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OUR BLOG


Month: December 2022

Simple PRINCE2 2017 Software

Posted on December 29, 2022December 29, 2022 by Marbenz Antonio

12 Books to Read for a PRINCE2® Certification

In 2017, AXELOS released the updated version of PRINCE2 (PRINCE2 2017). They have previously written about this update on this blog. In this post, PRINCE2 will go beyond the theoretical aspects and discuss software options for PRINCE2 2017. If you are looking for tools to support your PRINCE2 training or implementation, this information will be useful for you.

Comprehensive PRINCE2 2017 Software

PIAB has been a pioneer in the field of PRINCE2 software since the beginning and has continuously updated its software to ensure compliance with each PRINCE2 refresh. They are excited to announce the launch of our new PRINCE2 2017 Method Template, which is licensed by AXELOS and incorporates content from the official manual under license.

The new PRINCE2 2017 Method template offers the highest quality authentic materials, presented in a user-friendly package.

  • PRINCE2 is pleased to offer you the full set of official PRINCE2 templates that they wrote for AXELOS and licensed back for your use. These 27 Word files come with guidance to assist you in completing them.
  • The only place where extended templates are offered is in this product. These key register versions, created by the same author as the official bundle, come in.xlsx and Planner formats. A complete set of Role definition templates, health checks, and a reminder of the principles are also included.
  • Records of events. Additionally, they have developed placeholders for all the important information you need to acquire.
  • using the process diagrams as a point-and-click interface. The PRINCE2 2017 program displays the products, events, and records required for the process when you click on the process diagram. You can focus on the procedure and save time by not having to search for things in the handbook.
  • Context guidance. You receive hover instructions on your duties for the things, activities, and documents relevant to the process you are in.

prince2 2017 software; PRINCE2; PRINCE2 methodology; prince project

These sources will be automatically launched into all of your new projects. This quickly sets up your project and helps in keeping you on schedule during delivery.

What are your PIAB product choices?

Users of our Community Edition tool, which is available for free, can add all of this for £25 plus VAT and make as many projects as they like.

The same content and price will be provided to Personal Edition buyers. They will discover that it also establishes the project’s reporting structure.

The cost of the PRINCE2 2017 Method Template, which can be used with the Small Team, Enterprise, or Live editions, is £100 plus VAT. For use by each user in your system, you can build an infinite amount of projects. Additionally, your method template will get you access to additional navigation and analysis features that our personal tools do not support.

prince2 2017 software; prince2 method template

Free PRINCE2 2017 software

Of course, we also provide free PRINCE2 2017 software because we are kind people. As a result, you can use a select number of the PRINCE2 2017 Community Edition resources for nothing at all.

 


Here at CourseMonster, we know how hard it may be to find the right time and funds for training. We provide effective training programs that enable you to select the training option that best meets the demands of your company.

For more information, please get in touch with one of our course advisers today or contact us at training@coursemonster.com

Posted in PRINCE2Tagged PRINCE2Leave a Comment on Simple PRINCE2 2017 Software

Making The PRINCE2 Themes Specific

Posted on December 29, 2022December 29, 2022 by Marbenz Antonio

What Is PRINCE2 Project Management Methodology? Pros, Cons & More | CRM.org

The way in which the themes are implemented can be affected by customization.

The flexibility in the application of the themes may vary, from being strictly defined and specific to allowing the project management team a wide range of discretion in how they implement each theme.

All seven themes must be considered in a project, but their implementation should be adapted to the risk, size, characteristics, complexity, or simplicity of the project in question, always making sure that any required minimum standards specified in a theme are met.

A tailored PRINCE2 Theme should reflect any tailoring of the processes and terminology.

Customizing a theme does not necessarily involve changing the PRINCE2 theme itself. In most cases, the themes are implemented through the project’s risk, quality, change control, and communication management strategies.

These procedures should outline how the themes are implemented in practice for that specific project.

The level of control needed will affect the level of formality and the frequency of monitoring, reviewing, and reporting.

When implementing the themes, consider risk and any relevant external factors, such as corporate, portfolio, program, and customer policies and standards, and incorporate them into the project’s management approach, as illustrated in the following graphic:

Tailoring the PRINCE2 Themes

Many of the themes suggest that procedures may need to be established: PRINCE2 does not specify how these should be documented or disseminated.

Procedures can vary from a simple set of actions to a detailed process with a flowchart.

PRINCE2 includes a table of responsibilities for each theme; these may be reassigned as long as there is no conflict of interest, particularly between the roles involved in directing a project and those involved in managing a project.

The manual for each theme includes recommendations for various customization options for implementing the theme in practice, along with suggestions on how to handle some common scenarios.

Tailoring PRINCE2 Theme Rules

Customization allows the PRINCE2 themes to be adapted to create appropriate procedures and controls, as long as:

  • the PRINCE2 principles are upheld
  • the minimum requirements in each theme are satisfied
  • the purpose of each theme is not compromised.

The Format of the PRINCE2 Theme chapters

Each themed chapter has the following structure:

  • The theme Why the theme is important to the successful delivery of a project and the core concepts necessary to understand PRINCE2’s requirements for the theme
  • PRINCE2’s requirements for the theme What is required, as a minimum, to be following PRINCE2
  • Guidance for the effective use of the theme How to practically apply the theme to different organizations, environments, and delivery approaches
  • Techniques that can be used for the theme

 


Here at CourseMonster, we know how hard it may be to find the right time and funds for training. We provide effective training programs that enable you to select the training option that best meets the demands of your company.

