The Latest

The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) outlines the specific actions required for proper quality management. In the conclusion of Michele Sliger's four-part column, she determines how compliance with the PMBOK practices correspond to activities that an agile team might perform.

Bob Payne and Bob Martin sit down for another great conversation on all things agile during this podcast recorded at Agile 2006.

An overwhelmingly harsh test will expose dramatic vulnerabilities, but stress testing requires sensitivity to the unexpected. In this article, Michael Bolton directs readers out of the automated-testing comfort zone and toward better methods of spotting unanticipated problems.

Offshore resources have proved useful, and companies continue to try and cash in on the cost savings. But those savings might not be what you or your company expected. In this column, Linda Hayes warns that outsourcing has some pitfalls we should always look out for.

Projects involving subcontracts have their own special kinds of risks and problems. In this column, Peter Clark offers advice on how to use leverage and visibility to minimize the risks and help ensure the successful delivery of the required scope when working with subcontractors.

Successful extended global development teams have adapted Agile methodologies such as XP, Scrum and DSDM to further improve response to customer needs and time to market. At the same time, they gain rapid knowledge transfer, training, transition planning, goal setting, governance, as well as the comprehensive operational reviews required to achieve results. There can certainly be challenges employing Agile development methodologies in a multi-shore environment.

The term "Process Facilitator" refers to the people in your organization whose primary responsibility lies in improving the effectiveness of the work that the teams are doing. This responsibility is mainly around the process the teams are using, but also encompasses less tangible aspects of work such as team development, organizational culture change, administrative and technical tools, and working with other Process Facilitators both inside and outside of your organization. Since the role of the Process Facilitator is so broad, it can be difficult to understand and effectively support Process Facilitators who report to you. This article helps you with this challenging task.