For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Making The Case For The Next-Generation PMO

Broader Visibility And Flexible Frameworks To Tackle More Work Without Killing The Budget

by Margo Visitacion, October 16, 2009

There isn't a business case for the "old school" project management office (PMO): We've tried it, and quite often it didn't work. Today's PMOs are under pressure to be business process change agents that demonstrate value without generating revenue. PMOs . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Conquering Your Fear Of Project Portfolio Management Tools

New Tool Options Overcome The Barriers That Threaten Your Investment

by Margo Visitacion, August 28, 2009

In today's world, organizations must balance the demands that a tight economy and low risk tolerance drive without missing opportunities to advance business. Understanding the real status of projects and portfolios is critical to enabling success. And . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Micro Focus Acquires Borland Software And Compuware's Testing And ASQ Product Line

by Phil Murphy, Margo Visitacion, May 11, 2009

Micro Focus made a splash early in May 2009 with a trio of announcements — the first regarding impressive, albeit preliminary, fourth quarter financial results, and the other two detailing acquisitions of Borland Software and Compuware's application testing . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Hybrid Testing Centers Of Excellence

In Dynamic SQA, Leveraging Internal Expertise Is Critical

by Margo Visitacion, April 13, 2009

As outsourcing increasingly becomes a regular occurrence in today's software quality assurance (SQA) organizations, application development pros are wondering how to combine technical expertise and process maturity with sufficient business process knowledge. . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Test Management: The Secret Weapon In Your Arsenal To Build Dynamic SQA

by Margo Visitacion, March 24, 2009

Any software quality assurance (SQA) manager who has presided over a testing cycle understands the importance of creating an organized test plan — it's a great way to make certain that testing professionals are as comprehensive as possible while executing . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

PPM Tool Selection: Look Beyond Core Functions

Industry, Governance, And Compliance Play A Larger Role

by Margo Visitacion, March 5, 2009

For organizations that invest in project portfolio management tools (PPM), comparing core functionality won't provide a clear picture of the best solution to fit their needs. Governance, compliance, and business objectives are becoming much stronger drivers . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

The Dawn Of Dynamic Software Quality Assurance

Business Uncertainty, Risk, And Constant Change Are Altering The Way We Test

by Margo Visitacion, February 2, 2009

In today's uncertain economy, companies cannot tolerate waste or unnecessary risk. Application development organizations must supply software that is of high quality and meets business objectives in a continually changing environment. Development organizations . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Four Steps To Optimize Your Application And Project Portfolios In Volatile Economic Times

by Phil Murphy, Margo Visitacion, January 14, 2009

Economic instability around the globe is forcing organizations to react: Some organizations will have to cut costs to survive, some organizations will proceed as usual, while still others will take a more predatory stance to gain market share from their . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Oracle Acquires Primavera

Acquisition Signals Intent To Serve Project-Intensive Industries With Leading Project-Based Solutions For The Enterprise

by Margo Visitacion, R "Ray" Wang, November 6, 2008

On October 8, 2008, Oracle announced its intention to acquire Primavera Systems for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition brings together a leading project financials vendor with a leading enterprise/capital project and program management vendor, a combination . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Leverage Certified Testers To Build Your QA Organization

Taking It From Nice-To-Have To Necessary Requirement

by Margo Visitacion, October 28, 2008

Constrained IT budgets and risk-averse business stakeholders continue to highlight the need for a robust yet practical software testing organization — but what is the best way to build such an organization? Most software testing organizations grow organically . . .

Is IIM For You? Your IT Archetype Is A Good Place To Start

by Margo Visitacion, September 1, 2006

IT organizations, in a bid to gain greater visibility into their demand pipeline and resource capacity, are looking with increasing interest at integrating how they manage and track work activities, but organizations are still determining if doing so . . .

Microsoft Office Project Gets Boost With UMT

Acquisition Success Depends On Holistic IT Management Focus

by Margo Visitacion, August 2, 2006

Despite the attractive sticker price and familiarity, Microsoft has been unable to crack the leadership level of the project portfolio management (PPM) market. But the vendor's acquisition of UMT opens up a future as a PPM vendor. Previously, Microsoft . . .

