Many organizations have made enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems the backbone of their corporate transaction-processing environments. The most popular ERP systems today are the packaged enterprise applications marketed by SAP AG (SAP R/3), PeopleSoft, Inc. (PeopleSoft Human Resources), and Oracle Corporation (Oracle Applications, Oracle Financials).

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications can do wonders for replacing a variety of legacy and other disparate information systems strung out across the enterprise. The same cannot be said of their decision support, data warehousing, and business intelligence (BI) capabilities.

Most of the attention pertaining to application service providers (ASPs) has been focused on companies using them to outsource their transaction processing applications and services (Web hosting, human resources, payroll, processing, etc.). Very little discussion has taken place regarding the extent to which companies are embracing the ASP model for outsourcing their customer relationship management (CRM) operations.

Most of the attention pertaining to application service providers (ASPs) has been focused on companies using them to outsource their transaction processing applications and services (Web hosting, human resources, payroll, processing, etc.). Very little discussion has taken place regarding the extent to which companies are embracing the ASP model for outsourcing their customer relationship management (CRM) operations.

There's a debate raging in the software field, and the subject is Web development. The issue is, should Web projects be developed using the techniques of software engineering?

It almost goes without saying that it's important to get Web systems right. Not only have they come to play an increasingly important role in support-ing critical business functions, but organizations are spending increasing amounts on these systems. A recent IDC report predicted that US expenditures on Web-based initiatives would grow from US $12 billion in 1999 to $43.6 billion in 2002!

CIOs and IT managers are faced with the challenge of building Web applications in record time. Unfortunately, some of them are throwing out established software engineering practices in the process, thinking that these practices somehow unnecessarily slow down progress.

Although the development of Web applications may seem easy, it is often more complex and challenging than many of us think. In many ways, it is also different and more complex than traditional software development [6].

As the new millennium begins, we have almost come full circle in our approach to software design.

The practice of software design has evolved in interesting ways over the past 30 years, along with the complexity and the capabilities of computer software itself. In many ways, this evolution takes the form of a pendulum swinging: from very little formal software design in the beginning to the excessively detailed and documented design of software engineering in the 1980s and early 1990s.

"My hat's in the ring. The fight is on, and I'm stripped to the buff." The ringing words of Teddy Roosevelt set the theme for this and future Executive Updates. In this update, we begin our look at the issues involving the great agile versus heavy methodology fray, drawing on data from Cutter Consortium's ongoing surveys.

In this month's Executive Update, we continue our look at the issues surrounding the debate over agile versus heavy methodologies, drawing on data from Cutter Consortium's ongoing surveys.

Today's competitive economy requires companies to extract more leverage using IT at faster speeds and lower cost. Many companies respond to this pressure by making outsourcing alliances a fundamental part of their business strategy. Outsourcing is seen by companies as a way to offload perceived noncore functions in order to focus on their core skills and gain access to an outsourcing vendor's expertise.

Today's competitive economy requires companies to extract more leverage using IT at faster speeds and lower cost. Many companies respond to this pressure by making outsourcing alliances a fundamental part of their business strategy. Outsourcing is seen by companies as a way to offload perceived noncore functions in order to focus on their core skills and gain access to an outsourcing vendor's expertise.

Companies outsource for many reasons in today's competitive economy. Many are seeking speed and agility to respond to the marketplace. Others seek faster IT at lower costs or access to IT core competencies of an alliance partner, freeing them to focus on their own.

Companies outsource for many reasons in today's competitive economy. Many are seeking speed and agility to respond to the marketplace. Others seek faster IT at lower costs or access to IT core competencies of an alliance partner, freeing them to focus on their own.

A year ago, Cutter Consortium surveyed IT executives and managers about the nature of their IT outsourcing. Were they using sole source arrangements or engaging multiple service providers? How many vendors did they involve? An overwhelming 83% of respondents used more than one external service provider. In fact, most used three or more.

A year ago, Cutter Consortium surveyed IT executives and managers about the nature of their IT outsourcing. Were they using sole source arrangements or engaging multiple service providers? How many vendors did they involve? An overwhelming 83% of respondents used more than one external service provider. In fact, most used three or more.

There's a debate raging in the software field, and the subject is Web development. The issue is, should Web projects be developed using the techniques of software engineering?