Over the past few years, the value of enterprise architecture (EA) has become preeminent for many companies in their business-wide application integration initiatives. This trend is evident in both government agencies as well as commercial sectors across the global IT industry.

Two major elements behind the success of most enterprise-wide integration initiatives are: (1) establishing the right models to create and collect relevant data and maintain various parameters of enterprise architecture (EA) as a set of metrics; and (2) recognizing the significance of monitoring EA-related activities that emphasize the reality of those metrics.

This is the final installment in a series of three Executive Updates that examines enterprise architecture (EA) -- specifically, its organization and programs, how it provides governance, and the value it brings to companies. The series is based on data from a recent Cutter Consortium survey.

This issue of Cutter Benchmark Review focuses on a topic of interest to all organizations, bar none: the use of prepackaged software and the management of the implementation process of off-the-shelf applications. (Not a member? Download your complimentary copy of the issue here.)

This issue of Cutter Benchmark Review focuses on a topic of interest to all organizations, bar none: the use of prepackaged software and the management of the implementation process of off-the-shelf applications. (Not a member? Download your complimentary copy of the issue here.)

This article explores the expectations and experiences of application package users. It examines the successes and challenges in deploying application software packages and presents a set of recommendations for organizations needing to streamline future package selection and deployment initiatives.

This issue of Cutter Benchmark Review focuses on a topic of interest to all organizations, bar none: the use of prepackaged software and the management of the implementation process of off-the-shelf applications. (Not a member? Download your complimentary copy of the issue here.)

This survey investigated the extent of organizations’ adoption of application packages, the reasons for adoption, the benefits expected and the benefits realized, software changes, and any difficulties associated with adoption. (Not a member? Download your complimentary copy of the issue here.)

Technology only has value if you can do something with it.

-- Dr. Robert Phaal, Fellow, Cutter Consortium

Within the past decade, continued advances in mobile computing and wireless communications have had a profound impact on individuals, businesses, and society at large. Mobile and mobility have become buzzwords, and many mobile applications, both traditional and entirely new and novel, have been deployed [15, 16].

Driven by the continued advances in, and widespread adoption of, mobile computing and wireless communications, a paradigm shift in computer usage and information access is emerging. Mobile devices, such as Pocket PCs, PDAs, notebooks, and smart mobile phones, offer powerful platforms for the delivery of new applications and services. When deployed to their full potential, they are expected to radically change the way people work, the way that enterprises operate, and the way members of society interact and live.

When we think of business intelligence (BI), we are describing how technology extracts information from an IT system and manipulates and translates that data into realities that deepen our understanding of some phenomenon in a business; for instance, sales by rep, by product line, or by territory, or manufacturing defect and yield rates by product line, by shift, or by manufacturing location. Any operational activity is a candidate for BI technology.

When we think of business intelligence (BI), we are describing how technology extracts information from an IT system and manipulates and translates that data into realities that deepen our understanding of some phenomenon in a business; for instance, sales by rep, by product line, or by territory, or manufacturing defect and yield rates by product line, by shift, or by manufacturing location. Any operational activity is a candidate for BI technology.

In this issue of CBR, Erica and Sue bring to bear their years of studying enterprise systems (ES) and best practice software implementations to frame the survey. They use the survey as a springboard to draw conclusions about the opportunities and pitfalls presented by the buy-and-make paradigm. But, in good old Cutter style, they don't shy away from challenging vendor (and executive!) rhetoric.

In the past, companies have designed systems to support work activities unique to their organization. Such systems were implemented at the level of department or business function in order to effectively meet specific needs.

This issue of Cutter Benchmark Review focuses on a topic of interest to all organizations, bar none: the use of prepackaged software and the management of the implementation process of off-the-shelf applications.

This survey investigated the extent of organizations' adoption of application packages, the reasons for adoption, the benefits expected and the benefits realized, software changes, and any difficulties associated with adoption.

The structure of the IT organization is an important factor in supporting a company's ability to respond to market forces and compete effectively. Clearly, IT should be organized in a way that will deliver the most value to the firm, but choosing an organizational structure is not easy. Next month, we'll examine the different organizational choices for IT so that you can determine which one will work best for your company. Is your primary strategic objective profit? Asset utilization? Growth?

The structure of the IT organization is an important factor in supporting a company's ability to respond to market forces and compete effectively. Clearly, IT should be organized in a way that will deliver the most value to the firm, but choosing an organizational structure is not easy. Next month, we'll examine the different organizational choices for IT so that you can determine which one will work best for your company. Is your primary strategic objective profit? Asset utilization? Growth?

The structure of the IT organization is an important factor in supporting a company's ability to respond to market forces and compete effectively. Clearly, IT should be organized in a way that will deliver the most value to the firm, but choosing an organizational structure is not easy. Next month, we'll examine the different organizational choices for IT so that you can determine which one will work best for your company. Is your primary strategic objective profit? Asset utilization? Growth?

The structure of the IT organization is an important factor in supporting a company's ability to respond to market forces and compete effectively. Clearly, IT should be organized in a way that will deliver the most value to the firm, but choosing an organizational structure is not easy. Next month, we'll examine the different organizational choices for IT so that you can determine which one will work best for your company. Is your primary strategic objective profit? Asset utilization? Growth?

The structure of the IT organization is an important factor in supporting a company's ability to respond to market forces and compete effectively. Clearly, IT should be organized in a way that will deliver the most value to the firm, but choosing an organizational structure is not easy. Next month, we'll examine the different organizational choices for IT so that you can determine which one will work best for your company. Is your primary strategic objective profit? Asset utilization? Growth?

About a year ago, Cutter Senior Consultant Alistair Cockburn and I were discussing what makes up a successful project when he asked about my personal experience in project management and what I thought were the important precursors to success.

Imagine being asked to write a job announcement for one of the management/lead positions on your agile team. You understand that this person needs to have familiarity with the specific technology and with the preferred agile methodology but are struggling with getting the "right" person. How should this person act?

After more than five years of agile software development, we understand its nuts and bolts pretty well: we know how to build software in an agile manner; we know how to set up an agile team; we have built an impressive set of powerful support tools; we know the caveats and limitations. And a year ago, the Standish Group named agile development as a major success factor in a software project.