KMWorld's 100 Companies That Matter in Knowledge Management

Each year we get a chance to recognize the companies we believe best exemplify the ideals of true knowledge management--the ones whose products and services continue to fundamentally transform the way organizations operate. As I outlined on page 1 of our previous issue, we assemble an informal committee to keep their eyes on companies that show promise for inclusion. We chat and e-mail, all the while sharing the success stories we hear about. And beginning in December, we start honing our list down from more than 1,000 to 100.

Everyone involved in the process has his or her prejudices, of course, but we set those aside (for the most part) and assemble what you see here--100 companies whose products and services best meet the needs of our readership. I'm sure not all of you are familiar with each company, but I'd wager you're knowledgeable about a good majority of them. And I promise that each of you can find a solution to critical business problems through the products and services of at least one of these companies.

I've described in the past the criteria behind the selection process, so there's no need to plow that ground again. I will say, though, that one quality unites each of the companies here: They listen to their customers. Long gone are the days of developing elegant software in a vacuum and expecting the world to beat a path to the door. Decision makers and users are far more savvy than even a year ago, and these companies honestly realize that without their customers they would be nothing.

The process for assembling next year's list has already begun, and we welcome input from you, our customers.

Access Innovations

Adobe

Altova

Anacubis

Appian Corporation

Arbortext

Astoria Software

ATG/Primus

Atomz

Attensity Corporation

Autonomy

AXS-One

Bottomline/Create!form

Butterworth-Heinemann

Captiva

ClearForest

ClearStory Systems

Connotate

Convera

Copernic Technologies/Coveo

Cymfony

Day Software

DST Technologies

EasyAsk

Ektron

EMC/Documentum/LEGATO

empolis

Endeca

Entopia

Entrieva

ePeople

Exact Software

Factiva

Fast Search & Transfer

FileNet

First Consulting Group

GEAC

Global 360

Google

Hummingbird

Hyperwave

IBM/Lotus

Infodata

Innodata Isogen

InSystems Technologies

Integrify

Intelligenxia

Intelliseek

Intellisophic

Interwoven

Inxight Software, Inc.

iPhrase

ISYS Search Software

IxiaSoft

KANA Software

Knova (formerly Kanisa/ServiceWare)

KnowNow

Kofax

LexisNexis

Liberty IMS

Mark Logic

MDY Advanced Technologies

Metastorm

Mobius

Mondosoft

Morphix

New Idea Engineering

Nexidia

Noetix Corporation

Northern Light

nStein

Open Text Corp

Oracle/PeopleSoft

Pegasystems

Percussion Software

Plumtree

Recommind, Inc

RedDot Solutions Corp

Sane Solutions

SAS

Semagix

SER Solutions, Inc.

SiteScape, Inc.

Sopheon

Stellent

SupportSoft

Tacit

Teragram

Thomson Elite (West)

TIBCO

Tower Software

Traction Software

Oracle/Triplehop,Inc

Ultimus

Valeo Intellectual Property

Verity, Inc.

Vignette

Vivisimo

YourAmigo

Zylab

Consultants, analysts and integrators that make a difference:

Accenture

Basex

Bearing Point

CSC

Delphi Group

Doculabs

Forrester Research/GIGA

Fujitsu Consulting

Gartner/MetaGroup

IBM Global Services

IDC

Ovum

Perot Systems

PricewaterhouseCoopers

The 451 Group

ZenSar

View from the Top

We urge you to spend some time on the Web sites of this year's list of 100 Companies That Matter in Knowledge Management. And, in our special View From the Top section, you can read the stories of many of the companies listed. There, CEOs and other top officials talk about how their solutions help customers achieve their business goals.