Scrum Transformation: How Transparency Is Offered

I was having a conversation with a good friend of mine over "transparency" and the effect of Social Media. It amazes me how the new generation so easily communicate their day to day activities and how they feel with no fear. With the help of technology they are a generation of openness.

Yet organizations have not caught on to this. To transition to scrum you need a dedication and commitment to transparency. It is not only one of the five scrum values, it is crucial to the success of any transformation. With openness there is trust. Without trust your project is doomed to chaos and potentially fail. In scrum, transparency is offered through the scrum ceremonies. Let's walk through these.

Sprint Planning:

In sprint planning the team and product owner work together in determining what work will get pulled into the sprint. The team should openly communicate when a story is too large or not ready to pull into the sprint. Design approach is established, tasks are openly defined. The team communicates what they plan to deliver. They also communicate what criteria defines done for them.

Daily Stand Up:

The stand up is yet another opportunity for transparency. It is all about sharing information and identifying dependencies. The team should discuss how and what they plan on doing that day. This is all about communicating the plan of the day and what blockers or impediments the team has crossed. The power of the stand up is often under estimated. Many new teams feel it is unnecessary, not really understanding the value it offers.

Demo (Review):

The demo is held at the end of each sprint and facilitated by the product owner or scrum master. It is all about showing the product owner, stakeholders, and or sponsors the work that was completed. The team shares the work that was committed, the challenges over come and listens for feed back. Sponsors, stakeholders, and or product owners provide open feed back to the team. It is important to understand this ceremony is an exchange, and not an opportunity to thrash the team or hide behind requirements. It should have a cooperative and friendly feel.

Retrospective:

The retrospective is an opportunity for the team to openly discuss what went wrong, and how they can improve. It is a tool to review and improve the dynamics and processes of the team. This is another ceremony not used properly and sometimes not performed. If used correctly it should motivate and help solidify the team.

By Leonor Urena

3 Major Benefits of Custom Software Application Development

Computer applications have reduced human effort significantly, apart from also improving service delivery within organizations. Many businesses have in the past adopted custom software solutions for diverse operations. The main aim of using these programs is streamlining business functions and enhancing the overall operational efficiency. In order to undertake custom software application development your firm needs to put together a team is comprising of a system analyst and programmer/custom software developer. You can also choose to hire custom software development companies to help you.

There are several advantages of utilizing custom software programs within an organization. These include:

1) Coordinating Business Processes

Business Web applications enable firms to achieve coordination of various processes, through a central information repository, an act that boosts communication in different departments. Various stakeholders can utilize the centralized software in the firm, which enhances efficiency and service delivery. Developers of custom business software analyze organizational needs then come up with software best customized for the firm.

2) Updating New Content

Your company can update as well as manipulate content within custom business web applications. This provides them with an avenue to host new, accurate details on the website. Such applications help your firm to keep up with the latest industry trends. A web developer can easily install new tools plus designs in websites that are already customized. A fresh and regularly updated online presence will help your firm to not only retain old clients but also attract new ones.

3) Integrating Business Functions

Software developers design custom mobile apps while having your company in mind. These programs are crafted to fit into your organization's processes without a glitch. Their aim is to integrate the multiple functions performed by your staff within the organization. Users of custom mobile applications need not try fitting their processes into a different application. Management and employees both get relieved by the gains which come from adopting custom mobile apps. Procedures for training are easy, as employees would have been acquainted with the processes used.

It is in fact your staff that designs the custom software applications utilized by your organization. As a result, your business firm will not require obtaining any licenses in order to operate them, since it owns the license and rights of using that software. This means your company can do anything with it. Custom software application development comes in handy especially where huge numbers of personnel get to use them for free. An additional benefit is that your company will also not require any authorization when conducting changes in future to accommodate business growth.

By Harikrishna B. Patel

Technology: A Bad Servant or Good Master?

It is indeed well known that technology has been a good servant in that it has made many contributions. Advances in healthcare, education, crime detection, greater business efficiency, improved communications, life enrichment, saved time, and given us the opportunity to have fun such as that involving the personal computer...

However (and it's a very big however), technology has also been described as a bad master for a number of disturbing reasons. So fasten your safety belts folks it's going to get bumpy; here's an overview of those disturbing reasons.

Surveillance and the police state

Following the revelations of Edward Snowden and the extent to which we are under surveillance, it confirms that like a runaway train heading for dystopia we have gone beyond the point of no return: Phone hacking, Global Positioning Satellites (GPS), smart meters of sorts, CCTV cameras (1 for every 11 people in the UK), online chat media monitoring, face recognition technology, plans for cashless societies, cars where there will be no drivers... every brave new world gadget and gismo unwittingly ensnares us.

-Every communication device is spied on. No whisper undetected...

And it doesn't end there. The human micro-chipping agenda continues developing. Then there are plans to have cars fitted with black boxes and V2 transmitters designed to record and track performance data: Monitoring speed, location, direction, gear box and break usage, driver or passenger ID.

