Addison-Wesley Information Technology Series – serie

Traditionally, qualitative software assessments and quantitative benchmarking have been performed separately -- if at all. Moreover, many quantitative benchmarks have been proprietary secrets. Now, world-renowned authority Capers Jones has integrated qualitative and quantitative approaches into the first complete methodology for identifying best -- and worst -- software development practices. Readers will discover more effective ways to leverage assessment techniques such as the Capability Maturity Model (CMM); learn the best benchmarks and metrics; and link quantitative benchmarks to qualitative assessments. The methodology presented in this book gives developers and managers a powerful new way to project and evaluate the productivity and quality improvements associated with changes in software processes. The result: better quality, achieved more quickly and at lower cost.

The benefits of working with Application Service Providers (ASPs) can be compelling -- faster rollouts, lower costs, less time spent on implementation and maintenance, and a greater opportunity to focus on your organization's core competencies. Unfortunately, the risks of ASP relationships are far from insignificant. In this book, the President of ASPWatch shows IT managers exactly how to navigate the risks, and use ASPs for maximum competitive advantage. John Harney presents a complete roadmap for any IT decision-maker considering outsourcing to ASPs. He offers expert guidance for answering questions like: What costs are involved? How secure and viable is your ASP? How do you choose the right ASP? You'll learn practical criteria for identifying possible ASP partners; choosing amongst ostensibly similar ASPs; evaluating services, performance, and ROI; and negotiating service level agreements that meet your business requirements. For everyone considering or using Application Service Providers, including IT executives and managers, line-of-business managers, Web and e-business professionals, and consultants.

