Generally Focal Point allows product managers and development teams to get all their Features lists,
Excels, emails and product requests into a central web based repository that is easy to use and quick to setup.
If you currently manage features and requirements in Microsoft Word or Excel, it can help you to better organize, track, manage, trace and prioritize your feature lists in a structured, process oriented method.
You can export at anytime the information back into Word or Excel.
To evaluate whether your features are well defined you can build a checklist of 2-4 Yes/No questions and check each features against them.
Now, the most interesting feature of Focal Point is Prioritization. To prioritize features you articulate a set of 3-7 criterions and rank the features according to these criterions. You might find out that articulating criterions is not that simple task.
The prioritization process is iterative and criterions should be occasionally refined. Focal Point supports pairwise comparisons of your features according to each criterion in an automated 'bubble-sort' method.
Once the requirements are estimated and prioritized, you can visually evaluate the optimized set of features to plan into your next release and roadmap, as well as, build "what-if" scenarios to assist you in the decision process. This is a very powerful technique, however, it may require some preparations that might be seemed too formal.
Key Features:
Easy to use web-based central repository.
Linking & traceability between elements, such as , features, requirements, products, releases, competitors, etc...
Prioritization engine based on quantified estimations and qualitative pairwise comparisons.
Visual dynamic representations of Gap Analysis, Cost vs. Benefit, etc.
RequisitePro is a document centric repository based tool, which integrates using VBA macros with Microsoft Word as a front end. This is its big plus. It can be easly used by product managers, development and QA to gather, organize, manage, analyze and trace product requirements.
Since it is so tightly integrated with Microsoft Word and uses it as the client interface very little training is required. You can select requirement statements within the Word document and store it in RequisitePro Database. It allows defining attributes such as priority, status, release and responsibility.
RequisitePro supports all types of Requirements, like User, Product, System, Test requirements and even Use Cases.
When more advanced traceability and information manipulation is required, RequisitePro provides a DB interface to allow tracking of relationships between requirements in order to verify that high-level requirements are represented in lower level specs and as well as to understand the impact of change. This architecture is a a bit problematic in large deployments since the DB need to update the MS Word files frequently.
Key Features:
Easily supports different requirement, attribute and document types
Define queries and filters to quickly find information of interest
Uses MS Word as the user interface for a straight forward tool adaptation
Bi-directional traceability for impact analysis, coverage reports and traceability matrix
Off-line work
Robust Web interface for management and remote users
User defined views
Integration to other IBM tools
VB script API for easy customization and adaptation of the organization processes
ConsUsing MS Word and a central DB is problematic for large deployments
IBM System Architect is a comprehensive modeling solution designed to provide the tools necessary for development of successful enterprise systems.
It is the only tool to integrate, in one multi-user product, support for all areas of modeling, including business process modeling (BPM), component and object modeling with UML, data modeling, and structured analysis and design.
System Architect key benefits include:
Central model storage in SA Repository
Anchor window for model and object reuse
Powerful business analytics, such as impact analysis and heat maps
Link to business requirements, data, and services (using the SA-DOORS interface)
BPEL generation for process execution
Web business dashboards and reporting
The System Architect-DOORS interface enables you to use SA and DOORS together.
Rhapsody allows development teams to expedite system development and achieve better productivity over document centric development.
Rhapsody combines the power of model driven development methodology with the flexibility and robustness of a tool designed to enable system architect / software developers / system engineers to illustrate, simulate, and continuously validate their design, resulting in a better product while reducing time to market, controlling costand improving quality.
Rhapsody is the market leader solution for Model Driven Development of complex systems and software, if you keep missing your time to market goals, if you identify many design flaws very late in the process, if you always fall short in budget you should consider utilizing the Rhapsody approach.
Key Features:
Achieve higher level of abstraction through graphical design using UML.
Enhance collaboration and communication.
Continually test and validate your design throw real-time simulation.
Produce production code from the model via fully customizable code generation interface.
Generate system documentation and test assets from the design model.
Enable better reuse of assets.
Shorten development lifecycle while improving quality and reducing cost.
Using Open-Source & 3rd party components is a common way of accelerating the development cycle. When using such components, compliance the the components License Agreement is mandatory.
Working in distributed teams and with subcontractors, introduces a chalange to manage and enforce this important compliance requirement.
