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This guide is designed to help software management leaders develop a measurement roadmap inclusive of metrics and measures that are linked to the strategic and mission-critical goals of the business or organization.

Performance Benchmark Process

The multistep Performance Bechmark Process facilitates an organization or a line of business in coming to a consensus on the most important goals and values for IT to focus on. This is done by measuring a sample of project-related data and analyzing the information for comprehensive insight into your IT organization’s productivity and quality performance. Benchmarks compare an organization’s baseline against a new baseline and/or industry baselines to determine if change has occurred (time series) or whether change is required (comparison to industry data).

Measurement Roadmap Process Description and Process Flow

This document describes the steps that are necessary to successfully complete the measurement roadmap.

Are CMM Program Investments Beneficial?

A review of the literature on CMM program investments indicates that they improved
performance consistently for seven common softwaredevelopment metrics.

The Business Value of IT (Abstract)

This is an abstract from The Business Value of IT: Managing Risks, Optimizing Performance, and Measuring Results.

In this abstract, you will learn: 1) How information technology (IT) adds value to your
business; 2) How to measure and demonstrate that value; and 3) Why your business
personnel and your IT team members must have a close working relationship.

Managing the IT Capability: Intel Case Study

With the development of a comprehensive framework for Enterprise Architecture Management, Intel’s pilot test study was of significant benefit in understanding the gap between Intel’s EAM areas of importance and their performance. This has allowed Intel to focus its strategy at closing these gaps and improving overall performance.

About IT-CMF

This article provides an overview of the IT-CMF.

Functional Sizing Methods Comparison

The most common Functional Size Measurement (FSM) Methods compared to each other.

The Four Pillars of PMO Performance Tip Sheet

The DCG Webinar, Strategies and Tactics for Improved PMO performance discussed the four pillars needed to close the Gap towards high performance. This is the tip sheet from that section of the Webinar.

CISQ Fall Status Report

Read the latest status report from the Consortium for Software Quality.

IT CMF Review by DCG UK

At a recent meeting of CIOs in Germany, a CIO posed a question, “I am trying to develop an IT strategy for our company, but I can’t get the board to decide on a business strategy. How can I solve that problem?” This article, by one of DCG's most experienced practitioners, supplies a review and analysis of the IT-CMF. The IT-CMF framework may answer the question posed, not necessarily as a cure-all solution, but as a powerful set of practices equipping executive leadership for higher performance.

IT-CMF Executive Overview

There is more to IT then IT. Leveraging and optimizing the value of technology amid competing forces challenges many CIOs and their staff. DCG's introduction of The IT Capability Maturity Framework to it key US clients provides innovative and leading edge knowledge and practices backed by corporate experience and solid research. This executive summary is an entry gate for leaders looking to take their companies in new directions.

IT-CMF Case Study: Intel (Enterprise Arch Mngmt)

Intel’s need for an Enterprise Architecture Management Framework grew as the Intel EA programme had undergone changes in the past two years with four autonomous EA teams reorganised under one Chief Architect/Director. A dedicated team was created to develop standard practices and to develop consistent roadmaps which were more tightly integrated with Business and IT planning. The Intel team needed a framework to provide a comprehensive yet simple value based model for organising, evaluating, planning and managing Capabilities. Read this case study on how the IT-CMF helped Intel make the changes necessary to optimize value from their EAM function.

IT-CMF Case Study: Chevron (IT Innovation Management)

Chevron has a rich history of innovation and ingenuity is one of Chevron’s core values. The Chevron culture is a creative, innovative one and innovation has been critical to Chevron’s success. As the challenges to meet the world’s energy demands continue to grow, innovation will be that much more important to Chevron’s future. IT supports many of the processes that underpin creative breakthroughs. IT also crosses business boundaries. But with increasing demands for IT to deliver more for less it is important to ensure that capabilities for innovation are in place and that innovation is focused to truly add value. Chevron IT was interested in measuring the value that IT can deliver through investment in innovation. Read this case study and learn how the Chevron Innovation Working Group defined a unique framework for assessing and managing IT Innovation as part of the IT-CMF.

Agile Best Practices and Future- DCG Trusted Advisor Report

What is the current best practice on agile software development and what does the future hold? This scope of this DCG Trusted Advisor Report for September 2011 includes: Our focus, as always, is to respond to the question at hand. That means making some assumptions: - Readers are familiar with the agile SDLC’s and lean development concepts - Agile is more than just SCRUM - Hybrids of more than one framework are required to be efficient and agile Read on...

IT-CMF Critical Process Roadmap

The IT-CMF Critical Processes Roadmap provides a more detailed review of the four major domains of managing IT for value. These include managing IT as a business, managing the IT budget for maximum effect, managing IT capability for optimal performance and managing IT as a portfolio of benefits.

IT-CMF Case Study: British Petroleum (BP) (Enterprise Arch Mngmt)

BP’s need for Architecture Management across a wide large organization became more and more of an issue with growth. BP operates within a federated structure of Architecture with a consolidated Group EA function responsible for setting group-level technical standards and coordinating architecture activities across all the business facing IT teams. Each major business unit has an embedded IT function (Integrated Supply & Trading, Exploration and Production and Refining and Marketing) with a Chief Architect who is responsible for embedding local Architecture Management practices. Read this case study on how the IT-CMF helped BP in leveraging economies of scale and realize other benefits.

Harris Heirarchy of Software Development

Presented at the SERP'11 - The 2011 International Conference on Software Engineering Research and Practice, World Congress on July 20, 2011.

DCG Trusted Advisor: IEEE Report on Estimation Too

This is a review of the IEEE Report on Estimation Tools. It is part of the webinar, Estimation, Estimation Maturity and Functional Metrics.

Identifying Your Organizations Best Practices 2010

Best Practice is a term thrown around a lot these days. Most organizations that remain in business are in some ways executing some best practices; therefore, they must be doing something right and doing the "best" they can. Or are they? This article clears up some confusion on the term best practice and provides some guidelines on how you can identify what are your best practices that can truly help your business.