For more information, please get in touch with one of our course advisers today or contact us at training@coursemonster.com

Posted in PRINCE2Tagged PRINCE2Leave a Comment on Making The PRINCE2 Themes Specific

Measuring Technical Debt is the Best of 2022

Posted on December 29, 2022December 29, 2022 by Marbenz Antonio

How To Measure Technical Debt: Top Metrics

Enterprise technical debt refers to the accumulation of technical issues or shortcomings that hinder an organization’s ability to efficiently deliver products or services. It can significantly increase the cost of supporting technical products and services and limit a company’s ability to quickly adapt to market changes. Technical debt can be difficult to define due to its complex nature and the various ways it can manifest within an organization.

Technical debt is a term that is commonly used in the tech industry, but it is often not fully understood or accurately measured. There are many factors that can contribute to technical debt, such as security vulnerabilities, outdated systems or processes, and lack of standardization. It can be challenging to quantify technical debt and determine its impact on an organization.

Technical debt is often defined narrowly, only considering software defects and other code-related issues. However, in large enterprises, technical debt encompasses a much broader range of issues, including security vulnerabilities, inefficient processes, and organizational inefficiencies. To effectively address technical debt, it is important to consider all of these factors and use financial tools to measure their impact. By understanding the full scope of technical debt, organizations can more effectively prioritize and address these issues.

History of Technical Debt

The concept of technical debt was introduced by Ward Cunningham, one of the founders of the Agile Manifesto, as a metaphor to explain the work his team was doing to improve a financial application. Cunningham likened the process of refactoring the code to paying off a loan, stating that shipping code without proper consideration for its long-term maintainability is like taking on debt that must be repaid through refactoring. The Agile Alliance further explains that in 1992, at the OOPSLA conference, Cunningham elaborated on this idea, saying that taking on a small amount of technical debt can speed up development as long as it is promptly repaid through refactoring, but failing to do so can lead to serious consequences.

The original definition of technical debt uses a metaphor to describe how the need to refactor code can impact an organization’s ability to deliver, similar to how financial debt affects an individual’s ability to pay off a loan. Despite its widespread adoption, there is no universally accepted definition of technical debt, nor is there a single method for quantifying its impact.

The concept of technical debt, or the cost associated with code defects that hinder delivery, is useful for understanding the impact of technical issues on an organization. However, in modern enterprise environments, the scope of technical debt should be expanded to include other factors that can impact an organization’s ability to deliver value to customers, such as security vulnerabilities and organizational inefficiencies. There are many elements that can be considered part of technical debt, including:

  • Existing bugs that are not fixed
  • Issues resulting from bad design or bad coding
  • The lack of tests for quality, security, and performance in the code
  • Unsafe code or artifacts have been already in use
  • Old, expensive, challenging-to-manage equipment that cannot keep up with the needs of the digital transformation
  • Documentation that is unfinished, out-of-date, or without comments
  • Known security issues that must be fixed
  • Unaligned with corporate standards, different tool sets
  • Organizational standards and technology organizational constructions that are out of sync

It is important to note that not all technical debt should necessarily be repaid, just as not all financial debt is advisable to pay off. There is a concept of “good debt,” or debt that is taken on because the potential return on investment is greater than the cost of the debt. Similarly, in the context of technical debt, if the benefits of introducing a new feature outweigh the cost of resolving some technical issues, it may make sense to prioritize the new feature. The cost-benefit analysis of paying off technical debt may change depending on the stage of a product’s lifecycle, as well.

During the early stages of development, the potential benefits of new features may outweigh the risks associated with compliance issues. However, as a product matures and gains more customers, the risk may increase and the benefits of new features may decline. It is important to consider the business context when deciding whether to pay off technical debt and using economic calculations can help make informed and data-driven decisions.

Risk as Technical Debt

Security and organizational debt are often overlooked or excluded in the definition of technical debt, but they can have significant impacts. It is important to recognize that unmitigated security vulnerabilities and other organizational issues can be considered technical debt in the same way that unfixed software defects are. The question of whether to address emerging or low-priority vulnerabilities as technical debt becomes more complex and requires careful consideration.

While it is generally accepted that unaddressed known vulnerabilities represent technical debt, it is less clear whether newly discovered vulnerabilities should be considered technical debt. The key factor to consider is whether the vulnerability presents a security risk that needs to be addressed. An organization’s service level agreements (SLAs) for vulnerability management can provide guidance on this issue. For example, if an organization’s SLA requires that high-level vulnerabilities be addressed within one day, then vulnerabilities that have not been addressed within that timeframe can be considered technical debt. This does not mean that vulnerabilities that fall within the SLA do not need to be addressed, but rather that they represent new work rather than technical debt until they exceed the SLA.

Organizational Debt

Organizational and toolchain debt are types of technical debt that are often overlooked in standard analyses. These types of debt can arise when different parts of an organization are not fully integrated, such as in the case of a merger or acquisition, or when there is a lack of standardization in processes or tools. For example, if one part of a company uses Slack for communication while another uses Microsoft Teams, it can create friction that hinders the organization’s ability to deliver value to customers.

While it is not necessary for all companies to use the same tools or have perfectly aligned organizational structures, it is important to recognize that a lack of standardization can have ongoing costs and represent a form of technical debt. Adhering to standards can improve efficiency, and deviations from those standards can result in a loss of efficiency and contribute to technical debt.

For example, if a company has standardized Slack as its primary communication platform, it has likely done so because it believes that standardization improves the flow of value to the customer and reduces costs through consolidated license purchasing. If that company acquires another company that uses Microsoft Teams, the toolchain disparity between the two platforms should be considered technical debt until they are unified. On the other hand, if a company is a portfolio company, it may not be necessary or beneficial to standardize on a particular communication platform. In this case, it may be appropriate to allow the purchased company to continue using its preferred tool, as the toolchain disparity would not impact the ability of either part of the company to deliver value.