Differentiating Projects, Tasks, And Maintenance

Size And Impact Determine Scope

by Margo Visitacion, July 13, 2006

Finding the elusive answer to "When is a project a project?" often gives IT organizations the opportunity for great debate, but it generally leaves them without a definitive answer. There are commonly accepted definitions for projects — a project has . . .

The Path To Becoming A Project-Based Organization

by Margo Visitacion, June 13, 2006

Becoming a successful project organization is well within reach of most companies, provided they take an incremental approach. Implementing best practices should be looked at as a project itself, with deliverables and a charter that spells out objectives . . .

What Successful Organizations Know About Project Management

by Margo Visitacion, May 26, 2006

If project management failure rates are as high as we're led to believe, why try to do projects at all? But Forrester believes that the state of project management is far better than what the headlines say. A project's outcome cannot be pigeonholed simply . . .

ITM Has The Right Foundation, Needs To Mature In The PPM Market

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q1 2006

by Margo Visitacion, March 13, 2006

ITM Software, founded in 2002 by a group of former CIOs, has designed a product that delivers the functionality to run IT like a business. The product stresses the relationships between various IT functions to improve impact analysis, allowing IT management . . .

Primavera Is The Market Leader In The PPM Market

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q1 2006

by Margo Visitacion, March 13, 2006

Primavera Systems is the leader in the project portfolio management (PPM) market, offering across-the-board robust functionality, as well as specific solutions for a wide range of industries, including high-tech, telecom, construction, and professional . . .

Artemis Shows Promise But Needs To Shine In The Crowded PPM Market

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q1 2006

by Margo Visitacion, March 13, 2006

Artemis International Solutions has been a presence in the enterprise project management (EPM) space for almost 30 years. As project portfolio management (PPM) takes the forefront in how companies are managing the way they execute on their investments, . . .

SAP Is Almost Ready To Be A Tough Competitor In The PPM Market

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q1 2006

by Margo Visitacion, March 13, 2006

SAP's product in the project portfolio management (PPM) market, xRPM, is a capable portfolio management application that is best suited for strategically thinking SAP shops. The current release, version 2.0, is competent. However, it is a stepping stone . . .

Oracle Offers Integration In The PPM Market

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q1 2006

by Margo Visitacion, March 13, 2006

Oracle has a long history in project management, albeit on the financial side. In 2005, the firm extended its presence beyond project budgeting by introducing more deeply defined project portfolio management (PPM) functionality to its E-Business Suite. . . .

PlanView Is A Visionary With Substance In The PPM Market

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q1 2006

by Margo Visitacion, March 13, 2006

PlanView has long been one of strongest project portfolio management (PPM) tools vendors on the market, and PlanView Enterprise is another winner. Enterprise is a robust application that shows breadth in the range of IT work that it can manage and depth . . .

IBM Is Finally Focusing On Strategic Planning In The PPM Market

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q1 2006

by Margo Visitacion, March 13, 2006

IBM's acquisition of Systemcorp's portfolio management office enabled it to introduce planning and tracking functionality to complement its set of development tools. IBM's Rational Portfolio Manager continues to evolve and shows promise. Tactical functionality . . .

The Forrester Wave™: Project Portfolio Management, Q1 2006

Primavera And PlanView Lead In Our Product Evaluation

by Margo Visitacion, March 13, 2006

Project portfolio management (PPM) is a critical enabler for IT work delivery. For successful delivery, IT organizations must be able to visualize the requirements to meet objectives, determine the best combinations of new projects and existing systems . . .

Compuware's Strong Use Of Integration Makes It A Leader In The PPM Market

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q1 2006

by Margo Visitacion, March 13, 2006

Compuware's Changepoint IT governance solution offers a solid project portfolio management (PPM) solution that provides excellent demand management, resource management, and work management functionality. Changepoint's progressive take on IT management, . . .

Mercury Is A Solid Performer In The PPM Market

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q1 2006

by Margo Visitacion, March 13, 2006

Mercury Interactive has had its fair share of press over the past year, and the media attention was not focused purely on product announcements. This is unfortunate, as the maturation of Mercury's IT Governance Center (ITG) into a promising project portfolio . . .