CRM Interface

In 2007, OneShield worked with PixelMEDIA to design and implement a next generation user interface. The year before, the insurance CRM provider added significant enhancements to its user interface including AJAX capabilities for transaction processing. AJAX is a web-based technology that provides high performance data streaming between a web page and back-end server resources. The firm created an AJAX framework that allows page fields to be hooked up to a high-performance, rule processing engine. Fields on a page could be associated with an AJAX transaction thus allowing a quick, high-performance call to the backend, without the performance cost of posting the entire page, for updating the associated fields. For the user interface initiative, OneShield and PixelMEDIA collaborated to complete an intuitive, streamlined interface and jointly implemented the new design. Beyond making the OneShield system more visually appealing, the project goals included improving the intuitiveness, navigation, flexibility, and scalability of the user interface.

Components and features of Ajax

Ajax, which stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is a set of web development techniques used for creating interactive web applications. The key idea behind Ajax is to make web pages more responsive and fast by exchanging small amounts of data with the server behind the scenes so that the entire web page does not need to be reloaded each time the user makes a change. This leads to a better, smoother user experience.

Here are the key components and features of Ajax:

1. Asynchronous Communication: This is the fundamental feature of Ajax. It allows the browser to send and retrieve data from a server asynchronously (in the background), without interfering with the display and behavior of the existing page.
2. JavaScript: Ajax uses JavaScript to handle the data received from the server and to manipulate the HTML DOM (Document Object Model). JavaScript is also used to send requests to the server using the XMLHttpRequest object.
3. XMLHttpRequest Object: This is a key component of Ajax. It is used to exchange data with a server behind the scenes. It can send and receive data as XML, JSON, or plain text.
4. Data Formats: While Ajax stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, it can handle a variety of data formats, not just XML. This includes JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), HTML, or plain text. JSON, in particular, is widely used due to its ease of use and compatibility with JavaScript.
5. HTML and CSS: Ajax interacts with HTML to display and manipulate the data received from the server. CSS is used to style the HTML elements.
6. Server-Side Scripting: While the Ajax techniques run on the client-side (in the user's browser), there is always a server-side component to an Ajax application. This could be written in any server-side language like PHP, .NET, Java, or others. This server-side script is responsible for processing the Ajax request, performing the necessary actions (like reading from a database), and sending the response back to the client.
7. Partial Page Updates: One of the primary benefits of Ajax is its ability to update parts of a web page without needing to reload the entire page. This can make applications faster and more responsive.

Ajax has become an essential part of the modern web, enabling the creation of rich, interactive web applications like Google Maps and Gmail. Despite its name, it's not a single technology but a combination of technologies each playing a role in the overall Ajax model.