It is important to note that while many mergers and acquisitions can bring technical debt, discontinuities in organizational structures or toolchains do not automatically equate to technical debt. Whether these types of misalignments should be considered technical debt depends on the company’s merger and acquisition strategy.

For companies that have standards around organizational structure and tooling, and where some of the benefits of the merger or acquisition are based on the assumption of integration, unintegrated processes and tools should be considered technical debt if they are not addressed within the timeframe outlined in the integration business case. On the other hand, if a company is a portfolio company and adopts a federated approach, it may be acceptable to leave processes and tools unintegrated and they would not be considered technical debt. Technical debt in this context only arises when tools and processes do not align with the standards and strategies of the organization.

By considering the full range of technical debt across an enterprise, including software defects, organizational inefficiencies, and risk-related issues, it is possible to redefine technical debt as:

Unmet demand for technical resources reduces the ability to deliver value to customers or increases risk. 

Calculating Enterprise Technical Debt

By recognizing that technical debt can encompass a range of issues including software defects, organizational complexity, and toolchain heterogeneity, it becomes possible to consider methods for measuring technical debt.

Quantifying different types of technical debt can be challenging, but the concept of technical debt itself provides a useful framework for measurement. Technical debt implies a cost, and each type of debt discussed can be quantified in terms of money, allowing for an overall debt cost to be calculated for a large organization.

Interest Rate of Technical Debt

From a financial perspective, the cost of technical debt can be understood as the “interest rate” on that debt – that is, the amount that the technical debt costs the organization over a given period of time. As Ward Cunningham noted in his video on the debt metaphor, technical debt allows organizations to act sooner, but also incurs ongoing costs in the form of lost revenue or other impacts such as security breaches. These costs can accumulate over time and should be taken into consideration when evaluating the impact of technical debt.

This approach to calculating technical debt is useful because it allows organizations to also calculate the cost of addressing the debt, such as the cost to fix a software defect. It is important to note that the cost of mitigation may change over time, as the cost to fix a defect may increase as familiarity with the relevant code decreases. By understanding both the cost of mitigation and the ongoing cost of technical debt, organizations can make informed decisions about the return on investment for addressing the debt. This can help them prioritize their efforts to address technical debt in a way that aligns with their business goals.

Software Debt

Using an economic approach to measure technical debt provides a consistent framework for understanding the cost of different types of debt, but different types of debt may still require different measurement approaches. For example, the cost of software-related technical debt can be calculated by considering factors such as defects, unnecessary complexity, lack of documentation, and unused code that increase the cost of code maintenance and changes and may also cause incidents or outages. This cost can be determined by evaluating the cost of support activities related to the issue and the impact on productivity for new code development, as well as the time and resources required to fix the problem.

In this example, a large educational company was facing a bug in its code that caused load spikes and required the team to regularly spend time addressing the issue. The cost to fix the bug was estimated at $10,000, while the ongoing cost of dealing with the issue was estimated at $2,000 per week. Based on this analysis, it would take approximately five weeks for the company to see a return on investment from fixing the bug, as the cost of addressing the issue on an ongoing basis exceeded the cost of fixing it. This approach can be useful for evaluating the potential benefits of addressing different types of technical debt and determining the most cost-effective course of action.

Risk Debt

Annual loss expectancy (ALE) is a way to measure the expected financial loss over a period of one year. It is calculated by multiplying the estimated loss by the probability that it will occur in a given year. This can be useful for evaluating the cost of risk-related technical debt, such as security risks or compliance issues, by taking into account the likelihood and potential impact of these risks.

By understanding the ALE, organizations can make informed decisions about the cost-benefit of addressing different types of technical debt and take steps to mitigate risks that could have a significant impact on their business.

ALE = SLE * ARO

Technical debt refers to the cost associated with deferring maintenance or improvement work on software systems. It can include software defects, security vulnerabilities, and organizational complexity, among other things. Measuring technical debt can be challenging, but it is important for organizations to understand the cost of this debt to make informed decisions about how to prioritize and address it. One approach is to use financial metrics such as annual loss expectancy, which estimates the expected financial loss due to a risk based on the probability of that risk occurring in a given year. By considering the cost of technical debt and the cost of addressing it, organizations can make informed decisions about how to prioritize and address this debt.

Technical debt is a term that refers to the cost incurred by a company as a result of taking shortcuts or making technical decisions that are not optimal in the long term. It can include defects in software code, security vulnerabilities, and organizational or toolchain issues that hinder the ability of a company to deliver value to its customers.

To measure technical debt, it is necessary to understand the various types of debt and how they can be quantified in monetary terms. This includes calculating the cost of software defects, the annual loss expectancy (ALE) of risk-related debt, and the cost of remediation for all types of debt. By weighing these costs against the potential return on investment, companies can make informed decisions about whether to invest in the remediation of technical debt.

Organizational Technical Debt

Technical debt is a term that refers to the cost incurred by an organization when it fails to follow best practices in software development, resulting in problems that must be fixed in the future. This can include software defects, security vulnerabilities, and misaligned organizational structures or tools. To measure technical debt, it is useful to consider the cost of interest that accrues over time due to the debt, as well as the cost to mitigate the debt.

Different types of technical debt may require different methods of measurement, such as the annual loss expectancy for risk-related debt or the cost of support activities for software defect-related debt. By considering the cost of technical debt and the potential return on investment for mitigating it, organizations can make informed decisions about how to prioritize their efforts and allocate resources.

Technical debt is a term used to describe the cost that a company incurs when it chooses to prioritize certain tasks or projects over others. Technical debt can be measured in a number of ways, including the cost of support activities, the impact on productivity, and the cost of delays in delivering value. Different types of technical debt may require different measurement approaches, but overall, it is important to consider the cost of the debt, the cost to mitigate the debt, and the return on investment for fixing the debt in order to make informed business decisions about how to address technical debt within an organization.

