"Business-to-Business Supporting" award for element14

Premier Farnell, global electronics distributor and parent company of element14, the first collaborative community and electronics store for design engineers and electronics enthusiasts, was recognised by Forrester Research Inc's Forrester Groundswell Awards in the category of "Business-to-Business Supporting" for its element14 Community at the eBusiness Forum in Chicago today. The award recognises excellence in achieving business and organizational goals with social technology applications. Launched in June 2009, the element14 Community was the first public-facing global community designed specifically for electronic engineers and electronics enthusiasts. With over 130,000 members and nearly 30,000 visits per day, the element14 Community has become a place where electronic design engineers connect with peers and experts to share new ideas and challenges they are facing, find accurate information and answers from a range of independent and manufacturer sources, discover design applications and services, and find inspiration from the latest innovations in the engineering space. "This year's awards highlighted truly innovating ways in which leading companies around the world are using and integrating social networks and technologies, and to be recognised by the judging panel is quite an achievement," said Dianne Kibbey, global head of community, element14. "The element14 Community is a global platform that helps engineers solve their challenges by engaging in two-way conversations with peers, experts, and manufacturers, and we have a direct line into their feedback on products and services. It's an incredible example of the value of social media, community and collaboration during the overall design engineering process."  Driven by the ongoing collaboration and exchange of ideas among peers, element14 offers a host of unique design resources, including the Knode on element14, a search engine and technical library for embedded system designs that helps engineers quickly select and buy the right product, as well as access to technical information throughout the design process. In addition, element14 provides direct access to the latest technology, such as the innovative $35 Raspberry Pi mini-computer and the new Raspberry Pi Model B. Since the computer's launch in February, element14 has provided technical information, exclusive trainings and a resource-rich community for collaboration, driving participation and engagement up 40%. "Once again, we received many outstanding entries this year for the Forrester Groundswell Awards," said Forrester VP and Principal Analyst, Nate Elliott. "It's clear that social media has reached a tipping point, where savvy companies are using social tools to pursue real business objectives rather than simply chasing fans and followers. The 2012 winners put social programs to practical use in their organizations - successfully marketing their wares, supporting their customers, and generating insights." Forrester Research Inc Premier Farnell Element 14