Process Improvement for All: What to Expect from C

From CrossTalk Jan/Feb Issue, 2010. - The next release of the CMMI Product Suite—an approach that provides organizations with the essential elements of effective processes that ultimately improve their performance—is expected in November 2010. This Version 1.3 (V1.3) release includes improvements to CMMI for Development (CMMI-DEV), CMMI for Acquisition (CMMI-ACQ), and CMMI for Services (CMMI-SVC) models all during the same development cycle. This cycle also includes improvements to the appraisal method (SCAMPI) and CMMI-related training. The improvements planned for CMMI models do not require major changes or retraining for those currently using CMMI.

Engineering Reviews made more effective

The later you find a software defect, the exponentially more expensive it gets to fix. That’s the most quoted statistic in software engineering. The sooner you find and fix software defects the better off you are. So why don’t we do formal inspections, aka code reviews, find problems early, fix them fast, and take the weekends off? This article examines the benefits of extending human expertise using Smart Automation.

Six Rookie Mistakes in Vendor Management

Outsourcing is about adding a competitive link to your ‘VALUE CHAIN,’ not just a cheap cog in your supply chain. At the end of the day you must have added value that supports your business objectives. This article talks about avoiding mistakes common to organizations that are new to outsourcing.

Function Point Modeler Analysis: A white paper

The purpose of this paper is to give you an overview of the new International Software Benchmarking Standard Group (ISBSG) database import interface for Function Point Modeler™ Enterprise Edition. It also details the process of the ISBSG database import and provides an example.

The Value Tetrahedron

This paper introduces the concept of the Value Tetrahedron, one which has been developed for business use of software metrics. The Value Tetrahedron enables a business to understand the balance between technical debt and software development performance based on software metrics where technical debt is the inherent indebtedness of an organization due to deviations from technical and architectural standards and uncleared known and unknown defects. The concept of the Value Tetrahedron allows an organisation to make informed decisions about the level of technical debt that it is willing to carry within its systems and portfolio.

Function Points have Changed! Now 4.3

Version 4.3 – What does it mean to you? There are two facets of the CPM v 4.3 that become evident when one studies the changes from 4.2: (1) The structure and wording of the CPM have changed significantly, however (2) The counting process, and the ensuing results, have not changed significantly. Specifically, CPM 4.2 was revised into 4.3 to further clarify the existing rules, delete redundancies, be more succinct and less ambiguous, provide more examples and clarification, and to align with the ISO standards. The restructure of the 4.2 CPM (4 parts) into the 4.3 version (5 parts) resulted in a publication which is now 100% ISO compliant. A summary of the 5 parts is further outlined in this article.

Second Opinion on Estimates

How does that old joke go? A fellow walks into the doctor’s office with a bad stomachache. The doctor examines him and says I think you need your appendix out. The patient says, ‘I want a second opinion’ and the doctors says ‘…and I think you’re ugly’. Badda-boom. Okay, so maybe it isn’t so funny anymore. Well neither is a project estimate that is ill-conceived, resulting in misrepresented delivery expectations. There are times when a second opinion estimate is critical to the on-time, on-budget delivery of software and to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction.

Agile Estimation Using Functional Metrics White Pa

Estimation has been a lightning rod for the discussion all methods (agile, waterfall, iterative or water fountain) with the issues of predictability and standardization radiating outward. Because of the controversy this is an area where a wide range of hybridization has always occurred. Organizations adjust techniques to fit governance structures, culture and risk profiles. There is no one size fits all solution. This paper provides a path for incorporating the use of function points into agile estimation techniques. The process will yield an estimation process that combines one part functional metrics, one part parametric estimation techniques with two parts agile estimation (heavily influenced by Mike Cohn).

Toxic Applications: Defuse your Timebombs

Toxic applications should be every C-level executive’s worst nightmare, but few are even aware of them or the dangers they pose. Yet, C-level executives are ones held accountable to stockholders, regulators, and customers when these time bombs explode and destroy business value. This paper introduces the concept of toxic applications and explains why C-level executives need to pay attention to them now. It provides actionable guidelines for engaging in productive dialogue with IT management to make the right riskcost- benefit tradeoffs for significantly improving the business value of mission critical applications.

One Size Fits...Someone other than Me

Changing human behavior and software engineering mechanics is a messy business despite the theorists’ best efforts to define a single model that can best guide organizations. This is because both are inherently non-linear, if for no other reason than humans are involved. It is well known that any system no matter how carefully constructed is inherently non-linear if it includes humans and that combining two or more non-linear systems will yield chaos (eventually). To read more, download now.

Turning perfectly good words into numbers

Have you ever been presented with a set of requirements and been asked to size and estimate the project? Turning Perfectly Good Words into Numbers presents a set of semantic techniques for converting software requirements into function points (size) much earlier in the development lifecycle than thought possible. Quick and Early Function Points, and extension of standard function point analysis techniques, provide a basis for applying many of the same techniques for sizing that would work anytime in a project. Sizing quickly and early in the life cycle using concepts you learned in grade school like sentence diagramming from English class creates a scenario for estimators and project managers where life could not get much better!

Extracting Real Value from Process Improvement

Presented at the 13th Annual International Software Conference on Quality, this presentation discusses the various process improvement and productivity models and how to extract value from whichever model you choose

Why can't we estimate better?

Everyone agrees that software estimating continues to be an ongoing problem for IT managers. Sometimes there is a perception that an estimation model is a black box with a magic process from which the absolute answer appears, when indeed, an estimate is just that – an estimate. We need to reframe our thinking about estimating and view it as a vehicle to manage customer and management expectations based on the best available information at that point in time.