We use Black Duck Software technology to provide a complete solution to scan and build an approval process for including Open-Source.
M&A and Investment rounds: Before merging a company or investing in one, it is key to have a One-Time scan of the code in order to idetify Licenses issues that might impact the ownership of the Intellectual-Property. Many Open-Source licenses require that code using the Open-Source component will be contributed back to the community as Open-Source.
Shipment and Release of Embedded Code: Once code is embedded into a product and shipped to customers, it is practically impossible to fix a license infringement. Therefore scanning the code for unexpected components before its release is vital.
Change is an enterprise change management solution that helps improve visibility across the entire development process.
It is an integrated Web-based, change control and management solution that can help increase quality, improve accountability and provide consistent change management for software delivery.
It manages Change Requests (CRs) lifecycle. The lifecycle is the change flow that each CR is going through, and it is built by ‘States’, so that a CR moves from state to state according to that lifecycle
Key Features:
Intuitive easy to use web UI
Effective management of change across the enterprise and all domains
Has built-in lifecycle and task-based management support
Easy deployment and customization Built-in lifecycle editor
Built-in lifecycle editor
Role-based mechanism for modifying CRs
Supports automatic triggers such as mail notifications
Powerful change management reporting capabilities, including traceability, trend analysis, metrics, and graphs
Synergy is a task-based, integrated configuration management solution for global software development that brings together the global development team on a unified change, configuration and release management platform.
It coordinates all software development around a single configuration management repository, helping you achieve the benefits of Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) on a global scale.
Rational Synergy provides high-quality Software Configuration Management (SCM) capabilities to support complex development needs.
Key Features:
Task-based CM is an accepted Best Practice pioneered by TelelogicRational Synergy groups file changes with a “task”Task Based CM provides a “To Do List” interface, simplifying developer interactions
Gain clear understanding of why files have changed via their associated task information
Collaboration: support for global, distributed development with FAST access
Advanced Baseline Management facilitates communication and understanding of configuration changes
Ready to use process patterns: Built-in Processes and creating your own, Pre-defined CM workflow templates, Process definitions and guidance
Reusability support through effective Component based Development
Full integration with Rational Change: Common repository solution with Rational Change
Enterprise Change Management with Synergy and Change for Global Software and Systems Development
Industry-proven ALM integrations to Change, Requirements & Test ManagementEasy access to the needed information and operations in Synergy interfacesEclipse, VS .Net DOORS, Rhapsody, Tau, …
Scalable Team support From a small collocated small team of 3-5 engineers to very large distributed teams of several thousand developers
Rational ClearCase software system provides SCM solution including version control, facility for parallel development, automated workspace management and software auditing in the software development process.
It can be conveniently integrated IDEs(Integrated Development Environments) such as Visual Studio 6, 2005, 2008 and open source Eclipse framework.
ClearCase is well integrated with IBM Rational ClearQuest which enables software defect and change request tracking and streamlines project progress by inculcating efficient team coordination in software development process.
Besides that it can be integrated, like many other CM tools with build tools. IBM proposes Build Forge for automating synchronization of the tasks in order to reduce software building overheads.
Key Features:
Software Configuration Management and Version Control Automated workspace management - Provides control over personal workspaces
Strong Parallel development in a project - providing facility of automatic branching and advanced merging tools, enabling work on the same project, project team collaboration and co-ordination
Provision for integration with related Relational software components (ClearQuest, BuildForge and many more ) and well known IDEs System Auditing and control - facilitates meeting compliance requirements By way of tracing origin and detail of changes made to software assets
User authentication -Provides secure and controlled access to software assets
Multisite - Support for Distributing Development between sites by enabling 2 ways Replication between sitesCCRC – Remote client – lightweight client to allow connection to server remotely using HTTP protocol.
Platforms - Windows, Linux, AIX, UNIX, other variants of UNIX/Linux and Sun Solaris.
IBM Rational ClearQuest an enterprise level workflow automation tool, it provides change tracking, process automation, reporting and lifecycle traceability for better visibility and control of the software development lifecycle.
