Latest Articles
Private APIs vs. Open APIs 
One of the key considerations that should guide both your API business strategy and your interface architecture is the distinction between open and private APIs. An interface is defined as…
Benefits of Headless CMS vs a Traditional CMS 
The time to choose a headless CMS over a traditional CMS couldn't be more clear. Gabriella Pirrone Gabriella Pirrone September 9, 2019 Headless CMS vs Traditional CMS There are some very clear and obvious benefits to the notion of content…
Putting Personas to Work in UX Design: What They Are and Why They’re Important 
It’s likely you’ve heard the term persona before, especially if you’ve worked in user experience design. Personas are a commonly used tool in UX design. At their core, personas are about creating products with a specific, not generic, user in…
Vietnam: The Emerging Software Outsourcing Destination 
Outsource to Vietnam? Offshore development includes software development, Web apps, MEAN stack, automation testing and more. Outsourcing software development is the driving economic force of many emerging countries. India and China are well…
The importance of Scrum values in project management 
Scrum is a set of tools that helps Agile teams expect and embrace changes that arise during software development projects. To equip teams for success, Scrum includes a set of operating values that help team members work together, improving…
Dichotomies in Software Testing: How to be balanced with your thoughts as a QA 
In the world of software testing, where precision and clarity are crucial, the concept of dichotomies needs to be addressed to navigate through grey areas. Software testing involves assessing the correctness and quality of software applications,…
Which one is the recipe for success: Selling to Strangers, Family or Friends? 
Powerful Message of Jack Ma - Selling to Close Friends and Family
Jack Ma once said, "When selling to close friends and family, no matter how much you're selling to them, they will always feel you're earning their money…
Is MicroManagement good for your project? 
Why MicroManagement?
Micromanaging is often necessary during significant changes, such as new leadership or new initiatives. It is crucial for managers and leaders to understand their team's processes and ensure…
What is User Provisioning & Deprovisioning? 
What is User Provisioning?
User Provisioning / User Account Provisioning is an Identity…
What Is Augmented Intelligence? 
Augmented intelligence is designed to enhance, not replace
Augmented intelligence is a subsection of AI machine learning developed to enhance human intelligence rather than operate independently of or outright replace…
Why High-End Luxury Products Demand Better Software? 
About the author
Victoria Greene is an e-commerce branding consultant and freelance writer. For all the latest on developments in e-commerce, marketing, and design, ask Victoria what…
How to do Low-Code, No-Code with odoo using Odoo Studio and Website Builder? 
No more one-size-fits-all
Low code and no code development is a method of creating software using visual drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-built modules, rather than writing…
How to use quality gates to guide IT projects? 
John Sinclair sits in an IT operations room where he’s responsible for managing a team fielding user calls about server and application support issues. The ops room, which looks vaguely like a NASA control room, is full of digital displays…
10 Tips for Working Smarter, Not Harder 
People who work “hard,” put in extra hours, check their email on nights and weekends, and maintain a rapid pace, even when they’re tired, are admirable; They are motivated, well-intentioned people who want to do a good job. BUT people who work “…
Work smart, not hard - An approach to time-sensitive project management 
By PMI (Project Management Institute)
Abstract: “Work smart, not hard!” – An Approach to Time-Sensitive Project Management
Limited budgets and resources and outside competitive pressure have increasingly strained…
Hands On vs. Hands Off Management 
I’m a very laissez faire manager. Sometimes too much.
I’m never going to fight against my dominant style. It wouldn’t work and I’d hate my life. But I have learned to watch out for and try to curb the excesses.
I look for…
Differences between software walkthrough, review, and inspection 
There are several methods to identify defects during the software development. (Review, walkthrough and Inspection) The most effective is software formal inspection or Fagan inspection as it was developed by Michael Fagan of IBM in the 70s.
…Benchmarking and Software Benchmarks 
Donald J. Reifer is recognized as one of the leading figures in the fields of software engineering and management with more 40+ years of progressive management experience in both industry and government.
Software development processes…
IT Outsourcing Pricing Models
IT Outsourcing Pricing Models
Choosing a pricing structure for your IT outsourcing is as essential as selecting a suitable model. There Are…
What are "static requirements" and "dynamic requirements"? 