Developing the Future CIO

A recent report from the Society for Information Management Advanced Practices Council, “Grooming the 2010 CIO", predicted a shortage of qualified CIOs in the years ahead. In this thought-provoking article learn to spot potential CIOs and help your organization prepare for the future.

Are CMM Program Investments beneficial?

A review of the literature on CMM program investments indicates that they improved performance consistently for seven common software development metrics. Article by Daniel Galin, Ruppin Academic Center; Motti Avrahami, Lipman Electronic Engineering. Copyright 2006 IEEE Software Nov/Dec Issue, available here by permission from IEEE Software.

VENDOR SELECTION: A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

When asked about their recent outsourcing experiences, most company representatives say selecting the right vendor is paramount to success. But how can you be sure you have the right vendor to meet your needs?

METRICS AND GOVERNANCE IN OUTSOURCING

Successful outsourcing arrangements require that all parties pay continuous attention to the goals of the engagement. But the phrase "continuous attention" is nearly an oxymoron, given the differing corporate cultures, short attention spans, and competing channels of information involved in outsourcing. Contracts often contain one or more tools intended to focus the parties' attention, typically as a portion of the governance covenantts. The tools currently in vogue include metrics, service-level agreements, balanced scorecards, and CMMI goals.

PROPERLY FRAMING SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS

Service level agreements (SLAs) are one of the most critical components of an outsourcing arrangement. When properly designed and executed, SLAs drive desired behaviors, monitor performance and guide the governance of contractually agreed objectives...

A PRESCRIPTIVE TEMPLATE FOR OUTSOURCING

The Software Engineering Institute's (SEI) Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI(R)) identifies tasks and activities that provide a framework for advancing an organization to various levels of process reengineering and maturity.....

Controlling Software Acquisition Costs With Functi

Too often, organizations that contract for software development services are at the mercy of vendors for cost and schedule estimates. Once a program office releases a request for proposal (RFP) for software development, it must somehow evaluate the validity of cost and schedule estimates that come back with the proposals. Or, a program might have a limited budget or schedule but not a clear understanding of what amount of development is actually feasible within these limitations. This article proposes an approach that can help buyers of software take control of this situation by providing the ability to objectively evaluate software development proposals, select the best value for their needs, and effectively manage acquisition costs from kickoff to product delivery. Reprinted by permission of the author

Using Peer Review Data to Manage Defects

Peer reviews, in particular software inspections, have become accepted within the software industry as a cost effective way of removing defects as early as possible in the software development cycle.[1] The peer review process is also quite easy to measure. However, relatively few software project managers take an active interest in the data from the peer reviews taking place on their project and miss a golden opportunity to identify potential product defect issues and take corrective action. This article describes one way in which peer review data can be utilized for managing software defects in much the same way cost and schedule data are used to manage project budget and schedule commitments.

FP Counting in a Real-Time Environment

This article addresses the IFPUG extension of Function Points as a metric into the real-time systems environment. The Function Point metric is currently being applied successfully as a measurement tool by a large number of organizations in the real-time environment.

Managing Organizational Change

Webinar presentation slides

Agile & Declaration of Interdependence: A new appr

There has been much said and written about the mythical “conflict” between the values and principles of the Manifesto for Agile Software Development and those of Software Process Improvement embodied in Models such as CMMI. However, there is increasing experience (and evidence at SEPG and other conferences) that shows that both sets of values and principles can be combined to deliver more value to an enterprise than either one on its own. A less well known descendant of the Agile Manifesto is the Declaration of Interdependence (DOI) (www.pmdoi.org) which seeks to extend the Agile Manifesto to non-software products, project management and management in general.

Put me in Coach I am ready to play!

Have you noticed an increase in the number of articles on professional and personal coaching? What exactly is professional and personal coaching? Who are these coaches, and who is getting coached? To learn more about coaching, download this article.

Customer Satisfaction – Measuring the Rate

There are any number of reasons why IT organizations execute a formal customer satisfaction survey. Regardless of the reason the goal is to transfer measurement of customer satisfaction from a post-facto critique into a proactive process improvement tool. Read how DCG helped a key client measure customer satisfaction as a measure of process improvement.

How coaching helps IT Teams

This presentation from the DCG webinar of the same name, outlines how team and executive coaching can help distributed teams align across geographic and cultural boundaries to improve their performance.

Improved Performance...From Process Improvement

This article, Improved Performance Should be Expected from Process Improvement, was originally published in the Software Tech News, Vol. 10, No. 1, March 2007. Improved performance in software development can be achieved by investing in best software development practices. Results can be measured by reduced project duration, decreased effort and better delivered product quality. This article will discuss how one organization identified the improvements by using a combination of quantitative measures and qualitative values. Based on the knowledge gained, the organization has utilized the results to advance their process improvement programs and improve their development practices throughout.

Defining ITIL Key Performance Indicators

Implementing ITIL yields many benefits as a common language, service structure and methodology are applied to your IT processes. Adding key performance indicators to ITIL helps you quantitatively manage your ITIL processes at a high level. To view this presentation in a recorded webinar, go to the NEWS/Webinar Archive section of the DCG website.

Effective Measures for Project Managers

Software Project Managers have many responsibilities ranging from managing customer expectations to directing internal resources towards a successful software build. That said, their easiest path to a quiet life is to design, develop and deploy software on time, on budget and with a high degree of quality. Why, then, do industry publications continue to unveil stories about failed projects and the financial impact they have had on the organization? Of course, not all projects fail. When we do read about successes we learn that these projects were well managed and effectively controlled. So what is missing or what is the gap between project success and project failure?

The Miracle in Detroit: Putting the ROI into ITIL

How do you put the ROI in ITIL? That is the question many IT organizations are grappling with today. This article is based on conversations with IT executives in Fortune 2000 companies, all of whom see value in using the ITIL framework, but are trying to figure out where to start, how to quantify benefits, how to justify it at a business level and how to make a smooth transition into an ITIL world. We were on a quest to find the answer and one day, sitting in the office of a senior executive at one of the largest companies in Detroit, the answer presented itself. We call this the “Miracle in Detroit” and we want to share it with you.