Praise for The CRM Handbook “Want to avoid being one of the estimated 70 percent of companies who have tried implementing standalone CRM systems and failed? Confused by what your IT suppliers are telling you about ‘CRM’? Then you need to read this book! Jill provides acomprehensive, practical, and easy to understand view of CRM and shows you how to successfully implement an enterprise customer-focused solution.”– Kevin Bubeck Director, North America Information Strategy, Coca-Cola “CRM could be viewed as the ERP of the 2000s. As such, there will be multiple winners and losers as the marketplace places some large and strategic bets on this technology. In any case, Jill Dyché has captured the importance of the concepts and value derived through CRM solutions. Those needs will evolve, of course, but companies will always need the basics that have been discussed.”– Brian Berliner Co-founder & EVP, Product Development, Acies Networks “The CRM Handbook provides information for the business person who is trying to understand CRM and how it can effect his/her business. It goes beyond the hype of the acronym and dives into the real issues that a company needs to consider before implementing a CRM solution.”– Joy Blake Scott Director, Marketing and Communications, Fastwater, LLP “I haven’t read anything that has such a practical approach. I view the book as having multiple benefits. It gives a good definition of CRM functionality but also gives detailed guidance of how to approach CRM in your organization.”– Francine Frazer Principal Consultant, Net Perceptions “Even better than defining CRM, Jill took on all of the hyperlanguage around CRM and clearly differentiated the various incarnations of CRM. It’s also usefulto know what can go wrong and the potential affects of such missteps. Too few authors level with readers about pitfalls!”– Linda McHugh Director, Professional Services, Cygent Inc. “The guides based on the business tools that Jill uses with her own clients are fabulous.”– Robin Neidorf President, Electric Muse/Clio’s, Pen Research & Interpretation, Inc. “The language is easy to read and easy to understand. Terms were well explained so that someone with no prior CRM experience could easily understand the text.”– Marcia Robinson President, e-Business Strategies “An excellent study into what defines today’s best practices in the CRM industry.”– Gareth Herschel Senior Research Analyst, Gartner Research “Jill writes very well. Her writing communicates subjects and topics in a very easy to understand way. At times, I felt like I was listening to her speak or discussing a subject. She is a good communicator! Jill did a very good job of covering all subject areas on the different topics of CRM. I am most impressed with Jill on pointing out all the possible mistakes and creating ‘lessons learned’ advice which most authors frequently omit.”– Mary Chan Information Management Consultant, Kagiso Inc. “Jill Dyché's The CRM Handbook is a good read for CRM novices and seasoned practitioners alike. Dyché's well-written, pragmatic approach to understanding CRM's evolution and purpose is a map to a successful CRM program. Dyché uncovers the truth behind the CRM software vendor hype, highlights some common roadblocks to CRM project development, and describes how to delineate and prioritize CRM initiatives.”–Don Peppers Partner, Peppers and Rogers Group To compete in today's competitive marketplace, customer focus is no longer simply nice to have–it's a fundamental mandate. This book is a manager's best friend, providing both a primer and a how-to guide to defining and implementing Customer Relationship Management. It shows you: The various roles CRM plays in business, and why it's more important than ever The range of CRM applications and uses, from sales force automation to campaign management to e-CRM and beyond The context of some of the popular CRM buzzwords The differences between CRM and business intelligence, and why they're symbiotic Why the customer-relationship failure rate is so high, and how to avoid becoming another CRM statistic Case studies of visionary companies who've done CRM the right way “We read this book at a time when we were relooking at our customer information strategy. One of the first things I had to do was ban the term ‘CRM’ from the project because of the vendor and industry hype and the confusion it created within the team. Jill’s book provides a strategic look at the topic from both a business and IT perspective. The insights she provides allowed me to focus on the strategic issues planning an enterprise-wide, customer-focused solution. And yes we are once again using the term ‘CRM’.”– Kevin Bubeck Director, North America Information Strategy, Coca-Cola “Jill is one of the few people who has been at the forefront of every stage of CRM development, from the early days of data warehousing, through business re-engineering, to sales force automation and e-CRM. This makes her uniquely qualified to write about how it should all come together. The reader will be rewarded with advice drawn from real-world experience–both successes and failures. I shudder to think at the dollars that have been wasted over the years on CRM projects and how much will be wasted in the future by executives who won't read The CRM Handbook.”– Brian Hoover President, TouchScape™ Corporation “The CRM Handbook provides an outstanding roadmap for putting human contact–relevant, accurate, informed human contact–back at the heart of the business-customer relationship. That's the challenge and the sole goal of Customer Relationship Management.”– Charles D. Morgan              CEO and Company Leader Axiom Corporation “Jill Dyché has produced a wide-screen, comprehensive picture of CRM that also focuses on key issues that matter to CRM users. This book is written for those who are time-constrained and quick on the uptake–everyone from the CEO to the marketers and technologists who will evaluate, implement, and benefit from CRM initiatives.”– Peter Heffring President, CRM Division, NCR Teradata “Jill has masterfully compiled scenarios, resources, references, definitions, and insightful recommendations about how to remain customer-focused across the enterprise functions. The book can be used as an educational tool, reference guide, and resource for short-listing technologies to evaluate.”– John Earle President, Chant Inc.

Peer review works: it leads to better software. But implementing peer review can be challenging -- for technical, political, social, cultural, and psychological reasons. In this book, best-selling software engineering author Karl Wiegers presents succinct, easy-to-use techniques for formal and informal software peer review, helping project managers and developers choose the right approach and implement it successfully. Wiegers begins by discussing the cultural and social aspects of peer review, and reviewing several formal and informal approaches: their implications, their challenges, and the opportunities they present for quality improvement. The heart of the book is an in-depth look at the "nuts and bolts" of inspection, including the roles of inspectors, planning, examining work products, conducting code review meetings; improving the inspection process, and achieving closure. Wiegers presents a full chapter on metrics, and then addresses the process and political challenges associated with implementing successful software review programs. The book concludes with solutions to special review challenges, including large work products and software created by distributed development teams. For all developers, project managers, business analysts, quality engineers, testers, process improvement leaders, and documentation specialists.