Static requirement
A static requirement is a requirement whose lifecycle extends beyond the delivery of the product or service. The service management organisation, uses the requirement again to…
Murphy's Laws in Software Engineer 
Murphy's Computer Laws
1. No matter how many resources you have, it is never enough.
2. Any cool program always requires more memory than you have.
3. When you finally buy enough memory, you will not have…
Reduce waste in software development with 3M model: Muda, Mura, Muri
Muda - The Waste Of Non-Value-Adding Activities
Muda, the standard 7 wastes: Over-Production, Inventory, Motion, Defects, Over-Processing transport &…
The Pros and Cons of Wireframing a Web Design 
Wireframing is the first step many web designers take in designing a new website. The process involves creating a visual outline of a site around which the final product will be developed.
Wireframing can undoubtedly make a web design…
What Is RAID in Project Management? (With Pros and Cons) 
If you're a project manager, it can be essential for you to identify and mitigate risks before starting a new venture. Conducting a RAID analysis can allow you to distribute tasks and justify the choices you make throughout the project's life…
ERP vs Non-ERP Systems: Exploring the Distinctions between ERP and Non-ERP Systems 
In my previous article…
11 reasons to give software development outsourcing a green light 
Who can outsource software development? Basically, every firm — be it a startup or even a large enterprise. You should ask yourself which path will be most efficient and beneficial for you — will you rather build internal knowledge…
High Level Test Cases and Low level Test Cases: What are differences?
What Is The Difference Between High Level And Low-Level Test Case?
High-level test cases cover the core functionality of a product like standard business flows. Low-level test cases are those related to user interface…
Billable Viable Product (BVP) and Minimum Viable Product (MVP): Which is better?
The Billable Viable Product model might be considered an alternative to Minimum Viable Product, but the market is actually telling us it might soon become the only viable option.
The concept of Minimum Viable Product has been corrupted to…
Odoo - A Game Changer 
In today's competitive business landscape, organizations are constantly seeking innovative solutions to streamline their operations, increase efficiency, and boost productivity. One such game changer in the realm of enterprise resource planning (…
What is Unit Testing? Pros and cons of Unit Testing? 
Unit testing is a type of atomic testing method that many people argue about. Some think it’s necessary and useful, while others don’t like to use it unless they are forced to do so, for example: Unit Testing is a part of a bidding project. …
System Deployment Tips and Techniques 
Below is a very good article written by Scott W. Ambler. Thank him for a great post.
System deployment is a complex endeavor which is a critical aspect of the software…
The Difference Between Data Transformation and Data Translation
What is Data Translation?
Data translation can be defined as the process of converting volumes of data from one syntax to another and performing value lookups or substitutions from the data during the process. …
5 common hiring pain points every hiring manager in Vietnam can relate to 
With countries around the world experiencing varying levels of economic downturn, businesses might think that now is a good time to maintain (or even reduce) headcount and take a more conservative approach to recruitment.
The truth, as…
100 Small Business Pain Points 
Despite what you may have heard, owning a business is unusually painful.
That’s good news for the companies who market products and services to small businesses. After all, pain is a motivator for action. Ask any salesperson how they get…
Top 10 Benefits of Customizing Odoo ERP to Meet Your Business Needs 
Odoo is the most well-known open-source ERP software, used by over 3 million users. It started back in 2005 as ‘TinyERP,’ later changing its name to ‘OpenERP’ and finally to ‘Odoo.’ Top Odoo benefits include lot of modules and functionalities.…
IT Outsourcing to vietnam: Why It Is A Good Choice? 
Vietnam is a small country but is a mighty outsourcing powerhouse in the Asia-Pacific.
With the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, businesses want to optimize costs so as to increase their profit. This is where outsourcing comes into play.…
Why do software projects can take longer than planned? 
When you apply for software development services, one of the main intentions is to get a competitive advantage in the market for your product or service. Using custom software you can significantly improve the business processes that your company…
Best of Breed vs. Platform Solutions: Which Should You Choose? 
Testing tools come in a variety of different forms, which can make deciding on new tools for your team daunting. There are many different things to consider, not the least of which being whether to invest in many specialized products, or one…
What is Event-driven Process Chain (EPC)? Create an EPC diagram using Microsoft Visio 
Event-driven Process Chain (EPC) diagrams illustrate business process work flows and are an important component of the SAP R/3 modeling concepts for business engineering. EPC diagrams use graphical symbols to show the control-flow structure of a…
10 Reasons to Choose a Best-of-Breed Tech Stack 
When you're putting together the best technology solutions for your hospitality business, you often have two choices. Either you look for a provider of a platform that addresses most, if not all, technological aspects of your business or a "best-…
Why Toyota Group Chose Odoo As Its ERP Solution? 
