The FlowUI Open Source RIA Enterprise Mashup Framework is an open source software development framework for building Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) that can integrate or “mashup” data and services from multiple sources, both from within an enterprise and from external service providers. Implemented using Adobe Flex, FlowUI handles all the low-level user interface details to simplify the creation of clean, easy-to-use enterprise applications that can run in a browser across all the major deployment platforms including Windows, Macintosh, and Linux.

Benefits

Enterprise

• Estimated savings of 50% of the time and cost that would otherwise be spent on UI development. The time and cost for UI development typically represents around 50% of the total time and cost to implement an application.
• Reduced time and cost for QA and testing through the use of a production-proven open source application framework.
• Improved code maintainability from a highly modular, standardized coding methodology.
• Customizable look-and-feel and processing.
• Transparent integration of data and services from multiple sources, both internal and external to the enterprise.
• Reduced training time from a consistent, easy-to-use interface throughout all enterprise applications.

Service Provider

• All of the enterprise benefits.
• Users are able to customize the application without having to burden the service platform with complicated platform-based customization functionality.
• Increased customer base potential since separating the user interface and the backend services makes it easier to combine and integrate the services and retarget them into new markets.
• Applications can be used both on-line as well as off-line by leveraging Adobe AIR.

User

• Data and services from multiple sources are presented in an integrated, user-centric manner rather than by multiple different interfaces.
• Improved rich user experience.