The document discusses a new release of talent acquisition software from MrTed that aims to provide a truly personalized user experience. It does this by combining cloud computing, independent graphical user interfaces, modular applications, and an in-depth understanding of recruitment needs. Key features include allowing users to customize their workspace and navigation menus, access portable task-specific apps, and connect the system to other tools through plug-and-play integration. The goal is to make enterprise talent software more user-oriented and configurable compared to previous rigid systems.

1. A Truly Personalized User
Experience for Enterprise-Level
Talent Acq uisition Software
Cloud Computing, a World of Apps and an
Independent GUI Combine to
Give Users Total Freedom

2. Introduction
To date, enterprise-level talent acquisition solutions have not been user-oriented, nor have they offered
features and functionality that would allow users to truly personalize their individual experience and
workflow to meet their needs and style.
This has been the case primarily because enterprise-level talent acquisition solutions have failed to
leverage the combination of key technological advances on the one hand with a keen sensitivity to the
user’s real-life needs on the other. Enterprise-level talent acquisition solutions have failed to combine the
following:
• The technological advantages of enterprise cloud computing, open architecture application
functionality and an independent graphical user interface layer.
• Ground-level, successful experience and awareness in recruitment and talent management
acquisition.
A talent acquisition solution like the newest release of MrTedTalentLink, the Cloud 9 release, exemplifies
how combining these computer architecture features with a user-oriented approach to the software
application’s design can result in a user experience that is authentically personalized by and for each user,
with:
1. An independent GUI layer
2. Role- and user-specific workspace orientation for increased productivity
3. Intuitive, dynamic menu interface
4. Portable application-based system; library of application modules
5. Plug and play connectivity
6. A wealth of experience in recruitment and talent management acquisition.
The Current State of Affairs
Talent acquisition solutions have offered only restricted ways for a user to achieve a consumer-friendly,
user-based experience. The result has been that enterprise talent acquisition solutions have ultimately
created on- demand software for the vendor or the end user’s organization at best, rather than creating
user-friendly, on-demand software for the user.
Systems to date have failed to leverage the power of
enterprise cloud computing.
In brief, cloud computing is any subscription-based or pay-per-use service that, in real time and over
the Internet, extends IT’s existing capabilities.1 It relies on a Web application that either (1) provides
a service that you access from your computer, without having that service’s software loaded onto your
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3. computer’s hard drive (or onto your organization’s network infrastructure), or that (2) stores data that is
not in your computer’s memory that you can retrieve and use in some application or another.
Unfortunately, most talent acquisition solutions that rely on enterprise cloud computing have been
hamstrung by failing to take advantage of a powerful
technological opportunity. They have kept dependent on
each other a system’s data layer (which obtains data from
various sources), business logic layer (which processes
that data), and graphical user interface, or GUI, layer
(which presents the data to the user in the workspace).
In most systems, these layers are still tied together
by the design of the system. This seriously limits how
user friendly the program can be because of its lack
of integration among data sources: what you see from the vendor is what you get. Similarly, because
configurability of data is difficult or completely lacking, the user’s workspace is almost completely
controlled by the vendor’s design, from reports to applications to presentation on the screen.
These systems have failed to leverage the power of
portable, task-specific applications that cloud computing
offers.
An application module (app) is a program that deploys an independent software application or
functionality. Cloud computing – and particularly open architecture – can allow apps to be designed by
both internal and external developers and be made available to end users for various functionalities.
A major vision for open architecture computing within enterprise cloud computing is encouraging third-
party developers who have a strong understanding of the certain needs of a user or user community to
design application modules that can specifically address that need. End users are no longer dependent on
the system vendor to determine what applications are available for use of the system.
As with the presentation experience to date, this degree of user-based personalization and configurability
has been hampered by the classic dependence of the database, business logic and presentation layers,
compounded by the development logic behind the design to base the user experience on the role and
organization charts (rather than on the actions of an individual user).
1
InfoWorld. http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/what-cloud-computing-really-means-031. Last accessed Aug. 13, 2009.
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4. Most enterprise-level talent acquisition systems are
behind the curve in making enterprise-level talent
acquisition solutions consumer friendly.
As many as 80 percent of all companies today have a talent acquisition system, and most of those
companies are displeased with their systems, recent studies confirm. In general, the displeasure stems
from a poor experience with the system, process inefficiencies or a lack of configurability and usability. All
of which boils down to lack of a user-friendly experience.
Programming and design limitations, even among many Software-as-a-Service talent acquisition solutions,
restrict the way users can manipulate and view their data, quite simply because the presentation layer –
the GUI – is dependent on the business logic layer and the database layer of the architecture.
They have offered rigid functionality and workflow
driven by the concepts of the vendor, without allowing
for configurability and functionality based on the
needs and processes of the user.