For major logistics and material handling operations, efficiency is everything.
When a business operates a distribution network on an international scale, every second counts. Every workflow has to be optimized.…
OutSystems - Low Code Platform 
Introduction
OutSystems is a robust and flexible low-code platform intended for the development of enterprise mobile and web applications that are deployed in local…
Fujitsu Develops World's First Technology that Visualizes Complexity of Business Logic in a Program's Code 
Kawasaki, Japan, May 01, 2015
Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announced the development of the world's first technology for visualizing the degree of complexity of the business logic in complex, large-scale business…
Low-End and High-End Disruption 
Trying to be the cheapest is a race to the bottom. Someone can always make it or sell it cheaper; forcing you to lower costs and/or quality. But premium positioning can create a lasting demand and even lust for your product.
…
Odoo ERP Implementation Strategies 
From the perspective of leaders who have a direct decision on the Odoo ERP implementation method, you can choose 1 of 3 ERP implementation strategies as follows:
Big Bang (total deployment method)
This is the…
What is the Differences Between Kaizen and Innovation? 
While Kaizen and Innovation both bring improvements in the company’s products and/or services, processes, and business models, they have big differences, especially in the way they are implemented and the results…
Software Myths and Realities 
Different Types of Software Myths
Management Software Myths
The manager who is responsible for developing software is often under pressure regarding many attributes of the software such as:…
What is the term "takt time"? Origins of takt time? 
THE ETYMOLOGY OF TAKT TIME
The word Takt is of German origin and translates to rhythm, cadence, or cycle. As such, it was first used in reference to keeping time in music. A related word…
A famous Indian parable "The Blind Men, the Elephant" and the 3 Data Mistakes 
A famous Indian parable describes five blind men encountering an elephant for the first time. They each decide to touch the elephant to understand what the animal is like.
“An elephant is smooth and hard, like bone,” says the…
Doing the right things or doing the things right? 
English is really a funny language. One word here and there and your get contrasting angles to look at. Let’s consider the next statement for just a moment. Doing Things Right Vs Doing the Right Things.Tactical thinkers tend to focus on “doing…
Do Project Managers Need Business Knowledge? 
I have been debating recently with some colleagues about whether project managers need to have in-depth business knowledge of the business area in which they are managing projects. By in-depth we specifically meant having previously worked in the…
How to Use Value Stream Mapping to Improve Your Software Development Process 
What Is Value Stream Mapping?
Don’t build one to throw away, iterate! 
I recently read the Mythical Man-Month, a collection of essays on software engineering by Frederick Brooks. He writes about his…
Build one to throw away (Throw Away Systems) 
There’s a pattern I’ve seen with companies that are starting on a large green-field project that gets them into trouble later on that I wanted to call out because the pitfall is quite subtle.
It’s something I touched on in my presentation…
Output, outcome and benefits of a project: what are the differences? 
Projects are born to introduce changes.
However, very often we focus all our attention on the tangible result, the easiest to see. The deliverable of the project gets all attention, while we lose scope of why we…
DAM vs. CMS: What's the difference? 
Content Management Systems (CMS)
A content management system essentially acts as the foundation for your website (blog, news, eCommerce, etc). With a CMS, you’re able to publish, change and remove content from your…
Automate your company expenses with Odoo Expense Management 
Expense management process is important for any organization since there are many daily activities which occur expenditure and employees pay the charges on behalf of the company. Once the bills are paid by the employees these figures are further…
Manage Compnay Finance with Odoo Expense Management 
Keeping Track of Expenses
Employee expenses are charges incurred on behalf of the company. The company then reimburses these expenses to the employee. The receipts encountered most frequently are:
- car…
Managing Project Execution Terms 
Project execution
The process of carrying out the project plan to accomplish the required work.
Monitoring progress
The process of keepint track of all project tasks and the details…
POC, Prototypes, Pilots and MVP: What's the differences? 
PoC vs Prototype vs Pilot vs MVP: What Should Startup Founder Use?
Let us look at the definition and fitting of these terms one by one below.
Proof of concept (POC)
A Proof of concept…
Software Design: SIMPLICITY IS THE ULTIMATE SOPHISTICATION 
Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication
…“Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication” — Leonardo DaVinci.
“If I had more time, I’d have written a shorter letter.” - Mark Twain,
Software Business and Development Insights 
Software Business basically means selling softwares for the business or sometimes it is referred as selling information about various softwares made for business purposes that are so called as business softwares.
