Building survivable systems out of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components is a daunting task, primarily because you have little or no access to the artifacts of the software engineering process used to create the components. One way to partially compensate is to use vendor risk assessments as a tool to help you build, maintain, and evolve survivable COTS-based systems.

Building survivable systems out of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components is a daunting task, primarily because you have little or no access to the artifacts of the software engineering process used to create the components. One way to partially compensate is to use vendor risk assessments as a tool to help you build, maintain, and evolve survivable COTS-based systems.

Building survivable systems out of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components is a daunting task, primarily because you have little or no access to the artifacts of the software engineering process used to create the components. One way to partially compensate is to use vendor risk assessments as a tool to help you build, maintain, and evolve survivable COTS-based systems.

Wireless business intelligence (BI) is about delivering data access and analysis to users of cell phones and other Web-enabled devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), which are beginning to proliferate among business professionals and other mobile workers.

How do you manage a project that spans internal and external organizations and whose participants reside in multiple locations? What if the project has evolving specifications, a tight delivery time frame, and high executive visibility? The management of complex, distributed projects is an increasingly common challenge in our global and e-business-based economy.

Saving money has always been one of the drivers for considering outsourcing, but it usually fell behind more strategic motivations, such as focusing on core competencies or freeing internal staff for other initiatives. However, in these tighter economic times, more companies are turning to outsourcing as a means to reduce and control IT costs. Is it possible to save money through outsourcing? Of course!

Saving money has always been one of the drivers for considering outsourcing, but it usually fell behind more strategic motivations, such as focusing on core competencies or freeing internal staff for other initiatives. However, in these tighter economic times, more companies are turning to outsourcing as a means to reduce and control IT costs. Is it possible to save money through outsourcing? Of course!

When I was a feckless teenager, one of my weekly amusements was reading the "Spy vs. Spy" cartoon strip in Mad magazine. It was a reflection of the Cold War era in which the magazine started, and the gadgets and tricks used by the good-guy and bad-guy adversaries reflected vintage-1960s technology.

When I was a feckless teenager, one of my weekly amusements was reading the "Spy vs. Spy" cartoon strip in Mad magazine. It was a reflection of the Cold War era in which the magazine started, and the gadgets and tricks used by the good-guy and bad-guy adversaries reflected vintage-1960s technology.

I spent some time this week with the CEO of a medium-sized IT strategy/systems integration consulting firm. I've known him for a long time (since before he was CEO) and watched the company go through ups and downs. Two years ago, the firm was losing money.

I spent some time this week with the CEO of a medium-sized IT strategy/systems integration consulting firm. I've known him for a long time (since before he was CEO) and watched the company go through ups and downs. Two years ago, the firm was losing money.

Negative synergy is alive and (not) well. Smart individuals gather and produce a bad result. It happens often, and it wastes time, money, and people. There are, however, things IT managers can and should do about it.

Negative synergy is alive and (not) well. Smart individuals gather and produce a bad result. It happens often, and it wastes time, money, and people. There are, however, things IT managers can and should do about it.

Since the e-Project Advisor began, I have enjoyed reading the thought-provoking articles about speeding up the way IT delivers highly complex, mission-critical business solutions. I have read about ways to iteratively deliver value with long-term flexibility driven by a rigorous short-term practice. I have learned that collaborative, diverse teams are critical components.