The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) announcement last week that it plans to make nearly all of its courseware freely available on the Web generated considerable interest and media coverage, but it may be a full decade before the full ramifications of the university initiative are fully visible.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) announcement last week that it plans to make nearly all of its courseware freely available on the Web generated considerable interest and media coverage, but it may be a full decade before the full ramifications of the university initiative are fully visible.

Whether you're a small business owner considering your first Web page or a CIO who's wondering just what's wrong with your site, maybe we can help. In this Advisor, we'll use a small duct tape store to illustrate five important Web design "laws."

Whether you're a small business owner considering your first Web page or a CIO who's wondering just what's wrong with your site, maybe we can help. In this Advisor, we'll use a small duct tape store to illustrate five important Web design "laws."

"Now there is proof that the evolutionary approach to software development results in a speedier process and higher-quality [emphasis added] products." This is the tag line from a very interesting article in the Winter 2001 issue of the MIT Sloan Management Review.

With all the bad news from the stock market and the collapsing dot-com industry, it's easy to form the opinion that last year's IT shortage has turned into a glut of unemployed workers.

With all the bad news from the stock market and the collapsing dot-com industry, it's easy to form the opinion that last year's IT shortage has turned into a glut of unemployed workers.

All human endeavors face constraints. Some are anticipated, others are not. They arise from both internal and external influences and are accompanied by a degree of uncertainty. Problems or issues that could, by occurring, threaten or cause loss to a project are what really matters. Such risks are not merely internal but are also the result of the external environment.

Even the most mediocre high-school Spanish-language student is unsurprised that the Chevy Nova was not a success in Latin American countries. And it is little wonder that the Ford Pinto and the soft drink Fresca produced more adolescent giggles than sales in the same area. Unfortunate names for otherwise worthwhile products.

Even the most mediocre high-school Spanish-language student is unsurprised that the Chevy Nova was not a success in Latin American countries. And it is little wonder that the Ford Pinto and the soft drink Fresca produced more adolescent giggles than sales in the same area. Unfortunate names for otherwise worthwhile products.

I recently gave a full-day tutorial at the Applications of Software Measurement Conference in San Diego, California, USA. Two statements from audience members spoke volumes on the dilemmas IT managers face: "I'd like to hear more on negotiation and less on metrics"; and "I can't do a thing about my deadlines. I also have little leverage regarding the number of people on my team. So I'm left with a monstrous negotiation problem."