The cost to resolve organizational debt can be used to estimate the debt’s actual cost, just like it can be used to determine development- and risk-related debt. This offers a practical method for choosing whether to make the investment to pay off the debt.

Conclusion

The extent of technical debt is broad for large businesses. Technical debt comes in a different form, and there are numerous ways to calculate both its cost and interest rate. Debt relating to the software must be calculated based on the effect on the customer or the effect on the employees’ productivity. The ALE of the debt can be used to calculate risk-related debt. The amount of organizational debt can be determined by taking into account customer value delivery delays.

There is a lot of confusion around this data, and there are different computations to take into account. There are definitely significant costs related to technical debt. Even if organizations are unaware of it, the interest on that debt is being paid off every day. They can at least quantify the impact and make thoughtful decisions based on return on investment for the work required to remediate technical debt in the enterprise by looking at the cost to remediate and the cost of the interest. It may not make sense or even be possible for enterprises to truly know the full extent of their debt or the amount of interest they are paying.

 


Here at CourseMonster, we know how hard it may be to find the right time and funds for training. We provide effective training programs that enable you to select the training option that best meets the demands of your company.

For more information, please get in touch with one of our course advisers today or contact us at training@coursemonster.com

Posted in DevOpsTagged DevOpsLeave a Comment on Measuring Technical Debt is the Best of 2022

The Best of 2022: Transitioning from a Developer to a Team Lead

Posted on December 29, 2022December 29, 2022 by Marbenz Antonio

Business team meeting, discussion of working moments - Vector 2923479  Vector Art at Vecteezy

As DevOps nears the end of 2022, they have compiled a list of the most popular articles from this year. Below is the latest installment of our “Best of 2022” series.

Software developers who have been working in their field for a while may be wondering what career paths are available to them beyond coding. It’s important to note that taking the next step in your career is not required and some people are content remaining developers for the duration of their professional lives. However, there are many opportunities available for those who wish to explore other options.

If you are interested in pursuing other opportunities beyond software development, there are several paths you can consider, such as becoming a solution architect, Scrum master, or product owner. These are just a few examples of the options available to you.

Another possibility for software developers to consider is becoming a team lead. This role is often seen as the result of long-term dedication and passion for the field. But is it a good career opportunity for an ambitious developer to pursue?

What Makes a Great Team Lead?

Unlike developers, who typically work on a specific aspect of a project and primarily communicate with other developers, team leads are responsible for coordinating the activities and collaborating with the entire team. They also spend less time dealing with technical issues. As the name suggests, team leads are leaders and managers of the team, and they are responsible for communicating with team members as well as stakeholders within and outside the company. Team leads serve as a representative of the team and are responsible for overseeing the team’s progress and success.

A team lead is the first point of contact for developers when problems arise, and is responsible for coming up with solutions. Team leads are knowledgeable and experienced in technical matters such as bug fixes, tooling and library choices, and how to approach specific code-related problems. This expertise is what led to their promotion to a leadership role.

The Go-To Point of Contact

The team lead is the person to approach if you wish to make improvements to an application or a test. They should be knowledgeable about technological solutions and capable of explaining to less experienced developers why one thing works and another doesn’t or why doing X instead of Y could be a good idea.

While team leads are expected to have a certain level of expertise and knowledge, it does not mean that they possess all knowledge and should not be afraid to seek input and advice from other experienced developers. In fact, seeking out the insights, opinions, and knowledge of others is a positive trait of a good team leader, as it demonstrates an openness to new ideas and a willingness to collaborate with others.

As a team leader, it is important to consider the bigger picture and take into account the entire team and the project as a whole. This includes directing the efforts of other developers, identifying areas for improvement, sharing best practices, and ensuring that the code infrastructure and project architecture are well-maintained. A good team leader should be able to guide their team towards success by focusing on these key elements.

When to Step Up

It is clear that a good team leader should possess a combination of experience, knowledge, passion, and strong communication skills. These skills are not acquired quickly, but rather are typically developed over time as an individual progresses in their career from a junior engineering or DevOps role to a leadership position. As they gain technical, social, and leadership skills, they become better equipped to guide and manage a team or teams effectively.

One’s personality and work style can sometimes lead to a natural progression into a leadership role within a team. The team may recognize that a particular member has a strong skillset or is a natural leader who is able to inspire and guide others. In other cases, a team member may assume a leadership role due to their technical expertise or because they want to gain experience in a leadership role.

As a developer, taking on a new leadership role can feel overwhelming. However, many of the skills that a developer has already acquired will be applicable and helpful in their new role.

For example, strong attention to detail, which is often a characteristic of successful developers, can be very useful for a team lead. The ability to carefully analyze and improve code, a skill that most developers possess, can also be beneficial in a leadership role.

The Importance of Soft Skills

To be a successful team leader, it is important to have a strong technical background, experience in the field, a passion for the work, a strong work ethic, and conscientiousness. Additionally, it is important to enjoy working with and collaborating with others.

A team leader’s role requires strong communication, collaboration, and people skills. They must work closely with team members and stakeholders within and outside the company, making them key figures in IT and business processes. While technical expertise is important, being a successful team leader requires a combination of knowledge and experience, as well as the ability to effectively communicate and share that knowledge with others.

Effective communication in English is another important skill for a team leader to possess. While it is common to use English for coding, communicating with clients and team members, who may be located in different countries, requires a higher level of fluency. While it is possible to improve language skills over time, it is important for a team leader to have a strong foundation in English in order to effectively communicate with team members and stakeholders.

While developing technical and interpersonal skills, a team leader can also work on improving their language skills. Strong knowledge of various technologies, frameworks, and functionalities, as well as experience using them, can provide opportunities for team leader to practice their language skills by communicating with colleagues, overseeing projects, and advising stakeholders within and outside the company. A team leader can also find ways to suggest changes and improvements, which can further require the use of language skills.