What is software…
10 Common Process Improvement Mistakes and How to Avoid Them 
In a recent consultation, the Process Innovation group at The University of Maryland, College Park, dealt with a department widely considered inefficient and difficult to work with. Their processes were perceived as cumbersome, costly,…
Lean Insights - Review the book "The Ten Commandments of Taiichi Ohno", By Yoshihito Wakamatsu 
June 28, 2011 by Dr. Timothy
Toyota has about 45 minutes worth of inventory sitting around at any given time. When I tell people this fact, they are all aghast; particularly those in the healthcare field. What happens if demand…
20 Common Mistakes Made by New or Inexperienced Project Managers 
You’ve read the PMBOK® Guide several times, taken the certification exam for project managers, passed, and you are now a PMP®. Yet you still persist in making mistakes. Project managers are not infallible. Most project management training courses…
Ishikawa (fishbone) diagram in software project management 
The Ishikawa diagram, also known as a fishbone diagram, is a useful tool in project management, particularly when it comes to quality control.
This diagram was…
Top 100 Slogans To Inspire and Motivate Your Team 
Short slogans
Below is a list of examples of short slogans:
-
Together we're stronger.
-
Work smarter, not harder
…
Frequently Asked Questions about Odoo 
Is it hard to learn Odoo?
Odoo is the world's easiest all-in-one management software.
Is Odoo better than SAP?
If you run an international enterprise from the Fortune 1000 list and you…
3 Levels of Quality in KANO Analysis Model 
Customers do know what they want but may not be proficient at describing their needs. The KANO model identifies three types of customer needs. By understanding the three types of customer needs and how to reveal them with the…
How to streamline your deal approval workflow 
Businesses that plan together, succeed together. But whenever a business makes a deal with another business, it needs to be approved on both sides. And getting that approval can be a slow, inefficient process. With multiple teams and individuals…
8 core Odoo modules you need in a construction ERP project 
At whatever point a construction company thinks about optimizing its actions and administration, they’ve to think about implementing an ERP solution.
According to Fabien, CEO of Odoo: “We don’t consider ourselves an ERP, we…
4 tips for meeting tough deadlines when outsourcing projects to software vendor 
Running a business is demanding and, even with the best employees, you can't do it all. Seasonal workload shifts, new clients or projects, and unexpected problems can overtax your resources and place you at risk of not meeting expectations.…
XERO vs ODOO: Which fits your needs? 
Outsource Accounting these days is catching the pace. Companies, nowadays are opting more for it.. it allows companies to handle their business more efficiently by eliminating the burden of manual accounting that involves a lot of paper work.…
Odoo - the Right Software for Your Digital Transformation? 
Most small and midsize businesses run on old software suites. Their systems no longer fit the demands of a work-from-anywhere world. Even worse, they are not well integrated, causing extra work for employees who spend long hours, often on…
Leadership 5 Leadership Thoughts from John C. Maxwell 
John C. Maxwell is an American author, speaker, and pastor who has written many books, primarily focusing on leadership. Reaching more than 350,000 people a year through speaking engagements alone, and over a million through resources, he is…
What is the IT Program Management? 
What is the IT Program Management?
IT program management is the process of managing the development of multiple and related IT projects.
Understanding the IT Program Management
IT…
Is gold plating good or bad in project management? 
For example: after having met the requirements, the project manager or the developer works on further enhancing the product, thinking the customer will be delighted to see additional or more polished features, rather than what was asked for or…
Gold plating in Project Management 
As a Project Manager, I sometimes get a lot of flack. I’m the one that has to deal with client issues, scope challenges, budget constraints and interpersonal issues. I love my job, love the colleagues I work with, the clients I have the…
Differences between Contract addendum vs. amendment 
Contract addendums and contract amendments sound similar — in some ways, they can deliver similar results. It’s important to recognize, however, that these two contract-law terms are unique and have incredibly different…
6 Useful Tips To Streamline Business Processes and Workflows 
A process has been streamlined when it has been simplified. This simplification process is usually achieved by removing complex or unnecessary steps. There are several ways to streamline a process that includes various approaches and modern…
Infographic: Cutting Edge vs Bleeding Edge Technology 
Cutting Edge vs. Leading Edge. Bleeding edge is generally defined as newer, more extreme, and even riskier than technologies on the cutting or leading edge. For that reason, some companies prefer to play it safe by marketing…
IT governance best practices: What is shadow IT? 
In the past, IT held all the power. If users wanted access to a new product or tool, they had to put in a request and wait for it to be approved.