Myths of Outsourcing - Cutter Consortium

As organizations use outsourcing to manage numerous factors ranging from cost containment to capacity management, it’s clear that the use of sourcing as both a tactical and strategic tool is not a short-term phenomenon. Time and experience have led to the accumulated outsourcing lore, which is based on a mix of opinions, facts, and urban myths. This Executive Report aims to help separate fact from fiction.

CAI State of the Practice Interview

Read this informative interview with DCG founder and industry expert, David Herron

News Story on CCH Canada Appraisal by DCG

Copyright "The Bottom Line" December 2006. Read about CCH's Canada's successful experience in getting to CMMI Level 3 with DCG help.

Identifying your Organizaton's Best Practices

Published in CrossTalk Magazine, this detailed article discusses how organizations strive to improve the design, development, and delivery of software solutions and depend on an effective combination of processes, tools, and methods. Finding the right combination requires careful analysis of the variables that influence gains in productivity and quality. By utilizing industry benchmark data and performance indicators, organizations can collect and analyze their own data to determine the combination of processes, tools, and methods that provide the greatest impact on their performance. This article reports on three client case studies that incorporated various measurement techniques to determine best practices.

IT Metrics and Benchmarking Vol 2

This issue of Cutter IT Journal is a follow-on to the prior Vol 1 issue, which offered ideas on the management, development, implementation, and maintenance of IT metrics. In this issue we introduce process improvement and guidance on the management, development, implementation, and maintenance of a measurement process that recognizes process improvement.

Introduction to Function Points

The industry standard metric of software functional size is clearly explained in this updated article published recently in software industry journals and magazines. Recently published in the DOD Software Tech News, June 2006, Vol. 9, #2 Issue.

IT Metrics and Benchmarking Vol 1

Many organizations today are attempting to realize the benefits of IT metrics and benchmarking — some successfully and some not so successfully. This edition includes various articles from experienced practiioners who share these useful experiences for the readers benefit.

FP Lite - An Alternative Approach to Sizing

Past criticisms of FPA have included concerns that it takes to long; it requires too much detail; it is too difficult to implement; and it costs too much. A recent study has shown that an adaptation of the FPA methodology – FP Lite™ – is a reasonable alternative to the detailed FPA method, and in fact, addresses many of the criticisms that have been levied in the past. This paper introduces the FP Lite™ methodology in correlation with two studies designed to statistically understand the accuracy of the FP Lite™ methodology in contrast to the detailed FPA method.

Principles of Sizing and Estimating Using Function

Understand the basic principles of sizing and estimating as related to using the function point metric. Originally published in the DOD Software Tech News, June 2006, Vol. 9, #2 Issue.

Case Studies

Major Energy Utility Company Engages David Consulting Group to Measure the Impact of its Information Technology and Improve Overall Business Operations

The Information Technology team at a major energy utility company located in the mid-Atlantic region wanted to ensure that it was providing optimum, noticeable value to its business units, as well as the overall company. With the understanding that defining value requires measurements that can be tracked over time, the team reached out to David Consulting Group, based on its reputation and expertise in software metrics.

Ultimately, DCG helped the team to focus the engagement on answering the question: How can we measure our activities, from project delivery to operations support, and utilize that measurement system over time for improved value and reporting?

Equity Capital Firm Engages David Consulting Group to Improve Agile Implementation and Show Measureable Benefits to Business Partners

One of the world’s largest and most successful global equity capital firms struggled with its Agile adoption. The benefits associated with Agile were sporadic and key deadlines were missed. DCG took the IT teams through its Agile JumpStart program – hands-on, real-time training customized to accelerate Agile adoption. The result? An increased ability to manage resources, meet deadlines and provide measureable progress results to the business.

David Consulting Group Works with a Major Financial Self-service, Security and Services Corporation to Assess its Agile Program and Provide Recommendations for Improvement

A major financial self-service, security and services corporation wanted to assess its Agile processes and identify areas for improvement. DCG’s appraisal process assessed the company’s current practices to the twelve Agile principles, as well as a standard set of process areas synthesized from an analysis of current Agile methods. DCG’s appraisal confirmed the company’s concern that it was not following Agile best practices and offered key recommendations for improvement.

David Consulting Group Utilizes Function Point Analysis to Size and Evaluate the Performance of an IT Vendor for a Global Financial Solutions Provider, Resulting in Increased Vendor Oversight

A large global banking corporation works with a number of third-party vendors in order to complete key projects in an efficient manner. As a result, the company brought DCG on board to size and evaluate the work that had been completed to-date, resulting in an estimation of how long that piece of work should have taken. This engagement highlighted a typical business problem wherein projects are not meeting agreed-upon parameters. In cases such as these, Function Point Analysis proves to be a useful tool in measuring and evaluating software projects, providing solid data on how long a project should realistically take.

Podcasts Subscribe to our Podcast Feed

Technical Debt Q&A with Mike Harris

In this Q&A, Mike Harris, CEO of David Consulting Group, discusses the issue of technical debt. This Q&A is an addition to the Trusted Advisor report, "What is Technical Debt and What Should We Do About It?" To read the report, please join Trusted Advisor, our free, members-only forum that addresses issues faced by professionals in the Application Development and Maintenance field. Each month David Consulting Group produces a brief research report addressing a question submitted by a member. Join now.

What Is Technical Debt and What Should We Do About It?

Listen to Mike Harris, CEO of David Consulting Group, read the April 2013 Trusted Advisor Report, "What is Technical Debt and What Should We Do About It?" To read the report, please join Trusted Advisor, our free, members-only forum that addresses issues faced by professionals in the Application Development and Maintenance field. Each month David Consulting Group produces a brief research report addressing a question submitted by a member. Join now.

