Testing is an incredibly important part of any software methodology, agile or otherwise. Experience shows that testing early in development reduces the cost of fixing errors [13] because the problem isn't given the opportunity to snowball out of control.

For corporate IT departments, pressure to cut costs and improve performance has never been greater.

For corporate IT departments, pressure to cut costs and improve performance has never been greater. In most IT shops, development and support of internally developed systems account for at least half of all costs, while new projects have long wait and delivery times. The most immediate pressure is to reduce these delivery times and, if possible, the associated costs.

Is there a single action that could virtually guarantee improvement of software estimation? Well, you might say, if you knew of one, you would have implemented it already. But what if the answer were making software projects smaller and simpler? Undoubtedly, estimating a small project is easier than estimating a large one.

These three terms constantly blur together in organizations without a common risk lexicon. As such, we sometimes find ourselves using them interchangeably when, in fact, they are not synonyms. These terms represent three completely different types of project concerns (oh, great, a new term -- concern!) and are managed differently.

These three terms constantly blur together in organizations without a common risk lexicon. As such, we sometimes find ourselves using them interchangeably when, in fact, they are not synonyms. These terms represent three completely different types of project concerns (oh, great, a new term -- concern!) and are managed differently.

Projects often get into trouble because their underlying assumptions change. The healthcare company Oxford Health lost $3.4b in stock market value (and almost its entire business) in one day because it assumed its homegrown corporate financial system could support its rapid business growth.

Projects often get into trouble because their underlying assumptions change. The healthcare company Oxford Health lost $3.4b in stock market value (and almost its entire business) in one day because it assumed its homegrown corporate financial system could support its rapid business growth.

Assertion #60 from the Cutter Business Technology Council states:

Assertion #60 from the Cutter Business Technology Council states:

It has been more than 13 years since Kodak signed its landmark IT outsourcing decisions with IBM, Business Land, and DEC.

It has been more than 13 years since Kodak signed its landmark IT outsourcing decisions with IBM, Business Land, and DEC.

From an initial focus on cost reduction, IT outsourcing has become a complementary, routine mode of managing IT. Based on our own estimates, global market revenues will be US $150 billion by 2004, with 30%-35% of most large organizations' IT budgets managed by outsourcing arrangements.

From an initial focus on cost reduction, IT outsourcing has become a complementary, routine mode of managing IT. Based on our own estimates, global market revenues will be US $150 billion by 2004, with 30%-35% of most large organizations' IT budgets managed by outsourcing arrangements.