Agile business intelligence (BI) has become a convenient catchphrase for a variety of movements sweeping through the BI, analytics, and software development communities. Its goals are relatively clear, but methods of execution can be murky and wrapped up in a range of competing practices and orientations.

Time and again, I read articles about the restorative power of vacation time. Holidays. Time to get away from it all. I can think of nothing more horrible. As a self-confessed workaholic zealot, the thought of copious amounts of open time on my calendar completely freaks me out.

In his recent novel The Circle, Dave Eggers draws the picture of a fictitious Internet company called "The Circle" that has broken the anonymity of Internet communication and subsequently has bought Google, Twi

In his recent novel The Circle, Dave Eggers draws the picture of a fictitious Internet company called "The Circle" that has broken the anonymity of Internet communication and subsequently has bought Google, Twi

While most companies have become adept at improving processes of small scope, many firms continue to struggle with large-scale process change. The challenges that such firms face are rarely related to the mechanics of process improvement.

If one combines mobile consumer technology with Big Data analytics, one gets a host of new possibilities ranging from new ways of providing students with basic support to new ways of getting students to learn what the faculty needs them to learn. If we can get the right information flowing through the minds of students, perhaps we can improve their success. We can potentially help transform the classroom from the 19th century to the 21st.

Schools in the US states of Indiana, California, Idaho, Washington, and Virginia are now using real-time location systems (RTLS) to help ensure the safety of students, teachers, and other staff. The systems -- developed by Ekahau Inc.

Schools in the US states of Indiana, California, Idaho, Washington, and Virginia are now using real-time location systems (RTLS) to help ensure the safety of students, teachers, and other staff. The systems -- developed by Ekahau Inc.

In 2002, Cutter Consortium conducted its first comprehensive survey of the state of risk management practice in the IT community.1 That survey found that some 86% of organizations responding claimed they were practicing risk management, and 51% of those were practicing it in a disciplin

In 2002, Cutter Consortium conducted its first comprehensive survey of the state of risk management practice in the IT community.1 That survey found that some 86% of organizations responding claimed they were practicing risk management, and 51% of those were practicing it in a disciplin

In the grand scheme of things, the invention of the wheel, which one would think was so fundamental for human progress, came rather late. Most likely invented around 3500 BC, a thousand years after the potter's wheel, the wheel was most likely extended from the design of sledges.

Many large organizations set up Agile focus or mentoring groups for driving Agile implementation across the organization. They entrust those Agile groups with improving IT delivery capabilities by applying suitable methods. In this Advisor, I share four practical tips to be aware of while operating Agile focus groups.

As business problems become more complex, so do their associated risk and uncertainty. Frequently, organizations try to deal with risk through the application of standard processes -- often supported by rigid structures of compliance. Despite this, risk still creates huge problems for all sorts of activities, from banking to major investment projects. Yet, some organizations seem to thrive on uncertainty, and although they have encountered inevitable adversity, they remain considerably resilient.

As business problems become more complex, so do their associated risk. Organizations that once provided relatively simple services and products now engage in sophisticated financial transactions, increasing fragility and the potential for failure. Given the potential enormous losses organizations can face, it is hardly surprising that managers crave certainty, and one of the key ways they seek to achieve certainty is through the control of risk. Frequently, they look to achieve this through the application of standard processes, often supported by rigid structures of compliance.

Just from the title alone you will probably guess what my conclusion will be: that enterprise architecture is both art and science. Well, I certainly would agree that EA is both an art and a science, but there are a couple of points that I need to make here.

As we move into the era of Big Data analysis and extensive use of unstructured data, it is time to take a closer look at data-quality issues. While there have long been procedures in place for ensuring quality of transactional data, unstructured data has been less well served. Unstructured data and data sources outside of the firm can be relatively opaque. Processes should be developed to ensure that data is maintained for future use -- adequately stored, accurate, and secure.

As we move into the era of Big Data analysis and extensive use of unstructured data, it is time to take a closer look at data-quality issues. While there have long been procedures in place for ensuring quality of transactional data, unstructured data has been less well served. Unstructured data and data sources outside of the firm can be relatively opaque. Processes should be developed to ensure that data is maintained for future use -- adequately stored, accurate, and secure.

Organizations tend to develop far-reaching plans to describe their strategic ambitions, tactics, goals, milestones, and budgets. However, these plans in and of themselves do not create value. Instead, they merely describe the path and the prize. Value can be realized only through the unremitting, collective actions of the hundreds or thousands of employees who are ultimately responsible for designing, executing, and living with the changed environment.

As we move into the era of Big Data analysis and extensive use of unstructured data, it is time to take a closer look at data-quality issues. While there have long been procedures in place for ensuring quality of transactional data, unstructured data has been less well served.

As we move into the era of Big Data analysis and extensive use of unstructured data, it is time to take a closer look at data-quality issues. While there have long been procedures in place for ensuring quality of transactional data, unstructured data has been less well served.

As a learning consultant, my service delivery and project manager clients often ask "How can we sustain high performance in teams?" It's true that building a high-performance team is one thing and sustaining its performance at a high level over a long period is quite another.

"If you want to create an Agile organization, you can't rely on stacking the deck with your best staff members -- everyone needs to make the transition, not just your star players."

-- Scott W. Ambler, Guest Editor

From April 2011 to December 2012, I was in charge (initially as executive consultant and later as CTO) of the IT organization of Wolfe, LLC, the rapidly growing corporate owner of Giftcards.com and other brands in the online prepaid domain.

Although many Agile teams are small, say 10 or fewer people, and either colocated or at least near-located, the majority of Agile teams work in more complex situations. For example, some teams are several dozen people in size and sometimes larger. Some teams are geographically distributed. Some are taking on very challenging problems.