Frequently Asked Questions About Nominations About Judging

About Nominating

Can I see any Informational Presentations?

Missed the webcasts? See presentations on:

How do I enter?

Product Nomination
To nominate a product for the CODiE Awards, simply fill out the form on this website. You can nominate online, or you can contact Lisa Mitchell-Brooks at +1.202.289.7097.

Corporate Nomination
Corporate Awards are available in four categories:

To nominate, just complete your basic information online. The two-page nomination statements for corporate awards are due at a later date than the product nominations. They should be sent to Lisa Mitchell-Brooks by January 23, 2009.

Lifetime Achievement
New for this year, SIIA’s divisions will be awarding three individual Lifetime Achievement awards.

All materials needed for review for these awards are due by January 23, 2009.
There is no charge for nominating.

 

How much does it cost to enter?

SIIA Members & Non-profit Organizations
1 category per product: $295
2 categories per product (10% discount): $531
3 categories per product (20% discount): $708

Nonmembers
1 category per product: $695
2 categories per product (10% discount): $1251
3 categories per product (20% discount): $1668

Please Note: Discounted pricing applies only to the same product nominated in more than one category. Each product nominated must have a separate nomination form.

 

What if I have questions about completing the form?

Contact Lisa Mitchell-Brooks.

 

What do I do after I send in my nomination form?

Once the nomination period is over, you will receive a list of the judges assigned to your category(s) and their contact information. We expect this process to begin around November 17, 2008. You will send your product directly to the judges for review.

 

What do I provide my judges?

Product Nomination Deliverables
Once nominations close, you will be notified by SIIA when your product has been assigned to first round judges for review. SIIA will also send your judges’ contact information, from which you will send them and SIIA a copy of your product for review. If you cannot send a physical product, you can attempt to arrange a demo with your judges. Please note that judges are not required to view guided demos.

Corporate Nomination Deliverables
The two-page nomination statements and other deliverables for Corporate Award categories are due to Lisa Mitchell-Brooks by no later than January 23, 2009. Corporate nominations will then be review by SIIA Divisional Executive Board members and the winners announced at the 2009 CODiE Awards Gala.

Lifetime Achievement Nomination Deliverables
All materials needed for review for these awards are due to Lisa Mitchell-Brooks by January 23, 2009. Lifetime Achievement nominees will then be reviewed by SIIA Divisional Executive Board members and the winners announced at the 2009 CODiE Awards Gala.

 

My company's product is in beta testing. Is it eligible?

Products must launch before October 1, 2008 in order to be eligible for the 2009 CODiE Awards.

 

Does my product need to be new this year to be eligible?

No. As long as your product launched before October 1, 2008, it is eligible for the 2009 CODiE Awards.

 

If my product was a nominee/finalist/winner last year, is it eligible?

Yes.

 

How will I know if SIIA received my nomination?

You will receive confirmation of your entry immediately after you submit it online. This will also serve as your invoice, so be sure to print it out.

By mid-November, 2008 you will receive a list of the judges assigned to your category(s). If you do not receive a list of judges by November 28, 2008, please contact Lisa Mitchell-Brooks.

 

What do I send to the judges

Before December 19, 2008, please send at least ONE of the following to all of the judges in your product category, as well as to SIIA:

I would like to offer a guided demo to the judges in my category. Is this allowed?

ONLY with the agreement of the judge. Nominees may not harass judges to view guided demos.

 

I want to send a non-disclosure agreement with my product. Is this allowed?

Judges are not required to sign non-disclosure agreements.

 

about JUDGING

How does judging work?

First Round (all product categories)
In the first round of the CODiE Awards, SIIA assigns multiple judges to each category. Each judge reviews the nominated products and submits his/her rank of top 5 choices. The lists are compiled and weighted and finalists are named.

In order to ensure a review of every product, categories with more than 20 nominations are divided among judges, so that each judgereviews no more than 10-15 products and all products are reviewed by at least 2 judges. The top products from this initial review are compiled, and from this review, finalists are named.

Second Round (all product categories)
In the second round, finalists are submitted to SIIA Member companies for voting.

Third Round (Software & Content categories only)
In the third round, each member company attending either of SIIA’s spring conferences [ Ed Tech Industry Summit or SIIA NetGain] will receive one additional ballot to be completed onsite after reviewing the CODiEs’ Software and Content Finalist Showcase. The showcase, featuring only the software and content finalists, will be held at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco on the evening of Monday, May 4.

Winners will be determined from a combination of first round judge rankings and SIIA Member votes. For Education categories, voting will be split by First round judges, who receive a 50% weight and Second round votes, which will also receive a 50% weight.

For Software and Content categories, all rounds of voting will be summed and weighted; with First round judges receive a 50% weight. The second and third round votes will be summed and also receive a 50% weight.

Corporate Award & Lifetime Achievement Award Judging
Nominees for these awards are reviewed and chosen by SIIA Divisional Executive Board members and the winners announced at the 2009 CODiE Awards Gala.

 

How does SIIA determine the judges for the CODiE Awards?

First round CODiE Award judges are made up of representatives from the software and information industry trade press, mainstream technology writers, analysts, consultants and subject-matter experts. Judges must submit an application, which is reviewed for relevant experience.

Second and third round judges are made up of SIIA Member companies, making the CODiE Awards the only peer-reviewed awards program of its kind.

 

What is the timeline for judging?

First Round judging takes place November 2008 through February 2009. Finalists will be announced in mid February 2009. Second Round SIIA Member voting takes place March through April, 2009. Third Round SIIA Member voting for Software and Content Finalists will take place on the evening of Monday, May 4, 2009 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.

Winners will be announced at the CODiE Awards Gala on May 5, 2009.

 

Why does judging take so long?

Judges thoroughly review 10 – 20 products submitted to the CODiE Awards in order to name Finalists. The Finalists are then submitted to SIIA Member companies for voting.

 

Will I receive judge feedback on my nominated product?

SIIA strongly encourages judges to provide comments on the products they review. We feel that this is one of the major factors that set the CODiE Awards apart from other programs. However, we cannot guarantee that judges will comment on every product.

It is our goal for each nominee to understand the judges' thought process as well as to provide constructive comments in order to help companies know how to improve their products for the future. We recognize that feedback from judges is an important benefit of entering a product. Thus, we have implemented a new review form that makes it easy for judges to submit comments back to us.

After the finalists have been announced (in February, 2009), nominees may request judge feedback by contacting Lisa Mitchell-Brooks.