The software engineering practice is merely half a century old, but a great deal of development has occurred in this relatively short time. It is interesting to notice that as systems have gradually become more complex, sophisticated, and larger, code has become more efficient (e.g., more functionality per line of code), and software development methodologies have tended to become leaner and more agile.

The waves of the business cycle are becoming ripples. The recent American combination of minimal inflation and very low unemployment may not be an aberration, but the beginning of a new worldwide trend. Smarter government policy, globalization, changes in employment, advances in information technology, and emerging markets all cushion shocks and dampen the familiar boom and bust.

The waves of the business cycle are becoming ripples. The recent American combination of minimal inflation and very low unemployment may not be an aberration, but the beginning of a new worldwide trend. Smarter government policy, globalization, changes in employment, advances in information technology, and emerging markets all cushion shocks and dampen the familiar boom and bust.

We all feel the pressure from today's economic climate. Business strategy has shifted to a straightforward focus: survive the current downturn. Interestingly, this coincides with the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin's The Origin of Species.

We all feel the pressure from today's economic climate. Business strategy has shifted to a straightforward focus: survive the current downturn. Interestingly, this coincides with the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin's The Origin of Species.

Years ago I worked as a product line manager, responsible for development of six products, in the IT organization of a US $17 billion public firm. Immediately following senior corporate and IT leadership changes, we implemented an aggressive cost-cutting program using the (ill-advised) tactics I will describe in this article.

Different people have diverse beliefs as to what a successful contract is. Some would consider a contract successful if it did not end up in court. Others believe it to be successful if they did not need to manage the contractor too much. In a recession, it will be about getting it cheaper than before.

Different people have diverse beliefs as to what a successful contract is. Some would consider a contract successful if it did not end up in court. Others believe it to be successful if they did not need to manage the contractor too much. In a recession, it will be about getting it cheaper than before.

Portfolios are widely accepted and used by IT organizations to help manage sets of related IT assets, activities, and resources. These include projects, applications, infrastructure components, and IT services. The goals and intentions of using portfolios as management tools are all related to improving the business value delivered or derived from IT assets and capabilities by:

Tapping into the full potential of an organization's human capital, especially in a project environment, remains a difficult challenge.

Studies of workers in the IT sector continually show large variations in the capabilities of individual staff members.

System architecture

Information systems architecture is losing its meaning and organizations are losing its benefits due to a combination of marketplace dynamics and malpractice. We should either cure the patient or bury the body.

So maybe it's just the people I hang around with, or maybe it's just me, but my radar about what's being said between the lines is getting keener and keener. Communications professionals have long sensitized us to the elements of effective communication, which always includes insight and attention to the sender, the message, the channel, and the receiver.

So maybe it's just the people I hang around with, or maybe it's just me, but my radar about what's being said between the lines is getting keener and keener. Communications professionals have long sensitized us to the elements of effective communication, which always includes insight and attention to the sender, the message, the channel, and the receiver.

This is the third in a series of Executive Updates examining the results of a recent Cutter Consortium survey on the subject of open source Java frameworks (OSJFs). Part I1 revealed that Java EE's platform neutrality is considered its greatest strength, followed by tool support, scalability, maturity, and robustness.

For leaders of corporations, risk management has become a top concern in the face of increasing demand for greater corporate accountability as well as world events that have changed the risk landscape and its impact on the business world.

For leaders of corporations, risk management has become a top concern in the face of increasing demand for greater corporate accountability as well as world events that have changed the risk landscape and its impact on the business world.

For leaders of corporations, risk management has become a top concern in the face of increasing demand for greater corporate accountability as well as world events that have changed the risk landscape and its impact on the business world.

Every so often, I like to revisit some of the threads of thought that wove themselves into the agile movement. One of these is complex adaptive systems (CAS) theory, which could be considered a science of adaptation. CAS concepts, found in several agile methods, are an important backdrop to many agile principles and practices.

Anyone who has been in the work force more than a matter of weeks has had the experience. You think you know what management wants. You believe you're working in the organization's best interests. You want to show some measure of independence and personal vision. And you act. No sooner do you show just a modicum of initiative, you are crushed like a grape!

The 3.8% contraction in gross domestic product (GDP) for the fourth quarter of last year, while better than the 5.5% contraction that economists had been predicting, was still not good news. Why? Inventories increased. If you account for those increased inventories, GDP shrank 5.1%.

The 3.8% contraction in gross domestic product (GDP) for the fourth quarter of last year, while better than the 5.5% contraction that economists had been predicting, was still not good news. Why? Inventories increased. If you account for those increased inventories, GDP shrank 5.1%.

The 3.8% contraction in gross domestic product (GDP) for the fourth quarter of last year, while better than the 5.5% contraction that economists had been predicting, was still not good news. Why? Inventories increased. If you account for those increased inventories, GDP shrank 5.1%.

The 3.8% contraction in gross domestic product (GDP) for the fourth quarter of last year, while better than the 5.5% contraction that economists had been predicting, was still not good news. Why? Inventories increased. If you account for those increased inventories, GDP shrank 5.1%.

Performing some IT and communications tasks through internal or external means is not a technological decision; in fact, it is one that focuses on business, and it needs to be framed within the company's general organizational strategy. The reasons that a CIO confronts this dilemma can vary, but they usually involve company pressure to reduce costs, concern for fighting hardware obsolescence, and an intention to reduce the organizational structure. However, there is much more.