Ford motor cars Vice President Jim Farley confessed in so many words that we are already aware of who breaks the law when and how, all this because of the GPS in your car.

Don't fall for the effrontery that these things are only there for your own safety and if you are a law abiding citizen then there's nothing to worry about...

-This glib Orwellian doublespeak belies the fact that the elite hidden powers that be with their enslavement agenda know that they're going to make some pretty darn unpopular decisions and the surveillance and control is there to deal with the anticipated backlash from those 'troublesome people.' You will not have any privacy in the Imperial government Big Brother state.

Drones

Operated by someone sat at a computer, unmanned drones will soon occupy the skies in numbers. Like something out of the Spielberg sci-fi film "Minority Report" they will have the ability to detect body movements day or night, see through walls, recognize faces, take over or spy on emails, text messages and web surfing habits...

The war machine

Armed military drones have been used to seek out and kill the enemy. What you're not told in mainstream media is that reports have come through from medics that the damage done by these drones can mean something like 30% of the deaths or serious injuries were innocent men, women and children.

Electromagnetic Frequencies (EMF's)

Vested commercial interest has tried its hardest to keep the lid on the fact that low frequency electromagnetic radiation such as that produced from cell phones and Wi-Fi can lead to some serious health problems such as depression and cancer. Evidence for this includes "The 2012 Bio-initiative Report" documenting 1000's of pages where ill health has resulted from overuse...

Killing social behaviour

It has been said that technology is killing social behaviour through real human interaction getting substituted for too many communications by emails, text messages and social media websites. Indeed, the latter does not have the qualities of the former so loneliness and for some withdrawn behaviour sets in...

Distraction

Technology has served to distract the masses. Instead of realizing the woes of the world then getting up and doing something that makes a difference many have got lost in endless distraction like those people for example addicted to computer games. Some have formed an inability to focus through too much technology usage.

The hidden powers that be know this and it's been one of their secret weapons.

Dependency

Perhaps the greatest pandemonium for the world could be if some kind of planetary situation happened that would cause the electronics to go down...

To sound off

What's needed is for more people to wake up and realize that technology is used to enslave us. Those aware need to spread the word en masse. As a result more and more awakened individuals will turn away from bad master technology then through their inner being create thoughts, feelings, emotions, meditation, affirmations and prayers... that will produce a different outcome to the one planned by the hidden powers that be.

A real intention to want to make this happen must not be underestimated. To 'spread the word' and do one's 'inner work' are the crucial ingredients needed to create a different reality that will take us into a new paradigm experience based on love, peace and light.

By Paul A Philips

Cloud Computing In a Nutshell

We all heard the term 'Cloud Computing' and we've all probably said Cloud this or Cloud that at some point in time, but what is the 'Cloud' and how can it help me?
Don't you just hate it when there is a new trend and everybody is talking about it like they invented it? They'll usually use complicated verbiage to try and confuse you as much as possible into buying or overpaying for something you might not need at all or at least not at the volume they are trying to sell to you. Well, I can promise you that won't happen here.
So what is Cloud Computing? Cloud Computing is a way of using a collection of servers and storage to do what you would normally need to do but without the need to house and maintain the server(s) yourself. With the use of a 'Cloud', you can now run an entire business without ever maintaining a server or storage unit yourself or with the aid of an on-site IT professional. Some might ask, "What's so good about that?" Well, it increases efficiency, improves cash flow and a lot of other benefits I will review shortly.
Before I dive into the benefits, we need to start with knowing what a 'Cloud' is made of? Now this might get a bit boring, so let's just walk through the basics... and quickly.
First you need a platform. Since Cloud computing is basically a virtualization evolution, it needs to run on a virtualization platform. I won't dive into this because then it will just become a Wikipedia page. In short, you take multiple machines that are connected together and virtually make them into 1 machine using an application/software.
Once we chose the platform, we need to run it on some hardware. Dell, HP and IBM are currently the giants within the Enterprise IT industry that most 'Cloud Computing' uses for hardware. Due to the level at which their hardware is used, you can expect the same from their proprietary software. Most IT professionals who maintain these virtual environments will probably be most familiar with those brands since it's the most common.
The last segment is the network configuration. A Single cloud node will act like a management platform that can manage all the different zones in multiple geographic areas, from a single point.
And that is basically all you need to build a cloud. Now that we've analyzed the ingredients (only the basics so far but if you're interested in the individual components that make up the cloud let me know and I'll go over them in more detail J) let's touch on some of the benefits.
So what are some of the benefits of Cloud computing?
1. Security, mainly disaster recovery services - When you start using cloud computing, you can kiss your entire disaster recovery plan goodbye. If you have a cold site it's one thing but if you have a hot site, man you have probably spent a LOT of money! And I mean A LOT. Cloud computing will take care of most of the issues that interrupt a website and will do it faster as well. An industry average of 2.1 hours. Compared to 8 hours?! Wow.
2. Software Updates - Have you ever measured how long it takes you, as a server administrator, to run updates on all your servers? Well, days and even weeks, in accumulate. Cloud computing suppliers do the server maintenance, freeing this time so you can do something more productive for your business.
3. Flexibility - Are you running out of space? You need more bandwidth? Pick up the phone and start dialing. That's all that it will take for you to get more bandwidth or storage. No need to redesign your network with a new server purchase, deployment, and maintenance plan. Not anymore.
4. Server access - As long as you have one, you can access your data from anywhere!
5. Data Security - You lost your laptop? Someone stole your rack server? Your workstation caught fire? Bummer! But what if there was this crazy option that despite all this bad luck, your data won't be lost and is still accessible via any device that has an internet connection? See #4, now there is.
There are many more benefits, but those are the ones that are the most appealing, in my opinion.
I do believe that Cloud computing is here for the better and not so long from now, everything will be online via cloud. But it's not going to happen tomorrow and not this year. This is still a long and patient process. In the meantime there are suppliers currently providing all the equipment to create your own cloud, consultancy on how to run and maintain it, including deployment, support, mission critical on-site and backups.
Thank you for reading this long article. I hope this has helped you understand a little bit more about what is that trend called 'Cloud Computing', hopefully before you started spending.

