Siebel Interactive Designer Administration Guide > Building Interactive Designer Applications >

Applications Built with Interactive Designer

Interactive Designer allows you to build two different types of application:

• Siebel Advisor
• Browser-Based Configurator

Siebel Advisor

Use the Advisor application to involve customers in an interactive dialogue to understand their needs and recommend appropriate solutions as an initial point in the buying process. Siebel Advisor allows customers to base their decision on their needs, without extensive product knowledge.

The Advisor applications open from a link in another application. For example, a sales application in which a user can configure and purchase a car might include a Need Help? link. When the user clicks Need Help?, the Advisor application opens, displaying a list of questions. For example, if a customer is shopping for a car, Advisor might present the following questions:

• What will be the maximum number of passengers in your car?
• What are your storage needs?
• What are your priority considerations (safety, fuel, economy, transmission)?

Based on the user's answers, a product or solution appears that can be added to a Siebel quote or shopping cart, or further configured in Configurator. To allow the user to further refine their configuration, an Advisor session is often integrated with an Configurator application (either browser-based or server-based). The Advisor application collects the user's requirements to provide a possible solution. A link to the Configurator application is provided so the user can further configure that solution.

The Advisor links are provided in Siebel eCatalog, shopping cart, and quote applications.

For information on creating an Advisor application, see Process of Creating an Advisor Application.

Browser-Based Configurator

The Configurator application allows users to configure a product or solution. Users can move back and forth between selection criteria, changing original selections to reach a desirable solution.

The Configurator application also acts as a virtual sales consultant. For example, if a user selects a particular product, Configurator can recommend a better product for their needs or a product accessory. If a user configures a product, the Configurator application can verify that the selection resulted in a valid product.

In addition to the browser-based deployment described in this guide, a server-based deployment of Configurator is offered. See Siebel Configurator Deployment Methods to determine which Configurator best fits your needs.

For information on creating an Configurator application, see Process of Creating a Browser-Based Configurator Application.