Making the Move to Team Lead

Team leads play a vital role in software development with their strong work ethic, and willingness to continuously learn and take on more responsibility. If you are someone who values personal and professional growth and is interested in taking on more responsibility, becoming a team lead may be a good fit for you.

 


Here at CourseMonster, we know how hard it may be to find the right time and funds for training. We provide effective training programs that enable you to select the training option that best meets the demands of your company.

For more information, please get in touch with one of our course advisers today or contact us at training@coursemonster.com

Posted in DevOpsTagged DevOpsLeave a Comment on The Best of 2022: Transitioning from a Developer to a Team Lead

PAT Scopes are now Supported by all Azure DevOps REST APIs

Posted on December 29, 2022December 29, 2022 by Marbenz Antonio

Security Considerations For Your 2022 CI/CD Services Can Find Their Peace In Azure DevOps

The Azure DevOps team recently implemented a change to connect all of their REST APIs with a specific personal access token (PAT) scope as part of their efforts to improve security. Before this change, some of these APIs were not tied to a PAT scope, which could potentially lead to customers using full-scoped PATs to access them. Full-scoped PATs grant access to all the permissions of the corresponding user and could be misused by malicious actors to access sensitive information such as source code or production infrastructure. By associating these APIs with a PAT scope, the Azure DevOps team is reducing the risks associated with a compromised PAT credential.

If you are using a full-scoped personal access token (PAT) to authenticate to an Azure DevOps REST API, you should consider switching to a PAT with a more specific scope to limit access. The specific scopes accepted by each API are listed in the “Security” section of the API’s documentation. By using a PAT with the appropriate scope, you can avoid granting unnecessary access.

PAT Scope in REST API Docs Example

Additionally, these improvements should allow more customers to prevent the creation of full-scoped personal access tokens (PATs) by enabling the corresponding control plane policy.

 


Here at CourseMonster, we know how hard it may be to find the right time and funds for training. We provide effective training programs that enable you to select the training option that best meets the demands of your company.

For more information, please get in touch with one of our course advisers today or contact us at training@coursemonster.com

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Experience Management: Why Recognizing Problem Areas Isn’t Enough

Posted on December 28, 2022December 28, 2022 by Marbenz Antonio

Building Better Mental Health - HelpGuide.org

There has been an increasing focus on employee experience within the field of IT service management (ITSM), which is a positive development. By using experience data and DEX management solutions, IT organizations can improve their IT service delivery and support capabilities to enhance employee productivity. These solutions use technology to identify and report on issues in the IT infrastructure that affect employees. Alternatively, organizations can use traditional survey methods to gather insights into employee experiences and the quality of IT services. In either case, IT organizations can gain valuable insights that help them understand and address employee needs.

While employee experience data is useful for understanding what is and is not working well, it does not provide a complete picture of what is most important to employees and their productivity. To truly prioritize and identify opportunities for improvement, a deeper level of understanding is needed. This blog post explains this concept using practical examples.

Experience measurement needs context

Experience-related data is useful for identifying areas that are functioning well and those that need improvement in terms of infrastructure and services. While this information can lead to opportunities for improvement, it does not provide guidance on which specific improvements to prioritize. In other words, the data does not tell the organization which “door” to walk through in terms of prioritizing improvements.

The traditional challenge with continuous improvement is that organizations may not always make investments in the most effective areas. For example, improvement initiatives are often initiated based on:

  • Volumes of things or costs
  • IT’s view of what’s most important
  • The seniority of key players
  • The opinions of businesspeople who aren’t impacted by the issue
  • Hopefully, shutting up the “loudest voice.”

What is needed is a deeper understanding of the context in which employee experiences occur. For example, if corporate PC image complexity is causing long device boot times, which is identified as a negative experience through DEX data, it may not be the most important issue to address in terms of improvement investments. While it affects all employees and might typically be prioritized based on the number of people impacted and the aggregate lost time per year, understanding the context may reveal that it has minimal impact on employee productivity. This is because employees may simply adjust their morning routine to account for the longer boot time, and the issue does not significantly hinder their ability to work.

On the other hand, employees may be more negatively affected by something that is perceived as working well according to some DEX solutions. For example, IT self-service capabilities may have been introduced to reduce costs, speed up issue resolution or service provisioning, or improve the employee experience.

However, in some cases, IT self-service may fail to deliver the expected benefits in terms of speed or employee experience when it is implemented without sufficient organizational change management investment or for the wrong reasons. As a result, usage levels may be lower than expected, with employees continuing to prefer to call the IT service desk. This can lead to a delay in achieving the promised cost savings and return on investment (ROI).

The second example illustrates how technology may be perceived as functioning properly but still delivering a poor experience for the end user.

The answer is combining technical data with end-user sentiment

While DEX solutions provide valuable data and insights about technology performance, including synthetic transactions that simulate the end-user experience, they may not always accurately reflect the actual employee experience. It is important to consider the context in which the experience is occurring in order to understand what is most important to employees.

To address this issue, some DEX solution providers use sentiment analysis, which involves surveying employees to gather insights into their feelings about IT services and support transactions. This data provides a more complete understanding of the issues that employees are experiencing and, more importantly, which ones are most important to them from a productivity standpoint. This information is critical for continuous improvement efforts and helps organizations prioritize their efforts based on employee needs.

For instance, while employees may have issues with the performance of the IT service desk, simply trying to improve resolution times or customer-centricity may not address the root cause of dissatisfaction. Sentiment analysis data may reveal that, while speed is important, the underlying issues are different. For example, employees may be frustrated because their issues are not being fully resolved or because they have to repeatedly explain their problems and provide details to multiple people or groups. These types of problems may be significant enough to warrant a focus on continuous improvement.

