Leading Edge R&D:

COGNOS ANNOUNCES SIGNIFICANT NEW INVESTMENT IN BI

Cognos, a leading global provider of business intelligence (BI) solutions, announced a pledge of more than C$1 million over five years to Carleton University, one of North America's top centers of excellence in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) research. The funds will support the development of a new HCI lab at the University, as well as significant new research and development activity.

"Our mission at Cognos is to make our customers the best decision-makers in the world. Developing products that are intuitive and easy to use is paramount to that objective, and a core value of our company," said Rob Ashe, senior vice-president and chief corporate officer of Cognos. "This partnership with Carleton University represents a critical investment in the long-term success of our business, by enabling us to develop and tap into new sources of HCI expertise and to spur future innovation within this exciting area of R&D."

The principal focus of HCI research is to improve productivity and accelerate learning curves for technology users, making it a central focus of business intelligence software development. Specifically, HCI looks at the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use. It focuses on how people learn about, interact with, and apply computer applications and technologies to accomplish tasks.

Cognos will support a range of initiatives under this agreement, including:

• A Cognos HCI Laboratory focusing on the study of computer-supported cooperative work
• An HCI Institute, which will be a center of excellence supporting a wide variety of interdisciplinary research programs and activities
• A research support program consisting of two Cognos Post-Doctoral Fellowships, a Cognos PhD scholarship program, and funding for a research assistant and technical officer
• A visiting scientist program, which will bring a world-leading HCI academic to Ottawa each year over five years

"Cognos has a long-established reputation within the technology industry for incorporating leading-edge HCI innovation into the development of its products," said Dr. Feridun Hamdullahpur, vice president (research) at Carleton University. "We are delighted that Cognos is partnering with Carleton University to ensure continued success and development in this field of research for many years to come."

"It is exciting that, out of this partnership between Cognos and Carleton, we now have a facility to house the very best in HCI talent and technology," said Cathy Dudek, a Psychology student at Carleton University. "The initiatives supported by this partnership will likely attract a broad range of accomplished people from academia and industry alike, helping to foster learning and inspire future research through the exchange of ideas."

About Cognos

Cognos is a leading global provider of business intelligence solutions that optimize the performance of the world's largest and most successful organizations. Founded in 1969, Cognos serves more than 19,000 customers in 120 countries around the world. Cognos business intelligence solutions and services are also available from more than 3,000 worldwide partners and resellers. For more information, visit the Cognos Web site at www.cognos.com.

About Carleton University

Carleton University is a dynamic research and learning institution located in Ottawa, Canada. The University is a national leader in the study of public affairs and management and high technology, as well as a leading innovator in undergraduate education. Carleton University offers outstanding programs in both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the major disciplines of the Arts and Social Sciences, Science and Engineering. With approximately 18,000 full-and part-time students and 1,500 faculty and staff, Carleton University has a vibrant work and learning environment, with close ties to the region's business, cultural, government and high technology communities.