Scrum is one of the biggest process invention but it does not guarantee success. Even creators of Scrum accept that more than half of the Scrum implementation does not go well. Why is that? Scrum is critical but what is more critical than Scrum? Moving from waterfall model to Scrum is a welcoming change that makes people think in the right direction, however, this does not guarantee success.

If a person with ongoing back pain visits the doctor then doctor certainly suggests to do exercises or yoga to make body agile enough to get rid of pains. If that person is wise then he starts doing exercises and pain disappears. Exercises don't cure pain overnight. It requires a regular routine. Isn't it common to see pain appear again when exercises are stopped?

When to Use Scrum for software projects?

Scrum is a lightweight agile process framework used primarily for managing software development.

Scrum is:

The following 5 principles lay out the steps you should be following, to make sure that your projects are completed on time, and on budget, successfully.

1) Communicate

 40% of project managers cited poor communication as the leading cause if IT project failures. If everyone involved in your IT project doesn’t know what they’re working on, when it’s due, how to get itdone and who the audience is, how can you possibly expect your project to succeed? All of the other principles that come later on rely on your communication, expectations, goals, resources, deadlines, priorities, reports and budgets all need to be available to your team so that they can do their jobs properly. Yes, communicating all of these things can sometimes be difficult, particularly if it’s a short project with a tight deadline, or half of your team is located overseas. It doesn’t matter. With all of the technology readily available to us today, there is NO excuse for lack of communication. Tools like web-conferencing actually make it possible for your developer in Hyderabad to share his screen with you in New York, to demonstrate how exactly to recreate major bug in your application.

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According to the market research company, Research and Markets, US spending on IT products and services is forecasted to grow to $514.5 billion in 2010. However, the estimated cost of IT failures to the US economy is $1 trillion! Now we’re talking about IT system failures and their net affect on the companies that rely on those systems. But you can bet money on the fact that the institutions and companies experiencing these losses know the IT company who built their system. Furthermore, they’re not going to be buying from that company again, much less recommending it to their partners and contacts. In any company, large or small, your reputation is your biggest asset – you want to be in that 8% group. If your IT projects are failing, then you are not going to win the market share you need to compete in that $514.5 billion market!
The following 5 principles lay out the steps you should be following, to make sure that your projects are completed on time, and on budget, successfully. Read them, learn them, know them, teach them and then make them stick.
Principle One: Communicate
• 40% of project managers cited poor communication as the leading cause if IT project failures
If everyone involved in your IT project doesn’t know what they’re working on, when it’s due, how to get it done and who the audience is, how can you possibly expect your project to succeed?

According to the market research company, Research and Markets, US spending on IT products and services is forecasted to grow to $514.5 billion in 2010. However, the estimated cost of IT failures to the US economy is $1 trillion! Now we’re talking about IT system failures and their net affect on the companies that rely on those systems. But you can bet money on the fact that the institutions and companies experiencing these losses know the IT company who built their system. Furthermore, they’re not going to be buying from that company again, much less recommending it to their partners and contacts. In any company, large or small, your reputation is your biggest asset – you want to be in that 8% group. If your IT projects are failing, then you are not going to win the market share you need to compete in that $514.5 billion market!

The following 5 principles lay out the steps you should be following, to make sure that your projects are completed on time, and on budget, successfully. Read them, learn them, know them, teach them andthen make them stick. http://www.elementool.com/ebook/CompleteProjectsOnTime.pdf

Building test cases is about doing your best to find the worst in a program in order to deliver a quality product to the customer. Without a well-designed and executed test plan, the results can be catastrophic and very costly. For example,because of an error in the software, the first flight of the Ariane 5 rocket resulted in its complete destruction and the loss of four satellites at a cost of more than $370 million.

In the U.S. alone, software bugs cost the economy $59 billion2 back in 2002. Clearly, software defects must be found and corrected before unleashing new programs to the customer. This eBook provides you with a basic understanding of software test cases. In addition, the eBook describes proven methods for building test cases that uncover the most defects with the minimum of time, effort and money.

http://www.elementool.com/ebook/SoftwareTestCases.pdf

Ever since I came across Agile methods some years back, I have become a die-hard fan of it. I wonder, why Agile is not been accepted as Industry standard for Software development, even after having many advantages over other methods.

The answer to this question according to me is reluctance to CHANGE. Agile requires difference kind of mind-set; it is a paradigm shift as compared to traditional managed projects. Traditional Managers do not want to change from the way they are working for years i.e. they do not want to come out of there comfort zone and explore new ways to success.

I have come across many people, who by name of ‘Short Release’ become uncomfortable with Agile. I do not have any statistics, but I think, unless Agile is enforced by Customer, there would be few people / project / company, who would advocate Agile.

-Vinayak Mehta

Bringing ERP to IT Departments

In today's ever changing market place IT and Application initiatives are being developed at breakneck speeds .  IT Executives are forced to adapt to an even faster-paced environment while keeping an eye on over all progress within their departments.