This blog post has aimed to show that simply knowing where improvements are needed is not enough to accurately focus continuous improvement efforts on what matters most. While technology-based insights into performance can be useful, human-sourced feedback is also necessary to understand where improvement investments should be made.

 


Here at CourseMonster, we know how hard it may be to find the right time and funds for training. We provide effective training programs that enable you to select the training option that best meets the demands of your company.

For more information, please get in touch with one of our course advisers today or contact us at training@coursemonster.com

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How does your IT Department Support Corporate Sustainability Strategies?

Posted on December 28, 2022December 28, 2022 by Marbenz Antonio

What is Digital Transformation? [A Comprehensive Guide to Successful  Digitalization Through Effective Strategies, Platforms, and Technologies] •  Glue Up

Are you familiar with the concept of sustainability? It’s likely that you are. But have you connected your IT organization’s strategies, activities, and goals to the broader corporate sustainability strategies and targets? If your IT organization has already aligned its IT strategies and objectives with corporate sustainability goals and aspirations, that’s great.

But if it has not, and you want to know what your IT organization should be doing in this regard, this blog provides a brief introduction to sustainability, why it is important for IT service management (ITSM) professionals, and how your IT organization can support the business in meeting the requirements of corporate sustainability strategies.

Sustainability has many forms

If you have been working in IT for a long time, you may recall the “green IT” trend from the past. Sustainability is different, however, because, unlike green IT, it focuses on business-level sustainability rather than just making the IT organization more environmentally friendly and potentially reducing costs in the process.

The terminology used by your organization might also vary. According to the ITIL 4: Sustainability in Digital and IT publication, sustainability is defined as:

‘A business approach focused on creating long-term value for society and other stakeholders, by addressing the risks and opportunities associated with economic, environmental, and social developments.’

There are two three-letter acronyms that are commonly used to address sustainability and related issues:

  1. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) – a corporate approach that encompasses social goals in addition to the traditional focus on maximizing profits.
  2. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – “… how organizations ensure that they operate in a sustainable way; how they behave towards their employees and customers; how they select partners and suppliers; and the impact of their activities on the environment and the communities of their ecosystems” according to the ITIL 4 Sustainability in Digital and IT publication.

Why organizations are focusing on sustainability

On the one hand, promoting sustainability is the responsible thing to do for the benefit of the world we and future generations will live in, and corporate sustainability strategies and goals aim to improve business practices in this regard. Specifically, they seek to address global issues such as:

  • Water cleanliness
  • Atmosphere damage
  • Fossil fuel dependency
  • Species extinction

Importantly, before it is too late to address or at least mitigate the environmental damage caused over the past century.

But from a practical business perspective, sustainability is about more than just creating a better world – it can also bring tangible benefits. For example:


“The World Bank and Bank of America found that businesses with better environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria produced three times higher returns than their peers and that organizations with ESG principles in their strategy can drive profitable growth that positively impacts the world, mitigates risks, and attracts the best talent.”


Source: AXELOS, “ITIL 4: Sustainability in Digital and IT” (2021)

The upside of corporate sustainability strategies

Therefore, sustainability is good for business, not just businesses doing good, and a corporate focus on and investment in sustainability can bring a range of benefits. These benefits include:

  • Increased sales due to improved public perception and reputation for the organization and its brand(s), as more informed customers become increasingly concerned about the sourcing and delivery of the products and services they purchase.
  • Reduced operational and sales costs due to sustainability initiatives that improve the delivery of products and services.
  • The recruitment and retention of employees can be improved by considering their personal values, similar to how customers make decisions about where to shop.
  • There has been an increase in investment in sustainability through the use of ethical investment strategies and decisions made by individuals and investment companies.

Corporate sustainability may no longer be solely a decision based on the benefits it brings to the company. In some cases, it may be required by regulations, especially for organizations in regulated industries. Additionally, it is likely that there will be further government legislation on sustainability in the future.

The impact of corporate sustainability on IT strategies

To meet sustainability and compliance requirements, the entire lifecycle of product and service delivery must be considered, including the sustainability practices of the corporate IT organization and any third-party technology suppliers. This means that the IT organization will ultimately need to align with the business’s sustainability strategies and goals.

For most professionals in the field of IT service management, sustainability is a necessary focus for their organization. The IT organization will be responsible for incorporating sustainability principles into its operations and service delivery in order to support the overall sustainability goals of the company. The question is not whether or not to focus on sustainability, but rather whether the IT organization proactively begins the process of integrating sustainability practices or if it will eventually be required to do so under the added pressure and expense of compliance.

It is likely that your IT organization will eventually need to address corporate sustainability goals. Therefore, it is important to start planning for sustainability as soon as possible. What is your IT organization doing to meet these sustainability objectives? It may be a matter of “when” rather than “if,” so it is best to be prepared in advance.

 


Here at CourseMonster, we know how hard it may be to find the right time and funds for training. We provide effective training programs that enable you to select the training option that best meets the demands of your company.

For more information, please get in touch with one of our course advisers today or contact us at training@coursemonster.com

Posted in UncategorizedLeave a Comment on How does your IT Department Support Corporate Sustainability Strategies?

What Value Stream Mapping Practitioners Need to Know

Posted on December 28, 2022December 28, 2022 by Marbenz Antonio

4 Reasons to Utilize Data Visualization Software | Inzata Analytics

The ITIL 4 framework, introduced in 2019, emphasized the importance of co-creating value and managing value streams rather than following a process-based approach to IT service management (ITSM). It emphasized the need for value stream mapping and provided detailed guidance for ITSM practitioners in the ITIL 4: Create, Deliver and Support publication.

