When last we met, I went on about language and the sloppy and obfuscating use thereof ("Reflections on Innovation -- Part IV: The Care and Feeding of Language").

Agile increases productivity. This is what you hear in at least every second talk on agile and some protagonists even claim an increase in productivity of 600%. Whether or not you believe in these numbers is your choice (I don't).

It's easy for a Lean or Agile initiative to get disconnected from the reasons a business exists. James Sutton brings his big picture perspective and wide experience -- from leadership on small teams to billion-dollar programs -- to helping your organization (re)align to improve its business's bottom line. Using James' approach, your organization will decrease waste by improving value and flow.

Radical Management applies Agile-like principles to the organizational level.

In my last Advisor ("Put Big Data in Perspective -- Part I"), I discussed the basics of Big Data, what it is, where it comes from, what's it goo

I've said for some time now that one of the more important developments that will lead to greater use of Hadoop and MapReduce in the enterprise is integration of the technologies with relational databases and SQL-based BI tools.

I've said for some time now that one of the more important developments that will lead to greater use of Hadoop and MapReduce in the enterprise is integration of the technologies with relational databases and SQL-based BI tools.

Certain business situations require analytics to monitor operations as close as possible to real time. However, delays caused by moving data in the repository for its analytical treatment are usually too long to enable companies to respond efficiently to queries -- or to take actions in real time. One of today's biggest challenges is the need to act efficiently amid the huge volumes of constantly changing information.

Certain business situations require analytics to monitor operations as close as possible to real time. However, delays caused by moving data in the repository for its analytical treatment are usually too long to enable companies to respond efficiently to queries -- or to take actions in real time. One of today's biggest challenges is the need to act efficiently amid the huge volumes of constantly changing information.

Certain business situations require analytics to monitor operations as close as possible to real time. However, delays caused by moving data in the repository for its analytical treatment are usually too long to enable companies to respond efficiently to queries -- or to take actions in real time. One of today's biggest challenges is the need to act efficiently amid the huge volumes of constantly changing information.

Certain business situations require analytics to monitor operations as close as possible to real time.

Certain business situations require analytics to monitor operations as close as possible to real time.

Certain business situations require analytics to monitor operations as close as possible to real time.

There were two interesting IT-related news stories the past few weeks that caught my attention. The first was the news that the market value of Apple had exceeded US $500 billion -- only the fifth company to have achieved that milestone.

In this final installment of this series of Advisors, I aim to lay plain the no-holds-barred, right-between-the-eyes, profoundly undiplomatic reality that stands between ordinarily performing devops and high-performance devops: you.

Being agile means managing a project in an iterative fashion with incremental delivery.

There is a lot of discussion these days about business capabilities and their role in business architecture.

For most corporations, killing old projects is probably as important as approving new projects. Most of the resources of a corporation are used for regular operational work, which, it is hoped, produces a profit that will allow a small percentage of resources to be used for new development, such as new products and new infrastructure -- including IT. It is critically important for those resources used on IT projects that they pay off in improved efficiency of operations and increased revenue and profits.

Over the last year, discussions with the CIO around social applications have changed. I did some research in June of 2011 that showed that 45% of the CIOs we interviewed thought IT was in control of social programs in the enterprise.

Over the last year, discussions with the CIO around social applications have changed. I did some research in June of 2011 that showed that 45% of the CIOs we interviewed thought IT was in control of social programs in the enterprise.

This Executive Report examines the technology behind Hadoop and MapReduce, with an eye toward how more mainstrea

This Executive Report examines the technology behind Hadoop and MapReduce, with an eye toward how more mainstrea

The accompanying Executive Report examines Apache Hadoop, with an eye toward its application in more mainstream organizations.

The accompanying Executive Report examines Apache Hadoop, with an eye toward its application in more mainstream organizations.