It is considered to be one of the most powerful tools in this space due to its ability to be fully customized to model any type of workflow
Key Features:
Flexible, customizable and automated workflows -Create repeatable, enforceable and predictable processes
Out-of-the-box Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) template -Provides a solid foundation for ALM best practices to boost team performance and reduce implementation time
Real-time reporting and metrics - Improves project visibility and decision making Access control, electronic signatures, repeatable processes, and audit trails - Simplifies compliance management and governance , Traces origin and detail of project changes , Verifies identities and ensures changes are made only by authorized individuals
Activity-based change management - Define and manage changes to software assets as activities for improved clarity and insight
Scales to fit any size team (from small workgroups to geographically distributed enterprises) - Support for any sized organization and evolving organizational needsLocal and remote access - Access anywhere, anytimeEasy and flexible customization - Jump start implementations with out-of-the-box templates, and quickly meet unique organizational needsIntegration with design, development, build, test and deployment tools
Manage and control changes across the lifecycle.
Integrations include Rational ClearCase (for software configuration management), Rational RequisitePro(for Requirements Management), Rational Asset Manager (to track global asset reuse), Rational Build Forge (for software assembly and builds)
Rational Quality Manager (RQM) provides QA and development teams a web-based process oriented, central repository to build, manage and execute their test plans. RQM provides a complete support for the entire testing life cycle from Test Requirement, through Test Plan, Lab Management, Test Execution and Defect Tracking.
RQM comes with built in templates for test plans, that can be adjusted to your process and work procedures. It also allows creating reports and role-based dashboards for complete visibility and analysis of project quality.
RQM contains a unique lab management module that allows to manage and monitor the lab resources and to reduce the overhead of setting and building test environments.
It support both manual execution and automated testing using Rational Functional Tester and Rational Performance Tester.
Key Features:
End to end test management support from requirements to defects
Comprehensive and customizable test plan and test processes tailored to a customer environment
Role based dashboards
Importing existing assets from Microsoft Word or Excel
ManagingTest environment and scheduling lab resources.
Reuse of test scripts when building test scenarios.
DOORS – HP QC integration provide a simple yet powerful solution for breaching the gap between requirements engineering and quality assurance, unifying two of the top software into a single organizational solution.
With the DOORS-QC integration you enable each role to continue working in his own well known domain while increase awareness and cooperation between the different aspects of the cycle.
With this solution you ensure that testing validates that the system does what is it required rather than testing that it is working as it was build!
Key Benefit:
QA can test what’s required rather than what’s been build.
Management can make decisions based on information linked directly to customer requirements, and can asses impact and risk of release candidate.
Determine system’s true test coverage.
Perform impact analysis of proposed requirements changes
Rational app scan helps organization better protect against web threats, attacks and data breach in their applications.
AppScan can be used to secure the organizational mission critical web applications and assets against potential attackers, and help development teams asses and verify their web applications against all known and unknown attacks.
Appscan delivers unprecedented simplicity and agility reducing the need for a dedicated security professional and solving the security testing bottle necks while increasing quality and reducing cost.
The different flavors of Appscan ensure tailored solution to any organizational needs, whether you need to enable simple penetration testing or embedded complex security verification and testing as part of the automatic build process appscan has it all.
AppScan incorporate automatic prioritization and remediation plan to insure a faster resolution focusing on the most critical tasks while educating the user on the specific breach raising awareness within the organization.
Key Features:
Automate security testing, throughout the lifecycle process.
Reducing security verification bottle necks.
Different solutions for different needs.
Automatic prioritization and remediation plan.
Help raise awareness of the development team to security issues.
Rational app scan helps organization better protect against web threats, attacks and data breach in their applications.
AppScan can be used to secure the organizational mission critical web applications and assets against potential attackers, and help development teams asses and verify their web applications against all known and unknown attacks.
Appscan delivers unprecedented simplicity and agility reducing the need for a dedicated security professional and solving the security testing bottle necks while increasing quality and reducing cost.
The different flavors of Appscan ensure tailored solution to any organizational needs, whether you need to enable simple penetration testing or embedded complex security verification and testing as part of the automatic build process appscan has it all.
AppScan incorporate automatic prioritization and remediation plan to insure a faster resolution focusing on the most critical tasks while educating the user on the specific breach raising awareness within the organization.
Key Features:
Automate security testing, throughout the lifecycle process.
Reducing security verification bottle necks.
Different solutions for different needs.
Automatic prioritization and remediation plan.
Help raise awareness of the development team to security issues.
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