Despite its importance, some ITSM practitioners might not be familiar with value stream mapping or have only a basic understanding of it. This blog aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of value streams, how they can be beneficial, and how to adopt and take advantage of value stream mapping in an organization.

Value streams

This blog discusses value stream mapping, but it does not assume that readers are already familiar with the concept of value streams. According to ITIL, a value stream is: “A series of steps an organization undertakes to create and deliver products and services to consumers.”

It’s important to carefully consider the nuances of the definitions provided above and to understand that value streams are typically distinct from processes. For ITSM, value streams will utilize various aspects of ITIL management practices or ITSM processes to move from a demand-based trigger to the delivery of value.

Value stream mapping

Value stream mapping is a Lean manufacturing technique that helps organizations create more value for customers while using fewer resources. According to ITIL, it is defined as:

“A Lean management technique to visualize the steps needed to convert demand into a value used to identify opportunities to improve” and a value stream map is “A visual representation of a service value stream which shows the flow of work, information, and resources.”

Although the first definition might suggest that the value stream map itself is the most important aspect of value stream mapping, the true business value comes from the process of creating the map. Whether an organization is documenting the current or desired future state of a value stream, the key benefits come from the collaboration of various business stakeholders in identifying waste in the value stream, such as inefficiencies, bottlenecks, quality issues, and the need for rework.

How organizations benefit

As mentioned earlier, the process of creating value stream maps is valuable, but it is only a means to an end rather than the end itself. This is reflected in the following list of benefits of value stream mapping:

  • Greater customer focus
  • Improved collaboration between different teams and potential business functions
  • A shared understanding of the end-to-end value stream
  • The identification of operational, service, experience, and outcome improvements
  • Greater appreciation of how an individual or team’s work impacts others
  • New operational insights that were hitherto unnoticed
  • The identification of wastage, such as bottlenecks, delays, and reworking
  • The identification of low or non-value-adding activities
  • Risk identification
  • Operational optimization, including time efficiencies and cost reductions
  • People resource optimization
  • Automation opportunities can be identified and justified in value terms.

How to undertake value stream mapping

Value stream mapping involves a collective and collaborative effort. Without it, the resulting value stream map is likely to be incomplete, inaccurate, and ineffective, as it will only be based on a limited set of perspectives. This collaboration typically takes the form of meetings or workshops where different teams document the work they do to turn demand requests into value, with people writing what they know about the various elements of the value stream on Post-it Notes.

There is a wide range of guidance available on value stream mapping, but drawing from the ITIL 4 Create, Deliver and Support publication, here is a paraphrased summary of its content:

  1. Define the value stream being worked on by describing the demands, triggers, outcomes, and value.
  2. Document the steps and activities involved in moving from demand to value delivery, including what is needed and what happens at each stage.
  3. Divide the steps into actions and tasks if necessary
  4. Document what’s required to complete the steps, actions, or tasks successfully.

However, the mechanics of value stream mapping are only one aspect of its success, with the involvement of people being equally important. This includes:

  • Having the necessary knowledge and expertise to apply the value stream mapping technique
  • Developing personal skills that encourage people’s participation and eventual consensus
  • Obtaining value stream knowledge from people who play different roles in the end-to-end stream.

In addition to the importance of involving people in the value stream mapping process, there are other factors that can impact its success. Firstly, people are crucial to the accuracy of the resulting value stream map(s), particularly in ensuring that what is documented and agreed upon reflects the actual operational reality. Secondly, there are motivational considerations that should not be overlooked. For example, participants should feel comfortable sharing their knowledge without fear of negative consequences, such as pointing out that actual operations differ from the agreed or mandated ways of working.

 


Here at CourseMonster, we know how hard it may be to find the right time and funds for training. We provide effective training programs that enable you to select the training option that best meets the demands of your company.

For more information, please get in touch with one of our course advisers today or contact us at training@coursemonster.com

Posted in ITIL 4Tagged ITIL 4Leave a Comment on What Value Stream Mapping Practitioners Need to Know

The Right Combination Enhances the Marketing of High-tech Solutions

Posted on December 28, 2022 by Marbenz Antonio

Marketing and sales with chatbots – what is “conversational marketing”?

There are many different technologies that companies use to provide products and services to a global market. These technologies can be complex and interdependent, requiring skilled professionals with technical expertise to create effective solutions. Different organizations may also rely on different technological ecosystems, such as local on-premises networks, edge computing, cloud computing, or multiple infrastructure setups, which may be supported by Internet of Things (IoT) devices, artificial intelligence (AI), and other technologies. Additionally, not all organizations have the necessary in-house expertise, knowledge, or hardware to develop advanced electronic technology solutions.

Dell and Arrow have been working together for a long time, helping businesses bring their products to market more quickly, improve customer satisfaction, and reduce costs and complexity. The partnership is strengthened by eInfochips, an Arrow company that specializes in creating Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud solutions and providing services for electronic design and high-tech support. eInfochips covers everything from silicon and device engineering to cloud software and operating systems, essentially covering all aspects of technology development from the chip upward.

Dell, Arrow, and eInfochips collaborate with clients to offer specialized engineering and business benefits, particularly when it comes to complex, connected Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and technologies across various platforms. Their combined expertise allows customers to benefit from eInfochips’ capabilities in building complex devices from the ground up, including robotics, AI based on vision, autonomous machines, and unique operating systems.

An example of the expertise of Dell, Arrow, and eInfochips coming together is the General Electric (GE) customer project. GE was creating an Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) operating system (OS) called Predix to run on various IoT platforms and support cloud application management services. eInfochips contributed additional features to the project, including:

  1. Porting of complex edge operating system onto Dell hardware platforms
  2. Assisting in deploying containerized applications
  3. Managing all related go-to-market documentation, including user guides and manuals, testing, and bug identification.