Presentations

Using CMMI to Improve Your Software Development Capability

This presentation provides an overview of the CMMI, primarily focusing on aspects of successful implementation and sustainment. It also describes senior management's role in implementing and sustaining CMMI-based process improvment.

CMMI V 1.3 Appraisals

This presentation outlines what you should expect from a CMMI appraisal.

CMMI and Agile

CMMI and Agile can work together - here's how.

IT-CMF: Benefit and Analysis Overview

Learn more about the IT Capability Maturity Framework and how it can work for your ogranization.

Introduction to IT-CMF Financial Critical Capabilities

Learn more about the financial critical capabilities in the IT-CMF.

2013 IVI Winter Summit Financial CC Report

DCG's Michael Harris, member of the IVI US Chapter, presented information about the Financial Critical Capability Working Group, its charter, activities and responsibilities to assembled IVI members at the Winter Summit.

ISMA 2012 DCG Innovation Award Winner Presentation

The Business Process Functional Layer and Function Points.

IT-CMF Benefits Analyis and Overview

What value is IT contributing beyond blinking lights? How can the IT Budgeting process become a tool for creating value? How much of the IT capability is used to create new competitive value or simply to keep the wheels spinning? What economic and innovative business value is IT contributing? You may be interested in one or all of these questions and if so, then this presentation and the companion Webinar replay will take you through a discussion of the IT-Capabilities Maturity Framework and how it addresses these questions to help an organization leverage more value from Information Technology.

How World Class Organizations Automate Productivity

Experts from CAST and DCG explain how to proactively manage risk while optimizing the value you bring to the business. Learn how adding application quality measurements into the assessment process can ensure project deliverables meet requirements and expectations. Listen to the webinar these slides originated from.

Agile Jumptart: Adapting Agile to your organization's culture for real performance gains”

Has Agile really taken hold and improved delivery and quality as promised? Have you started, then stopped, then fallen back to old patterns? Are you really doing SCUMFALL as opposed to leveraging Agile methods that will work for you? These companisn slides to the webinar provide a briefing on DCG's Agile Jumpstart giving your Application Development leadership an approach to accelerate Agile adoption for real gains in change and productivity.

Applying Agile in a CMMI World

Can Agile working with CMMI? Does CMMI preclude using Agile? Download this slide deck which is the companion to the webinar recording available on the DCG website at this link. http://www.davidconsultinggroup.com/news/webinar.aspx

IT-CMF Overview for the IT-FMA Conference

Are you managing your IT like a business? Does your IT financial management add value or simply account for the costs? The IT-CMF Framework gives CFOs and CIO tools and language to mature their IT financial management processes and capabilities to add value to the organization. This overview, presented at the IT-FMA April Conference in San Francisco gives a concise and workable summary of what steps an organization can take to get to the next level.

IT-CMF Executive Assessment Overview (Webinar Slides)

An IT-CMF Executive Assessment is the first step in understanding the gaps between your current state of IT maturity and where you want to go to improve your performance. Listen to the webinar and download these slides to learn more about how the IT-CMF will help you get more IT value.

Software Metrics: Roadmaps only work when everyone is heading in the same direction

What makes an organization noncompetitive? Pulling in different directions especially in how you measure software performance. Learn how DCG's Measurement Roadmap gives software leaders the tools to align tactical metrics with strategic objectives using a consensus building approach. For organization's struggling to measure and manage effectively across multiple lines of business, this roadmap could chart a way to do more and move forward. Slides from Webinar presented by Tom Cagley and Tony Timbol.

Using the CMMI for Business-Part 1

These slides, given during the webinar, discuss using the CMMI for improving business performance. This was co-presented with SEI's Mike Konrad on 2/23/2012.

Using the CMMI for Business-Software Horizons Part 2

These slides discuss the Software Horizons for CMMI given during the webinar, Using the CMMI for Improving Business Performance co-presented with DCG's Pat Eglin on 2/23/2012

Estimation Clinic Preview Quest 2012

This preview of the Quest 2012 DCG Estimation Clinic outlines what will be covered in the half day session in Chicago May 1, 2012. Methods, Maturity and Money are the three major areas of discussion.

Functional Metrics 2012-Driving Strategic Change at the Executive level

These webinar companion slides outline how data is used to help drive strategic change. How Functional metrics allow you to measure effectively in the drive for change is reviewed and discussed.

Manage IT like a Business: What you need to know...an IT-CMF Executive Overview

The IT Capability Management Framework (IT-CMF) is an innovation and value approach that changes the way IT contributes to the business. Don't let the cloud and commoditization limit your technology horizons. Learn to go beyond being a cost center and understand how IT can contribute at every step of the value chain. These slides are a companion to the webinar.

Better Estimation, Better Decisions

A project manager makes many important decisions throughout the life of a project. Decisions regarding resources, expenses, and schedules are just a small part of what they are being asked to manage. Many of the decisions a project manager makes are dependent upon having good information and being able to use that information to produce realistic plans and estimates. In this webinar, David Herron will examine what information is necessary to produce realistic estimates allowing for better and more informed decisions. These slides accompany the Better Estimation, Better Decisions Webinar.

The Magical World of Measurement: DCG Innovation Award Winner 2011

This was the winning presentation of the DCG Innovation Award given every year at ISMA. Gordana Kis, CSQA of the Bank of Montreal was the 2011 winner.

Strategies and Tactics for improved PMO performance

This presentation and companion Webinar provides an update on latest PMO researach and outlines the four best practices that lead to higher PMO performance.

CMMI 1.3 Appraisals-What you need to know

Learn what you need to know about the new sampling factors and team requirements for V1.3 appraisals. This webinar will review appraisal basics to help you get started. You will walk through the objectives of an appraisal and learn how to identify the scope of the organization.

KanBan Can Can!

Can lean principles be applied to Software Development? What would plant floor waste minimization, just in time systems teach software artists about being more productive? This presentation and companion webinar recording provide a fascinating perspective to these questions.

