Enterprise Integration Group Joins Microsoft Speech Partner Program

REDMOND, WA - Enterprise Integration Group Inc. (EIG) announced its entry into the Microsoft Speech Partner Program. EIG will participate in various activities including technical beta programs, architecture reviews, and product requirement definitions for future versions of the Microsoft Speech Server. A focus on human factors design and best practices will be offered by EIG in its ongoing development and consulting efforts supporting the new platform.

"We are enthusiastic about taking advantage of EIG's best practices and human factors expertise," says James Mastan, director of marketing for the Speech Technologies group at Microsoft Corp. "EIG's attention to the user and the psychology of the human interface adds an important element to the overall success of the Microsoft Speech Server rollout."

As part of this arrangement, EIG will be providing human factors design and best practices training services for both Microsoft Speech Technologies Partners and the general public. A five-day course entitled: "Microsoft Speech Applications: Planning, VUI Design, and Maintenance" will be offered. Attendees of the course will include Microsoft Speech Server Solution Providers, ASP.NET and Speech Application Language Tags (SALT)-based speech technology developers. The course covers the critical issues of planning, development and implementation disciplines including instructional modules and lab work on creating effective dialogues, scripting and error recovery. The essential aspects of human factors engineering and best practices are included to help promote stable and robust speech platform development. The five-day course is first being offered on August 4 through 8, 2003 at the Las Vegas Hilton in Las Vegas, Nev. Training in other selected cities will commence in September 2003.

"EIG is proud to add Microsoft Speech Applications training to its roster knowledge transfer services," says Rex Stringham, CEO of EIG International. "We have trained over 1,000 Fortune 500 technology and service professionals on human factors and best practices in speech and IVR. Now, developers of Microsoft speech technology offerings will be able to produce more stable and viable solutions as a result."