Back in March 2012 (see "Tablets for the Enterprise"), I wrote that Microsoft leadership, knowing that the company was in danger of being left behind by Apple and the Android-based product vendors when it came to the mo

The roller coaster of business cycles appears to be headed up and accelerating. The economy is recovering, companies are beginning to hire, the real estate market is improving, and even new housing starts are up.

In this issue of Cutter Benchmark Review we explore the exciting, if slightly daunting, world of Agile data analytics. The "vision" of Agile analytics is obvious enough. From a data management and decision-making perspective, we want our organizations to have the storage capacity of a jumbo cargo ship along with the rapid maneuverability of a jet ski. It's just as obvious that this vision is not going to be easy for most firms to achieve. With this goal and challenge in mind, in this issue we set out to learn more about what drives Agile data efforts; the tools, skills, and attitudes that enable them; and the barriers that stand in the way.

For the purpose of Cutter Consortium's latest CBR survey, we define Agile data analytics as "the application of Agile methods to data analytics initiatives in order to increase flexibility, provide faster 'time to value,' and support collaborative relationships between business users and IT developers." Further still, as described by Agile data analytics expert Ken Collier, Agile methods are built on a "simple set of sensible values and principles but require a high degree of discipline and rigor to properly execute" and as a process Agile falls somewhere in the "middle betwe

Based on my professional experience in both the large enterprise and startup worlds, I believe that business intelligence (BI) and the general category of analytics for business can benefit greatly from the application of Agile development methodologies.

I hope this issue of Cutter Benchmark Review gave you food for thought and some useful guidance as you consider your current and future Agile data analytics efforts. I'll wrap up the issue by pointing out a few things that really stood out for me -- both in the data and our two articles -- and which point the way to specific actions:

This survey examined organizations' understanding of Agile data analytics; the drivers behind, the goals and benefits of, and the barriers to Agile data analytics; the maturity and use of various data capabilities; and whether a data governance program has been implemented. Fifty-five percent of the 51 responding organizations are headquartered in North America, another 22% in Asia/Australia/Pacific, 14% in Europe, and 6% in Africa, with the remainder headquartered in South America and the Middle East.

In my previous Advisor (see "Realizing the Benefits of Agile Outsourcing"), I discussed the critical ingredients for successful projects with outsourced Agile development teams from a customer's perspective.

Gamification refers to the relatively new trend of applying game design elements to nongame contexts to drive user motivation and participation.

Gamification refers to the relatively new trend of applying game design elements to nongame contexts to drive user motivation and participation.

Enterprise architecture is a strategic capability, not a support activity.

Enterprise architecture is a strategic capability, not a support activity.

In an earlier Cutter IT Journal article on the promise of a diverse, interoperable cloud ecosystem (see "The Promise of a Diverse, Interoperable Cloud Ecosystem -- And Recommendations for Realizing It"), I stated that the cloud is most likely here to stay. It has become a vital part of the information and communications technology (ICT) ecosystem, even though it is still a dynamic, fluid, and ever-changing addition to the ICT environment.

Last month I discussed the US National Security Agency's (NSA) electronic surveillance and data gathering practices (aka "Prism"), which were leaked by Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor (with Booz Allen Hamilton) and previous CIA employee, to the Guardian and Washington Post news organizations (see

Last month I discussed the US National Security Agency's (NSA) electronic surveillance and data gathering practices (aka "Prism"), which were leaked by Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor (with Booz Allen Hamilton) and previous CIA employee, to the Guardian and Washington Post news organizations (see

Cyber security is an oxymoron in the age of the Internet. Despite massive amounts of evidence to the contrary, CIOs, CSOs, corporate officers, governmental officials, and agencies charged with protecting critical assets continue to talk and behave as though cyber security is not real.

Cyber security is an oxymoron in the age of the Internet. Despite massive amounts of evidence to the contrary, CIOs, CSOs, corporate officers, governmental officials, and agencies charged with protecting critical assets continue to talk and behave as though cyber security is not real.

Designing a technology platform that enables analytics demands a different mind-set as compared to designing one for operational needs. While defining the enterprise architecture (both data and application) is primarily about laying down the right dots pertinent to the business, analytics is about connecting those dots and sometimes ignoring existing connections for insights.

I remember learning how to use a slide rule both from my father and in high school. My father was enamored of this computational device but at the time, handheld calculators were all the rage. High school teachers were lamenting the fact that students would miss the opportunity to learn how to use a slide rule. As students, we didn't care about this at all.

The impact of the mobile software product grows every day, reaching a point in which mobile devices become one of the most important platforms for the distribution and utilization of user-oriented software. Mobile application stores host thousands of apps, reporting millions of downloads per day.

The impact of the mobile software product grows every day, reaching a point in which mobile devices become one of the most important platforms for the distribution and utilization of user-oriented software. Mobile application stores host thousands of apps, reporting millions of downloads per day.

The collaborative nature of Agile projects has exposed participants to opportunities to experience a number of ingredients associated with group coherence (GC) in the research literature. We call these "Agile embedded ingredients," as they surface in Agile work. We present four here and discuss both their Agile appearance and the research about them. They are: (1) the commonly shared goal, (2) shared leadership, (3) trust and respect, and (4) practice.

In my last Advisor (see "Firmitas, Utilitas, Venustas"), I introduced some of the ideas presented by EA Conference Chair Chris Potts in his keynote at the IRM Enterprise Architecture Conference, "High Im

Many projects concentrate their efforts on implementing technology used to support the business needs (replace System X with System Y) or deliver new functionality. In meetings, the topic of conversation is usually about which application to purchase and which vendor to choose. Those are important issues, but equally important considerations are how your company will use the information to conduct business, the readiness of existing data, and how you can adapt the data to fulfill the requirements of the new system.

Enterprises and large projects increasingly express interest in using Agile methods due to its success in small teams. In this Executive Report, we discuss expanding Agile for the enterprise through techniques for scaling, extending, and embracing Agile methodologies. Through the "discovery curve" technique, we show that discovering needed knowledge constitutes the largest obstacle any project team faces. Agile shortens discovery times in small teams.