Agile Estimation using Functional Metrics

This is the companion presentation to the Agile Estimation Using Functional Metrics Webinar presented on July 14, 2011. See Webinar page on DCG website for audio replay.

CMMI and Agile

The CMMI and Agile relationship can be cooperative and not a source of conflict. How? Tom Cagley explains in this presentation and companion webinar how Agile is more structured than you think and CMMI is more flexible than you can imagine. In fact, both can benefit your process improvement actions.

Estimation Workshop Preview

This presentation previews the DCG 3 day Estimation Seminar/Workshop provided to companies to help them transform their estimation practices from functional to world class. Everyone has an estimation process in place but taking it to the next level of higher performance requires a structured change initiative that must be driven internal to be successful. Listen to the audio recording of this webinar in the webinar archive section.

Strategies and Tactics for improved PMO performanc

Effective PMO's share four basic advanced practices that help close the gap towards higher performance. This presentation and companion webinar provide background and information on proven strategies and tactics.

PMOs are from Mars, Agile is from Venus

PMOs and Agile groups can work together cooperatively despite their inherent different roles. Tom Cagley discusses how to listen and integrate the different voices in the organization to improve effectiveness.

Measurement Roadmap Fundamentals-Less is more

Effective measurement requires fewer measures! But to make it so, they have to be linked to organizational goals or they have no value. Tom Cagley discusses how to make sure what you are measuring will lead to better decision making for you and your organization.

Function Point Fundamentals for Executive Leadersh

This is a simple, basic overview of function points benefits and uses for executive leadership.

How the PMO can Help Agile

A question that seems to be circulating within IT organizations these days is whether or not the Project Management Office (PMO) roles and responsibilities are adaptable to supporting agile projects. Do the traditional PMO practices fit the agile models such as scrum or feature-driven development? This presentation will serve to advance that discussion by presenting observations from recent client experiences as well as sharing some of the current thinking on the subject of PMO’s and their role in supporting agile.

Advanced FP Training Overview

Becoming a more proficient function point counter means keeping up with the ever-changing technology landscape. This brief overview, presented in the DCG Webinar, provides function point counters an understanding of what training they would receive in the DCG Advanced Function Point training course. Presented by Sheila Dennis, VP and CFPS

PMO Survey Finding Results

DCG Research on PMO activities produces insightful data on PMOs' their nature, value contribution and list of activities. These slides and the companion webinar are publically available

Functional Metrics-Driving Strategic Change at the

Using data to drive decisions sounds easy but creating lasting changes requires consensus around a solid set of facts. This webinar and these slides present how functional metrics can help drive strategic change.

What you need to know about CMMI V 1 3

The new CMMI 1.3 specification updates the 1.2 standard. Is your organization ready for the changes? This webinar, by SEI Certified instructor Pat Eglin, outlines the changes in the 1.3 standard and how it could affect your organization.

Measurement Roadmap-How to do with less

DCG's Measurement Roadmap gives software leaders the tools to align tactical metrics with strategic objectives using a consensus building approach. For organization's struggling to measure and manage effectively across multiple lines of business, this roadmap could chart a way forward. These slides are from the recent webinar, whose recording is also available.

PMO Broken Promises: Strategies and Tactics for im

This presentation outlines why the PMO concept has not always contributed to improved performance and how these insights can help you craft strategies and tactics to raise your level of project performance and develop a more mature and effective PMO. See the companion Webinar replay.

Preparing for Portofolio Management Success

Preparing your organization for the cultural and technical change that a Portfolio Management System brings is a challenge. Whether you are implementing a tool or creating process, there are best practices that can support your success before you buy or start. Spend 30 minutes with the Tom Cagley for a review of the best practices in Portfolio management preparation. It will provide you perspective and insight you may not have thought of. Presented by Tom Cagley and Tony Timbol.

Engineering Reviews Made Easier

DCG and CAST Software will show how a consensus Application Engineering Review analysis of your application portfolio (or subset) will support improved product quality and faster time to market. Get everyone talking on the same page and moving in the same direction. A Webinar replay is available along with these slides.

An Emerging Global Definition of Quality

Quality? What does it mean? A more complex question than you realize. Often, organizations define quality in local, tribal terms that can help but limits valuable comparison to other best practices. DCG is part of the CISQ - Consortium for IT Software Quality providing expertise and industry input. In this brief webinar, David Consulting Group (DCG) provides an update on CISQ progress and how the outcomes of this initiative can help organizations improve quality now by asking the same questions the CISQ community is asking itself.

DCG Measurement Roadmap: Doing more with fewer mea

PMO Best Practices Closing the Performance Gap

Project Management Offices - A great idea made ineffective by poor execution. Great PMOs help organizations get things done. Unfortunately, industry studies show that most PMO's have become PAOs, project administrator offices, lacking influence to help projects meet tactical and strategic objectives. Learn how your PMO can become great by closing the gap on performance with proven best practices.

Functional Metrics and Early Estimation

A CAI ITMPI presentation by DCG's Tom Cagley on Functional Metrics for application development and how early estimation can help your organizations improved portfolio management.

Function Point Fundamentals and DCG University

A brief introduction to function points, its uses and benefits and a tour of the DCG University learning portal.

Trust but Verify: Using on-off Estimation

Improving on-time delivery is depended on many factors. Starting the project off right with an estimate that everyone believes is real and not a wild guess helps set proper momentum. These webinar slides discuss the importance of effective estimation and how th DCG Estimation on Demand Service can help you advance your on-time delivery goals.

Mastering Software Project Management

Learn more about Tom Cagley's and Murali Chemuturi's contribution to the Software Project Management body of knowledge. The new book is available today at Amazon.com A webinar replay is also available along with these slides.