By Yuri Aberfeld

Are You Being Tracked?

The answer to that question is yes. If you use a computer or a cell phone you are being tracked. For this article when I say "tracked" I mean your internet surfing habits, what site you visit, how long you stay on that site and what pages you look at and if you make a purchase. I will discuss location tracking in another article.

All of the major search engines track your movements on the internet. Some do this directly and some will contract with third party companies that specialize in internet tracking. Did you ever wonder why you just received an email from an on-line merchant offering you a deal on a pair of shorts, when yesterday you were on-line looking at a different site for a pair of shorts? Or maybe a deal on a pair of shoes or shirt that will go with those shorts. Without getting too technical, the tracking companies track your habits, then they sell that information to the search companies that will generate advertising that you will get either by email or the next time you are on the web you will see that ad for shorts.

So can you stop the search engines from tracking you? I think the short answer is NO, you can't stop all tracking. But you can do things that will dramatically cut down the tracking.

To stop companies and search engines from tracking, you can try either of the below companies:

• Ghostery - Their web site says that they will educate you as to who is tracking you, then you can make the decision to stop them or not.
• Abine's Do Not Track Me - They say that will stop all known trackers and show you who they are. They also have another program that will mask your email.

Most tracking happens when you use search engines to search for something. To stop that tracking try these search engines:

• DuckDuckGo - This search engine will not track or log any of your internet searches, they use a proxy that gathers search results from multiple search engines then displays them to you.
• Ixquick - This also is a non-tracking search engine who will not track or log your web searching.

Big internet Companies like Google®, Yahoo® and Microsoft® have to make money to stay in business so that they can provide you with a rich internet experience and help you find what you are looking for. Selling ads is one way they do this.

By George Uliano

The Importance of CRM Support

Customer relationship management software has the ability to revolutionize the way you run your business. With the right program, you will be able to access customer information from anywhere you are because crucial data will be stored on the cloud. Additionally, you will be able to analyze data in a way that you were never able to do. CRM support can ensure you are maximizing your software.

When you purchase CRM software, you want to be sure you are installing it properly. The slightest error in the install can lead to double entry and all sorts of other problems. Since the goal is to be as productive as possible, you need to have CRM support available to you 24/7.

Regardless of whether you need help with installation, usage, or run into a data error, it's important to have a number that you can call. While some of the software providers offer customer support, you may need more individualized support than what they can provide. When you need onsite support or training, you should be able to turn to an expert in your community.

CRM support can help with:

• Installation
• Client communication
• Productivity
• Data analysis

Imagine if you could cut hours off the time you spend analyzing data and you can provide your customers with a higher level of service. This can have a positive impact to your bottom line - and this should always be a priority with your business.

If you are going to spend the money on CRM software, it's important to have the support. Otherwise you may be missing out on a lot of the features. More companies than ever before are managing customer relations with software and if you plan on being up with what your competition has to offer, you need to stay ahead of the learning curve.

CRM support can help you with upgrading your software, providing you with various plug-ins, and more. If you were to buy CRM software right out of the box, you may only tap into 10 or 20% of what the software is capable of doing. If, however, you work with a support company that can help you select the CRM software and support your business, you can tap into 100% of what the software is capable of doing - and this ensures you get what you pay for.

The support will help you get the most of your software and this is of the utmost importance. CRM, ERP, and other programs are designed to provide you with more data analysis and give you the upper hand in the market. However, if you do not utilize the programs to the best of their abilities, you miss out. If you are going to go through the expense of buying CRM software, then you have to be sure you get the CRM support so you can always benefit from all of the features provided in the program - and know when it is time to make an upgrade.

Houston-based CRMatic allows you to take control of your customers with a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software system! CRMatic is Houston's premier CRM software provider because we offer a wide variety of CRM software solutions and provide the necessary consulting services to customize any system to match the way your company does business.

By Jeff Weigang