Through eInfochips, Arrow extends support for Dell products beyond just sales by adding additional capabilities to the solutions, such as Linux buildouts, security, machine learning, cloud services, remote management, and quality testing.

eInfochips services speed up development times and provide specialized skills that reduce the development workload that is not directly related to the final application. Whether the technology involves robotics, AI based on vision, or autonomous machines, Arrow, Dell, and eInfochips work together to create the necessary building blocks to accelerate customer projects and meet their needs.

 


Here at CourseMonster, we know how hard it may be to find the right time and funds for training. We provide effective training programs that enable you to select the training option that best meets the demands of your company.

For more information, please get in touch with one of our course advisers today or contact us at training@coursemonster.com

Posted in UncategorizedLeave a Comment on The Right Combination Enhances the Marketing of High-tech Solutions

The Best Ways to Prepare for the Four Big Cyber Risks in 2023

Posted on December 27, 2022December 27, 2022 by Marbenz Antonio

5 Biggest Cybersecurity Threats Small Business Face - SVAM

At this point, 2023 is a blank slate. While the past few years have demonstrated that it is impossible to anticipate all potential scenarios, understanding current cybersecurity challenges can help you be better prepared for next year.

By being aware of potential future challenges, you can be better prepared to deal with them. This might involve creating a budget that allocates funds to important areas and hiring staff with the necessary skills to address anticipated threats. Additionally, it is important to train your staff to prevent common attacks.

Security experts have identified some of the most significant cybersecurity threats that organizations are likely to face in 2023. The following are the top four threats to be aware of and, more importantly, how to prepare for them.

1. Security by Obscurity

Large multinational enterprises and critical infrastructure organizations are well aware that they are appealing targets for cybercriminals and invest a significant amount of time and money in mitigating those risks. Smaller companies may be tempted to assume that they are not at risk because they are too small to be targeted. However, this is no longer the case. In fact, most businesses that experience cyberattacks are small to medium-sized. Ransomware attacks are now based on how much a business is willing to pay rather than the size of the organization.

Businesses that believe they won’t be hacked are much more likely to become victims of a cyberattack. When you think you are not at risk, you are less likely to allocate the necessary resources, funds, and training to safeguard your business. Every organization should assume that a cyberattack is a question of “when,” not “if,” and take steps to protect themselves accordingly, regardless of their size or perceived value to cybercriminals.

2. Supply Chain Attacks

All businesses rely on other companies for products and services, but this also means that they inherit all of the cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities of their supply chain. While businesses can control what happens within their own infrastructure, they have no control or visibility into what is happening with their vendors. According to the IBM 2022 Cost of a Breach Report, 19% of all breaches are supply chain attacks. The average cost of a supply chain compromise was $4.46 million, slightly higher than the average cost of a breach.

Despite these challenges, there are steps that businesses can take to protect themselves. One option is to conduct a cybersecurity audit of all vendors to fully understand the risks associated with each one. When deciding to work with a vendor, consider the level of risk that your organization is willing to accept. Additionally, you can adopt a zero-trust approach to minimize the impact of a supply chain attack. By only granting vendors access to what is necessary for business purposes, you can limit the potential damage. For example, using micro-segmentation can allow vendors and their products to access only the smallest possible portion of the network. If malicious code is introduced through a software update, the damage will be contained to that small section of the infrastructure.

3. Collaboration Among Threat Actors

Instead of individual groups targeting organizations independently, cybercriminals are now working together. This means that they are sharing expertise, resources, and insider knowledge. For example, “Ransomware-as-a-Service” is now available. Groups are selling their ransomware in exchange for a percentage of the profits, providing more criminals with access to advanced hacking tools.

Cybercriminals are now leveraging the power of numbers by working together. This presents a significant challenge for organizations, highlighting the need to prioritize cybersecurity. Arrests and disbandments may temporarily disrupt these groups, but they can easily reform or pass on their knowledge to others. As these collaborations continue, threats will only become more numerous and sophisticated.

4. Reactive Network Defense

Traditionally, cybersecurity efforts focused on protecting the perimeter and responding to attacks. However, this approach is no longer effective due to the proliferation of hybrid and remote work, which means that there is no longer a clear perimeter to defend. Additionally, the increasing number and complexity of attacks make it virtually impossible to prevent all threats. Organizations that are still using a reactive approach are likely to struggle.

Transitioning from a reactive to a proactive approach requires significant changes to mindset and infrastructure, but it has many benefits. By adopting a proactive approach, organizations can prevent many attacks from happening in the first place. Using a zero-trust approach, it is possible to prevent non-credentialed or stolen credentials users or devices from accessing the network. Even if someone is able to access the network, the damage they can cause can be significantly limited. According to the 2022 IBM Cost of a Breach Report, organizations that do not use a zero-trust approach experience an average of $5.40 million in breach costs, which is more than $1 million higher than the global average.

Expect the Unexpected

It is certain that 2023 will bring its own set of unexpected challenges, including new threats, technological developments, and business obstacles that may not be foreseeable. However, by proactively preparing for as many risks as possible, it becomes easier to adapt to unexpected events when they arise. By planning ahead, you will only need to react to the truly unforeseen.

The final weeks of the year tend to be very busy, but it is important to take the time to review your 2023 plans, identify vulnerabilities and assess risks in order to ensure that your organization is ready for whatever challenges 2023 may bring.

 


Here at CourseMonster, we know how hard it may be to find the right time and funds for training. We provide effective training programs that enable you to select the training option that best meets the demands of your company.

For more information, please get in touch with one of our course advisers today or contact us at training@coursemonster.com

Posted in CybersecurityTagged cybersecurity, RansomwareLeave a Comment on The Best Ways to Prepare for the Four Big Cyber Risks in 2023

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