BenchMarkGPS: Lower your cost of performance

DCG's BenchmarkGPS provides a roadmap to lower the cost of performance measurement thereby helping you make better decisions using less data. Less is more! This webinar outlines a path for incorporating this practice of targeted performance measurement at much lower costs. A Webinar replay is available along with these slides

Effective Estimation: Tips, Tools and Techniques

This presentation address issues concerning effective estimation. A Basic Estimating Model is discussed along with common sense techniques, use of historical and industry data and automated/on-demand estimation. This was first presented on CAI ITMPI Webinar on 3/10/2010.

Quick and Early Function Points: Measure Early

Sizing quickly and early in the life cycle using concepts you learned in grade school creates a scenario for estimators and project managers where they can turn early requirement WORDS into NUMBERS. How easy is that! These slides and the companion webinar replay are available also at the webinar page on the DCG website.

Function Points have Changed! FP 4.3, What you nee

These webinar presentation slides provide information on the important changes to the CPM 4.2 standard which now is updated to 4.3.

CMMI for Small Business

These slides were from the CMMI for Small Business webinar where we showed you how you can quickly and economically achieve the necessary CMMI maturity level with our newly designed CMMI for Small Businesses program. Included in this session will be a review of the CMMI compliant artifacts, tools and techniques we provide to help you jump start your CMMI initiative.

Automated Function Point Counting is Useful Now!

Presented at the Best Practices Conference, Paris, France, Nov. 2009, this discussion focused on the state of the industry regarding automated function point counting and options available to companies looking to leverage this best practice method.

Esitmating On-Demand: Better Information, Better D

Have you ever had a project come in late or over budget? Of course you have, and you’re not alone Are unrealistic schedules imposed upon you? Many companies have indicated to us that this is a problem Is the accuracy of your project estimates questionable? What would your customers say? Very few organizations have effective sizing and estimating practices. The reasons are many and so are the excuses. These slides were presented in a DCG University webinar and presents an economical and realistic solution to your estimating woes. Estimating on demand is a service that can provide you with the information you need to make better and more informed decisions.

Functional Metrics In Agile Estimation November 20

Webinar presentation on Agile Estimation Using Functional Metrics. See companion White Paper in Article Section.

Is Automated Function Point Counting Useful Yet?

This presentation was given at the 2009 UK Software Metrics Association Annual Meeting and included: -Review IFPUG Tool Certification Requirements -Introduction of counting capabilities in the market -Report of Zurich’s experiences with tools -Suggestions on automated function point counting

Process Improvement in a Multi-Model World

Model based process improvement typically has centered on a single model or framework as the lynch pin to control software process improvement within an organization. The use of a model or framework is an excellent means of reducing random activity unfortunately one model does not cover the whole organization. Process improvement has matured to a point where the span of control needs to be extended which suggests the use of more than one model (e.g. CMMI and ISO, ITIL, Business Process Re-engineering and CMMI). These slides were presented on the webinar with Tom Cagley that discussed how to manage process improvement in a complex, multi-model environment.

What are you getting for your maintenance dollar?

These webinar presentation slides discuss what value your are receiving form your Software Maintenance Investment Dollar. Presented during CAI ITMPI webinar series. Topics covered included: Identifying Your Organization’s Needs Comprehensive Measures Available Legacy System Characteristics Critical IT Needs Of Your Organization The Need For Measurement In Your Organization Application & Project Attributes Project & Application Portfolio Support Rates Identifying & Estimating Best Practices

If it runs, it must be High Quality! Application Q

If it runs, it must be high quality! Understanding your Application Quality metrics will help you improve performance and reduce risk. Progressive CIOs and their teams have more than opinion about their critical applications, they have data. Find out how to get actionable quality data about your critical application.

Reducing your Software Costs: Method and Plan

Presented at the June 2009 Paris Conference with Michelin. Topics include What can be achieved quickly? 4 major steps to cost savings Quantitative & Qualitative Assessments Establishing and Using Baseline Data Modeling Improved Performance Acting on Results Who else has done this? Key Success Factors Conclusions

Portfolio and Project Management: Keeping IT Simpl

David Consulting Group (DCG) and PIEmatrix will show you how best practice processes and project portfolios can be executed and governed with a real-time software-as-a-service (SaaS) collaborative platform. We will show you how this solution will make it easy for all team members to improve productivity and for management to gain transparency and predictability with a real-time simple dashboard. This webinar presentation is a must for all executives, project managers, process engineers, and key stakeholders responsible for IT governance

Agile and Sustainable Software Development

Discussion and data on the effectiveness of Agile approaches to sustaining software development across all types of organization.

We're Making Progress, Trust Me! Measuring Process

Can 'Software as a Service' be a value-added proposition to your software process improvement initiative? In a word - yes! Process and project management tools are available in a software as a service format and can add value to most process improvement initiatives. This presentation given at a DCG/CAI Webinar discusses this valuable path to improved performance.

KSS Size Matters

Size matters when developing application software. this presentation and the companion webinar are available for your learning needs.

CMMI for Services - Critical Facts TO KNOW before

CMMI for Services provides service based organizations a process framework for world class performance--but is it right for you? This webinar provides a critical facts overview to help you understand your options, potential costs and timelines before you invest your valuable resources. Presented by Pat Eglin, DCG Certified CMMI for Services Consultant and CMMI Instructor.

6 Truths about IT Estimation you must know

This webinar presentation discusses the 6 essential truths you must know about IT Estimation and how they affect your project performance. Included is a brief overview of the SEER FOR IT (non-software) project estimation tool available from Galorath.

Goal Driven Measurement IFPUG 2008

This DCG Innovation Works! award winning presentation outlines the importance of linking measurements to outcomes that support the goals of the business. First presented at the IFPUG 2008 ISMA Conference in Arlington, VA.

How to leverage publicaly available DCG Industry D

“DCG wants to promote statistically-sound measurement and benchmarking of software development performance in the IT industry. By making this data available, we believe CIOs, CTOs and Application Management leadership will have additional insights into the performance of their organizations which will prompt some interesting and beneficial questions. This has helped DCG clients in the past and we think it is time now for greater awareness and availability.” – Mike Harris, DCG President. This presentation was given at a DCG on-line Webinar in Oct, 2008.

