For Sourcing & Vendor Management Professionals

Address The Governance Requirements Of Managed Outcome Engagements

by Bill Martorelli, October 26, 2009

The intensity of the recent economic crisis focused attention on immediate savings exemplified by renegotiation on billing rates for application development and maintenance (ADM) services, among other service types. However, with signs of stabilization . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Global Workforce Planning Through 2016: How Population Shifts Will Affect The Supply Of IT Skills

by Phil Murphy, October 26, 2009

The size and composition of the global workforce is changing, and the changes will affect IT professionals and business leaders in diverse ways. Population experts debate generational differences in work styles and work ethics and whether careers that . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Project Manager Assessment Workbook  (76 KB XLS)

by Mary Gerush, October 15, 2009

The Project Manager Assessment Workbook can be used to evaluate an individual's strengths and growth opportunities across a set of capabilities, knowledge, and skills that are important for a specific project or program manager position. It is intended . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Define, Hire, And Develop Your Next-Generation Project Managers

by Mary Gerush, October 15, 2009

Software delivery has changed. Organizations are looking for their software development projects to deliver high business value and strong customer satisfaction as well as come in on time and on budget. They also demand faster and cheaper solutions, so . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Deputize End-User Developers To Deliver Business Agility And Reduce Costs

Accentuate The Positives, Eliminate The Negatives Of End-User Development

by Mike Gualtieri, April 15, 2009

The ranks of businesspeople who are capable of developing applications are swelling due to a combination of the technology-savvy Millennial generation entering the workforce, the proliferation of easy-to-use development tools, and burgeoning demand for . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

In An Abysmal Economy, Application Development Pros Can Prevail

Three Strategies To Help You Win During Challenging Economic Times

by Mary Gerush, January 14, 2009

We're reading a lot these days about the poor economy and falling stock markets. These tough times can force organizations to make drastic changes in the form of budget cuts, office closings, and staff reductions. At the same time, organizations need . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Application Development Pros: Must-Read Research In Any Economic Downturn

by Mike Gilpin, October 28, 2008

Whether the economy slips into recession or not, many firms are starting to tighten their budgets. Although this means even more limited resources than usual, the business will continue to expect application development teams to deliver high-quality, . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Making Use Of A Simple Model For Project Prioritization

by Mike Gilpin, September 3, 2008

Application development organizations rarely have enough bandwidth to tackle every project that the business would like to see developed. But when trying to determine which project should come first, the rationale is often muddled, or worse, faulty. By . . .

For CIOs

Develop Metrics Thoughtfully To Streamline Application Portfolios Successfully

by Phil Murphy, July 23, 2008

CIOs will be stuck with burdensome, expensive application portfolios until they take the steps necessary to rationalize and streamline the portfolios. But streamlining the portfolio with poor transparency and no usable metrics virtually guarantees that . . .

For CIOs

The Application Management Continuum Offers CIOs A Contemporary Approach To Modernization

by Phil Murphy, July 14, 2008

The technology needs of an industry evolve and mature unevenly — in the early years, companies replace technology frequently to scale in step with organic growth. As the industry matures, it reaches a leveling-off point where the need to gain and retain . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Best Practices: Estimating Development Projects

by Carey Schwaber, April 22, 2008

Poor estimates and the resulting poor project plans cause project failures. Application development organizations' estimates are fairly accurate for small projects, but they often fall short for large or complex projects. Good estimates and plans result . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Case Study: EDS Uses Actual Results To Calibrate Estimates

by Carey Schwaber, April 22, 2008

Systems integrators live and die by the accuracy of their project estimates. To improve ad hoc estimation methods that were producing inaccurate results, EDS began capturing actual project data in a central repository and trained estimators to consult . . .

For CIOs

The Business Analyst's Dual Focus: Technology And The Business  (214 KB PPT)

by Carey Schwaber, Rob Karel, April 10, 2008

The role of the business analyst is changing. This data chart will showcase some Forrester data that highlights the trends.

For Security & Risk Professionals

A New Role Is Emerging Within IT: Database Security Analyst (DSA)

by Noel Yuhanna, April 4, 2008

As enterprises take stronger measures around database security to meet compliance requirements and defend against attacks, the need for security support and administration becomes critical. But who must now assume responsibility for managing these database . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Project Assessment And Rescue Checklists  (52 KB XLS)

by Peter Sterpe, February 13, 2008

For CIOs

CIOs Must MAP A Strategic Application Plan

Align IT Execution To Business Needs With Vision, Context, And Orchestration

by Phil Murphy, February 4, 2008

The duties performed by CIOs are analogous to those of big-city mayors — neither executive has the chance to build a community from scratch, and most inherit a series of problems from predecessors: dated infrastructures, more demand than they can meet, . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Five Trends That Will Shape The Application Development & Program Management Profession In 2008

by Carey Schwaber, December 14, 2007

Application development and program management professionals struggle to meet business expectations. In 2008, five trends will emerge that will make this harder in the short-term but easier in the long-term. These trends are: 1) the diversification of . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

App Dev Managers Should Measure Team Productivity

Use Productivity Data To Sharpen Estimates And Avoid Overcommitting

by Peter Sterpe, December 6, 2007

Application development managers need to know how productive their teams are. Managers acknowledge that measuring their shop's productivity would enable them to make informed decisions around capacity planning, staff allocation, outsourcing, and right-sizing . . .

For CIOs

Skills Assessment — A 21st Century Imperative For CIOs

by Phil Murphy, Alex Cullen, September 13, 2007

While hiring the right people has always been a key capability of successful organizations, shifting demographics are driving skills management to become one of today's critical issues. Skills assessment efforts provide the foundation for effective skills . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Rescuing Train Wrecks: Putting Derailed Software Projects Back On Track

by Peter Sterpe, August 28, 2007

App dev shops continue to be plagued by "train wrecks," projects that far exceed schedule and budget and risk not finishing at all. The bad news? It's difficult to prevent train wrecks. The good news? It's usually possible to get derailed projects back . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Ten Mistakes That Send Development Projects Off Track

by Peter Sterpe, June 26, 2007

Even when effective project management techniques are in place, software development projects still get into serious trouble or fail completely. Projects are doomed by mistakes made at project inception, not mistakes made during project execution. These . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Role Overview: The Application Development Professional In 2007

Leading The Way To More Effective And Efficient Delivery Of Business Value

by Carey Schwaber, Mike Gilpin, March 19, 2007

Although the strategies and tactics of the application development organization have changed dramatically over the past decade, the primary purpose remains the same: driving application-related projects and programs. Forrester's research in this space . . .

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

For Process Modeling, Business Analysts And Developers Are Better Together

by Colin Teubner, January 12, 2007

The business benefits of an effective deployment of business process management (BPM) have driven many firms to pursue BPM initiatives, and process modeling is always an important part. Organizations are now turning to increasingly complex modeling tools . . .

For CIOs

Structuring The Applications Group

New Development And App Maintenance Organizational Approaches

by Marc Cecere, January 12, 2007

Many CIOs use the same staff to perform applications development and maintenance work. However, dividing these responsibilities into separate groups provides greater oversight, clarity, and efficiency. New development groups are mostly commonly aligned . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Creating An IT Performance Management Report Card

by Alex Cullen, Carey Schwaber, December 29, 2006

It's hard to improve performance without measuring it to assess its current state. When teams are asked to do so, they must identify measures that are appropriate given the nature of the work and that can be summarized in an easy-to-understand dashboard. . . .