Summariser for Widget Analytics & Generic Graphing with Extensive Reporting

Widgets were a lightweight form of web application. They were easy to develop and deploy, and ISPs were keen to offer them as an alternative to mobile applications where much of the revenue went to the App Store owners. To ensure that revenue was accounted for, and could therefore be shared with the relevant stakeholders, it was necessary to capture the web analytics and to provide a means of reporting that was scalable and fit for purpose. The FeedHenry project offered a widget development and deployment platform, and SWAGGER was an associated commercial research project to develop a prototype reporting system that integrated well with that platform.

When Apple and Google offered mobile applications, they introduced a new business model that redirected revenue away from the telecom providers (like eircom and vodafone) and internet service providers, and into the hands of Apple and Google because they controlled the distribution of such apps. In response, the existing players pushed small, lightweight web applications called widgets, a bit like an app but not tied to the phone or similar device. The FeedHenry project developed a widget development and deployment platform. SWAGGER developed a means of measuring and reporting on measures like widget views and visitor counts, which could be used to allocate the revenue generated by the widget in a more equitable way between the various stakeholders.

SWAGGER was considered one of the selling points of the FeedHenry widget platform. However, after SWAGGER spun out with FeedHenry, it was no longer needed after the business pivoted away from widgets, especially when FeedHenry was acquired by Red Hat.