How Much IT is Enough?

IT is a strategic differentiator often a single force that determines the speed and agility, of an organization. It's the race car for the journey toward world-class results. It provides safety (quality), high performance (speed) and superior mpg (cost or efficiency). Are you prepared to be on the waiting list for the Lamborghini?

Beyond Functions Points 101

This webinar presentation by Tom Cagley & Sheila Dennis will discuss advanced practices of the Function Point Metric used by organizations worldwide to accurately size systems in an effort to meet customer demand on time and within budget.

A Cost Effective Approach to Enterprise SPI

Corporate acquisitions and organic growth have resulted in the proliferation of organizations that are geographically, operationally and culturally diverse. This webinar presentation by Tom Cagley/Pat Eglin discusses how to blend an enterprise wide approach to global process improvement with an agile approach to local software process improvement in such a way that large multinational organizations can derive benefits.

How do you measure the Value of IT?

• Abstract: This webinar presentation reviews the most frequently used financial and non-financial measures of IT value. • All measurements, including IT value measurements, are only useful and worth making if they are used to guide decisions. • This means that all measurements have to be available to or, better, regularly presented to decision makers. • •In the context of businesses making decisions based on the value of IT, this means that IT must regularly present its measurements to the business decision makers. •Different decision makers require different information and different levels of detail of the same information. The webinar will propose some ways of presenting value information for decisions. This webinar is based on Chapter 2 of “The Business Value of IT” by Michael D.S. Harris, David Herron and Stasia Iwanicki (Auerbach, March 2008).

Function Point Primer

This webinar presentation provides an introduction and overview of function point counting, the industry standard software sizing metric.

VVF Webinar: Does One Size Fit All in Process Impr

IT Value Webinar: What businesses should expect fr

This presentation makes current IT best practices accessible and understandable to business managers. Too often, IT projects and operations fail because business expectations are unrealistically high in terms of what can be achieved in a given time at a given quality and budget. And too often, IT providers have unreasonably low expectations regarding the same. What is lacking on both sides is a knowledge of what can be realistically achieved by combining a clearly prioritized set of business needs with well-established IT industry best practices. This presentation provides an overview of COBIT, ITIL and CMMI and explains how the three can work together to help address these issues. See also the webinar recording of this presentation on the Webinar Archive page.

CMMI Metrics - Establishing a Compliant Program

This presentation, given at a recent DCG / MKS Webinar outlines the considerations and issues to address in implementing CMMI Level 3 measurements.

Implementing a Software Measurement Program

Learn the fundamental elements of a software measurement program that supports your business success. Given at a recent CAI global webinar.

CMMI Enforcement - MKS Integrity

MKS Integrity has been configured with DCG CMMI templates and methods and been used effectively to manage CMMI implementations. This presentation discusses the benefits of using MKS Integrity in a CMMI enforcement role.

Implementing Lean in CMMI

Presented at the TAMPA and ATLANTA Spins. Implementing the CMMI can take many paths. Paths range from classic plan driven implementations to implementations that embrace agile practices. Regardless of the path you have chosen embracing lean philosophies can fundamentally improve the effectiveness, efficiency and acceptance of the processes you implement. The presentation will discuss implementing the CMMI leveraging the seven philosophies of lean software development.

Performance Benchmarking for the Bottom Line

This presentation was orginially presented on a joint DCG/CAI webainr in October 2007. This presentation discusses how measurement and benchmarking's ultimate purpose is to support the business mission of profit generation.

Agile Approach to Process Improvement

This webinar presentation by Michael Harris (President, David Consulting Group) and David Garmus will discuss how an agile approach to software process improvement (SPI) can be structured and why and how software process improvement projects can and must deliver recognizable value. Using examples from a current project, they will demonstrate that software process improvement projects, such as CMMI® implementations, can positively benefit by adopting an iterative "Agile" approach. Typically, most SPI projects are planned as waterfall projects using a sequential approach rather than an iterative approach. Implementing an SPI project in an organization that is following an agile implementation methodology can be faster and more productive than the same SPI project in an organization using the traditional waterfall model. To facilitate discussion of how an agile approach to software process improvement can be structured, SCRUM will be used as the example.

Fast Track your CMMI Adoption

In this presentation, Michael Harris, President of DCG shares the DCG approach to accelerated CMMI adoption, including the firm’s “Fast-Track” CMMI action planning approach. James Winder MKS ALM also illustrates how application lifecycle management can support accelerated CMMI adoption.

DCG ITIL Webinar - Determine Best Fit

Linking IT to your business strategies provide you with a competitive edge. That is where the ITIL framework comes in. ITIL 3.0 Update.

Outsourcing-Off Shore Audit of Distributed Develop

This presentation will illustrate an approach to a process audit of a distributed development group (onshore and offshore) and to under the ideas to consider when establishing a Master Services Agreement for the outsourced part of an onshore development group. Finally learn how to identify unintended consequences of a capability maturity mismatch between onshore and offshore.

Paving the Road to a Software Measurement Program:

Presented at the IFPUG 2006 Conference in San Diego, CA, this presentation reviews the potential problems, pitfalls, obstacles, etc. experienced in implementing and sustaining measurement programs and discusses how to avoid or prevent those problems from the onset. In addition, an examination of best practices that have worked well in organizations and that can be used by others in also included.

Latest Industry Data Presentation IFPUG 2003

Understand the latest industry benchmark data available and how it affectes your software development activities. Presented at the IFPUG conference 2003.

Balanced Scorecard - The Answer is Clear!

Presented at the International Software Measurement Conference in 2006, this presentation overviews the Balanced Scorecard approach, its benefits and how functional sizing supports scorecard effectivness for clear and objective reporting