The inability of a talent management system to adapt to the workflow of its users is one of the reasons
cited most often for a systems lack of user acceptance. Too often, a system only offers end users
a prescribed regimen of processes and procedures. Even when a system is designed with the user
experience in mind, the processes have classically been driven only by role and organization charts, not
by the user’s actual actions.
Until now, in enterprise cloud computing talent acquisition solutions, data could not be independently
stored at sites or systems that the user chooses. Or, if the data can be stored independently, the way it
can be used by the HR or recruitment professional is dependent on the talent acquisition’s business logic.
The business logic layer – the actual processes that turns the data into usable information – is meanwhile
dependent on which databases the solution provides access to. The two are developed and designed to
rely on each other and to work dependently on each other.
A Consumer-Friendly, Enterprise-Level User Experience:
MrTedTalentLink, Cloud 9 Release
MrTedTalentLink, Cloud 9 release, exemplifies how an enterprise-level talent acquisition solution
can be authentically user friendly by combining the potential of enterprise cloud computing and
open architecture with a keen understanding of the entire talent management acquisition process.
MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9 release puts much more of the configurability of the user experience directly in
the hands of the user.
Bersin & Associates, in a September 2009 assessment of the state of the talent acquisition market, said
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5. MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9 “brings the next generation Talent Acquisition Solution towards the market, (as
it) will fully embrace the cloud computing technology and enhance its partnerships.”
An independent GUI layer
An independent GUI layer, as offered with MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9 release, presents the next generation
of super-easy usability and total flexibility for both the end user and a system’s IT support.
“With today’s technology, the parts of the talent management solution’s architecture that receives and
processes the data – the work behind the scenes, so to speak – can be totally separated from how that
data is presented to and managed by the user,” said Jerome Ternynck, Chief Executive Officer with MrTed
Ltd. “That means the world is wide open for allowing the end user to manipulate the data, view it with
apps that they choose and using drag-and-drop functionality, and tapping into similar presentation-level
features.”
For example, a user can access the data through their iGoogle portal, through their SAP HR portal, their
talent management portal … it doesn’t matter.
With a dynamic GUI, individual users can truly customize
their workspace for a completely personalized experience. A
truly customized workspace lets users configure what they
see on the monitor by selecting their favorite application
modules (apps, explained below), arranging them on
the screen, and even personalizing the navigation. The
navigation is easy to follow and manage with drag-and-drop
functionality, making the user’s life easier.
This creates a unique creation of the user interface; a user can display only the data and functionality
that are relevant to their tasks and optimize the space to fit their work style.
Role- and user-specific workspace orientation for
increased productivity
MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9 in essence allows each user to determine what components and processes fit
their needs and workflow, and then use that specific software. This type of system defines Features on
Demand.
The combination of service-oriented architecture (SOA) and open architecture can be truly leveraged for
the most efficient and expedient end-user experience when the user has the option of deciding how the
information from the database and business logic layers are presented, or how they are “rendered” on
the monitor. MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9 brings consumer personalization to SOA and open architecture.
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6. It has a dynamic graphical user interface that is state of the art, including what is called dynamic
navigation.
As a result, this talent acquisition solution reinvents enterprise software to cater to each user’s individual
role, workflow and work style.
Intuitive, dynamic menu
interface
MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9 reinvents enterprise software to
cater to each user’s individual role, workflow and work
style by fully leveraging the potential of the independent
GUI layer and being designed with a state-of-the-art,
personalized workspace with dynamic navigation menus.
MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9, for example, offers single-page
navigation. It brings all of the data and functionalities
relevant to the user to the screen complete with dynamic overlay functionality. As many as 80% of the
end user’s tasks can be presented or accessible on a single page on their monitor.
The combination of its approach to making everything for the user configurable, and applying true cloud
computing and modular applications, comes together in an intuitive user interface, putting the features
and data the user most often needs just a click away.
Specific benefits to the user include:
• Personalized workspace
The user can freely configure their own workspace by selecting their favorite application
modules, arranging them on the screen, and even personalizing their navigation experience
(via the dynamic navigation menu, explained below), whether they are MrTed apps or external
apps, including their own featured library of applications.
• Interactive Workspace, Dynamic Navigation Menu
MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9 introduces a new paradigm in dynamic interactivity for the HR and
recruitment field. The user interface actually adapts to individual use patterns. Applications
and other features can be resized, dragged, dropped – even layered – for an engaging user
experience, even while accessing large amounts of data.
Through the design of Smart Menus, the MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9 interface adapts to each user’s
navigation patterns with Smart Menus. User-specific dynamic navigation menus slide in and
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7. out from the side of the screen – the menus and tasks most often used are easily and readily
accessible.
• Smooth, with Overlay Functionality
The interface supports asynchronous data retrieval. For example, in the background, behind
every candidate’s name, a complete candidate record is pre-loaded, allowing instant retrieval of
information and possible actions – without sending a request to the database.
