learning/Workforce Development Solution GlobalEnglish GlobalEnglish Product Suite
Best Cross-Curricular Solution SoftChalk LLC SoftChalk Cloud
Best Education Community Solution ConnectYard, Inc. ConnectYard
Best Education Game or Simulation Triad Interactive Media, Inc. PlatinuMath: An Online Formative Assessment Math Game for Preservice Elementary Teachers
Best Education Reference Solution PBS PBS LearningMedia
Best Educational Use of a Mobile Device School Improvement Network PD 360 Mobile
Best Instructional Solution in Other Curriculum Areas Florida Virtual School- Global Services Division Mawi Leadership Course
Best K-12 Course or Learning Management Solution CompassLearning CompassLearning Odyssey
Best K-12 Enterprise Solution Schoology, Inc Schoology
Best Mathematics Instructional Solution DreamBox Learning DreamBox Learning Math
Best PK-12 Personalized Learning Solution DreamBox Learning DreamBox Learning Math
Best Postsecondary Course or Learning Management Solution Pearson OpenClass
Best Postsecondary Enterprise Solution McGraw-Hill Higher Education Group McGraw-Hill Tegrity Campus
Best Postsecondary Learning Solution Atomic Learning Tech Skills Plus Training Package
Best Postsecondary Personalized Learning Solution Cengage Learning MindTap
Best Professional Learning Solution for Education Pearson Pearson Compass Suite
Best Reading/English/ELL Instructional Solution Learning A-Z ReadingA-Z.com
Best Science/Health Instructional Solution Cengage Learning myNGconnect
Best Science/Health Instructional Solution ExploreLearning.com ExploreLearning Gizmos
Best Social Sciences Instructional Solution ABC-CLIO American Government
Best Solution for Special Needs Students Brighter Futures for Beautiful Minds Wonkidos Animated Social Skills
Best Solution for Special Needs Students Learning A-Z Raz-Kids.com
Best Student Assessment Solution Curriculum Associates i-Ready Diagnostic & Instruction
Best Virtual Learning Solution Adaptive Curriculum Adaptive Curriculum

Three top winners were also chosen during the awards ceremony:

Best K-12 Solution PBS PBS LearningMedia
Best Postsecondary Solution Atomic Learning Tech Skills Plus Training Package
Best Education Solution Atomic Learning Tech Skills Plus Training Package

SIIA’s 2013 CODiE Award winners show that innovation and growth is alive in many areas of the educational technology industry. Among these 26 visionary winners, you’ll find the many of the most exciting ed tech products and services out there. I look forward to seeing the impact they have on the PK-12 and postsecondary markets.

For more information about the CODiE Awards, visit http://www.siia.net/codies/2013/

Karen BillingsKaren Billings is Vice President for the Education Division at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Education Team on Twitter at @SIIAEducation



SIIA Announces Education Finalists for 2013 CODiE Awards

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:41

Today SIIA would like to announce the 148 finalists in Education categories for the 2013 SIIA CODiE Awards. These finalists represent applications, products and services from developers of educational software, digital content, online learning services, and related technologies across the K-20 sector.

This year’s program features 23 Education categories, several of which are new or updated to reflect the latest industry trends and business models. New this year, Best Personalized Learning Solution was the program’s most popular category. Due to its popularity, the category was split into Best PK-12 Personalized Learning Solution and Best Postsecondary Personalized Learning Solution.

Winners will be announced during a special awards dinner at the nation’s leading education technology conference, the Ed Tech Industry Summit, in San Francisco on May 6.

The SIIA CODiE Awards are the industry’s only peer-reviewed awards program. Educators and administrators conduct the first-round review of all education nominees. The judges are responsible for selecting the CODiE Awards finalists, and SIIA members then vote on the finalist products. The scores from both rounds are tabulated to select the winners.

Details about each finalist are listed at http://siia.net/codies/2013/finalists.asp. For more information on the Ed Tech Industry Summit, attending the CODiE Awards dinner, and to see a full schedule of events, visit http://www.siia.net/etis.

2013 CODiE Awards Education Finalists

Best Classroom Management Solution

Best Corporate Learning/Workforce Development Solution

Best Cross-Curricular Solution

Best Education Community Solution

Best Education Game or Simulation

Best Education Reference Solution

Best Educational Use of a Mobile Device

Best Instructional Solution in Other Curriculum Areas

Best K-12 Course or Learning Management Solution

Best K-12 Enterprise Solution

Best Mathematics Instructional Solution

Best PK-12 Personalized Learning Solution

Best Postsecondary Course or Learning Management Solution

Best Postsecondary Enterprise Solution

Best Postsecondary Learning Solution

Best Postsecondary Personalized Learning Solution

Best Professional Learning Solution for Education

Best Reading/English/ELL Instructional Solution

Best Science/Health Instructional Solution

Best Social Sciences Instructional Solution

Best Solution for Special Needs Students

Best Student Assessment Solution

Best Virtual Learning Solution

Karen BillingsKaren Billings is Vice President for the Education Division at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Education Team on Twitter at @SIIAEducation



SIIA Announces Software Finalists for 2013 CODiE Awards

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:35

Today SIIA announced the 127 finalists for the 2013 SIIA CODiE Awards in Software Business categories. These finalists recognize applications, products, and services, which deliver solutions for use by business, government, consumers, academic, or other organizations.

This year there were 27 Software categories, including twelve new and updated categories that reflect the continued growth and evolution of cloud computing, mobile, big data, and video. Highlights include Best Cloud Platform as a Service Solution, Best Big Data Solution, Best Mobile Device Application for Consumers, Best Mobile Device Application for Enterprise, and Best Video Tool.

Winners will be announced during a special Awards luncheon on May 9 in San Francisco during the industry’s most comprehensive ISV conference, All About the Cloud.

The SIIA CODiE Awards are the industry’s only peer-reviewed awards program. The first round review of all nominees include industry executives and analysts, representatives of media outlets, bloggers, and investors. The judges are responsible for selecting the CODiE Awards finalists. SIIA members then vote on the finalist products and the scores from both rounds are tabulated to select the winners.

Details about each finalist are listed at http://siia.net/codies/2013/finalists.asp

2013 CODiE Awards Software Finalists

Best Big Data Solution

Best Business Intelligence/Analytics Solution

Best Cloud Application Service

Best Cloud Infrastructure

Best Cloud Management Solution

Best Cloud Platform as a Service

Best Cloud Storage & Back Up Solution

Best Collaboration Solution

Best Commerce Solution

Best Enterprise Mobile Service

Best Financial Management Solution

Best Human Capital/Talent Management Solution

Best Integration Solution

Best Marketing Automation Solution

Best Mobile Development Solution

Best Mobile Device Application for Consumers

Best Mobile Device Application for Enterprises

Best Monetization Solution

Best Open Source Innovation

Best Project Management Solution

Best Relationship Management Solution

Best Security Solution

Best SEO Solution

Best Social Business Solution

Best Supply Chain Management Solution

Best Systems Management Solution

Best Video Tool

For more information on All About the Cloud, attending the CODiE Awards luncheon, and to see a full schedule of events, visit http://www.siia.net/aatc

Rhianna Collier is VP for the Software Division at SIIA. Follow the Software team on Twitter at @SIIASoftware.