This technology design makes everything for the user one click away, operating more like a
simple “Start” navigation menu rather than the more traditional path/module-based navigation
that requires a user to follow a link or a path.
Making MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9 even more user-friendly is the incorporation of overlay
functionality, which presents the user with this retrieved data from “behind” or “below” the first
layer of data on the screen as the user’s mouse is rolled over the screen. The user can click on
URL links within the overlay to drill down deeper and access data in layers within the overlay.
Portable application-based system; library of application
modules
MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9 leverages the potential of open architecture and applications by presenting
business processes to the user as portable application modules, offering a world of applications that the
user is free to use or not. Based on a user’s role in their organization, these applications can be turned
on, turned off, or rearranged at the pleasure of the user to create a truly personalized experience. Each
task or group of tasks has a modular application, giving users specific functionality for their specific uses.
Each user builds his or her package of features based on the relevance of those features to them.
Just like the benefits derived from a role- and user-specific workspace and an independent GUI layer, a
system like MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9 that is app-based can give the end user greater power and flexibility
to configure their experience as best serves them. Cloud 9 includes apps for all major business processes.
MrTed doesn’t hide these powerful, task-specific applications somewhere inside the system for users to
track down if they want to use them. Enabled by its open architecture approach to cloud computing,
independent presentation layer, and intention to create a truly user-friendly experience, MrTedTalentLink
Cloud 9 is able to package business processes as apps and present them as portable application modules.
The intention and ability to manifest in a consumer-based, user-friendly way the features and possibilities
of both service-oriented architecture and open architecture lies at the heart of MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9
and is what takes it into a new level of cloud computing:
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8. 1. Talent Hub
2. Initial apps/unlimited potential for apps
3. Portable applications
4. External applications
Plug and play connectivity
Plug and play connectivity has the same meaning in the world of enterprising cloud computing and system
architecture as it does for nearly everything else in
consumer electronics or computer software: The end
user or business organization can take the product out
of the box (or download the program from the Web, or
upload it from a disk) and immediately begin using the
hardware (or the software program) without buying or
needing any additional parts (or programs or software).
MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9 is designed as an enterprise
solution with plug and play connectivity to leverage
the full power of its Web-based functionality, service-
oriented architecture and open architecture, and
independent database, business logic and presentation layers. In fact, it is the very independence of
the layers and the open architecture that enables a user to plug in MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9 easily and
be quickly connected with talent management suites, HRMS, performance management applications,
compensation solutions, ERP, job posting software and more, further enhancing the user-friendly
experience.
A wealth of experience in recruitment and talent
management acquisition
Founded in 1999, MrTed is a leading provider of on-demand talent acquisition solutions designed to
help companies of all sizes optimize the process of acquiring local talent on a global scale. Architected
as a SaaS company from its inception, MrTed pioneered enterprise talent acquisition solutions and soon
became the leading solution provider outside of North America.
The user-friendliness of MrTedTalentLink Cloud 9 is the direct result of bringing this experience in on-
demand talent acquisition solutions to the potential of enterprise cloud computing.
Conclusion
Until now, enterprise-level talent acquisition solutions have not offered a truly user-based, consumer-
oriented and user-friendly customer experience.
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9. Enterprise-level talent acquisition solutions have failed to leverage the potential of enterprise cloud
computing, open architecture application functionality and an independent graphical user interface
layer when all of that is combined with a wealth of experience in recruitment and talent management
acquisition.
MrTedTalentLink, the Cloud 9 release, exemplifies how combining these computer architecture features
with a user-oriented approach to the software application’s design can create a user experience that is
authentically personalized by and for each user.
A talent acquisition solution like the newest release of MrTedTalentLink, the Cloud 9 release, exemplifies
how combining these computer architecture features with a user-oriented approach to the software
application’s design can result in a user experience that is authentically personalized by and for each user,
with an independent GUI layer; role- and user-specific workspace orientation for increased productivity;
an intuitive, dynamic menu interface; a portable application-based system; a library of application
module; plug and play connectivity, and a wealth of experience in recruitment and talent management
acquisition.
About MrTed
MrTed is a leading provider of on-demand talent acquisition solutions designed to help companies of all sizes
optimize the process of acquiring local talent on a global scale. Through innovation, passion and focus, MrTed
provides the world’s most effective recruitment solutions, ranging from MrTedTalentLink, an enterprise-class
global talent acquisition solution, to SmartRecruiters, a free and easy applicant tracking system. MrTed was
founded in London in 1999 and supports over 1,500 clients in more than 100 countries to find and acquire the
most coveted talent in the world.
To learn more about MrTed and SmartRecruiters, please visit,
www.mrted.com | www.smartrecruiters.com
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