But the way that we do work is changing. More and more, users are used to working how they…
IT Training and Development: The most effective options for upskilling IT staff 
Training & Development
Training and development refers to educational activities within a company created to enhance the knowledge and skills of employees while providing information and instruction on how to better…
Recruit People with Odoo Recruitment 
HR Recruitment
Holding an effective recruitment management strategy is an essential aspect of the human resource department of your organization. It can be considered as the first step for the success of your…
How to Choose a Software Development Partner? 
For tech companies, in particular, this often means choosing a software development partner.
Outsourcing your software development team is always a tempting option, but doing it right comes down to covering all the details. …
What is Bug Convergence? Why is it important for User Acceptance Testing (UAT)? 
Bug convergence is a milestone in the stabilizing phase of a project life cycle. It is a point at which the new bug rate (found during an application testing) drops below the bug resolution rate. At this point, the rate of bugs resolved exceeds…
Gamification - The most remarkable feature in Odoo to motivate and reward staff 
Odoo Gamification - Perhaps the most underrated feature in Odoo that has been overlooked so far.
Every jobholder has high expectations of being rewarded according to their performance. Who will be not be interested in…
Advantages and Disadvantages of Time and Material Contract (T&M) 
What is Time and Material Contract (T&M)?
The time and material software development pricing model is an appropriate solution for those who do not have clear-cut software development requirements…
Managing Expectations on Projects 
Companies launch new projects every single day and invest thousands of dollars, hours, sweat and tears into their success. And yet just about every one of us has encountered a project that did not successfully complete.
Why is it so hard…
The Key to Implementation Projects: Manage Customers Expectations 
I am a developer. I like to develop; it's fun and intellectually challenging.
But, as the CEO of Odoo, I also know that, for ERP implementation projects, custom developments should be avoided as much as possible.
It's not as easy…
8 Expert Tips to Overcome Scope Creep without Losing Clients 
According to a study by Geneca, 75% of IT professionals think that their project is doomed from the start. Do you know why? Regularly changing project requirements leads to scope creep, which ultimately creates a gap between your business goals…
Set up and organize your sales pipeline 
A well structured sales pipeline is crucial in order to keep control of your sales process and to have a 360-degrees view of your leads, opportunities and customers.
…
Running Your Own Service Business with Odoo - Everything You Need to Know 
While there are many advantages to running your own service business, being a one-person company can sometimes be challenging. One of the toughest things about it is that you have to do it yourself: from managing accounts to maintaining an online…
How to run and scale your business with Odoo ERP software? 
When your business is young, it’s natural to add software or applications along the way.
So, when you feel the need to handle leads, you purchase a CRM system. When you think managing projects isn’t easy, you opt for a project management…
Expected features of Odoo 16: New apps, new improvements and big changes 
If you are using Odoo or even following it, you might know of its annual event- Odoo Experience.
Odoo Experience is a three-day event with 10,000+ participants, 100+ exhibitors, 200+ talks, and infinite networking opportunities.
…
Do More with Less? 
If you have asked your employee to do more with less, you are not alone. As organizations laid off and furloughed workers, they also struggled to keep revenue streams open. That meant doing as much work as possible with as few resources as…
Top 10 Benefits of Employee Self-Service Portal (ESS) 
What are ESS Portals?
HR managers face a lot of challenges in a constantly evolving job market. Adapting to innovation, dealing with a large workforce, and managing expenses and records are some examples. In instances…
What is employee self-service (ESS)? 
Employee self-service (ESS) is a widely used human resources technology that enables employees to perform many job-related functions, such as applying for reimbursement, updating personal information and accessing company benefits information --…
What is MIS (Management Information Systems)? 
MIS professionals make business better
Businesses use information systems at all levels of operation to collect, process, and store data. Management aggregates and disseminates this data in the form of information…
What are the (dis)advantages of Pimcore? 
Pimcore rocks as an advanced enterprise CMS, AMS, PIMS, what have you. We have been using it in a corporate environment as our asset management system since v1.2 and are using v1.4.1 right now and loving it.
Disadvantages…
Outsourcing - Not Just Cost Savings 
As the outsourcing industry expanded and branched out to a diverse set of functions, 74% of companies now outsource IT, 52% outsource HR, 43%…
Software Outsourcing Models - Which is best for client? 
Software development outsourcing is becoming more and more popular and prevalent for tech savvy companies. Before you adopt this model you need to know different models of outsourcing, their use cases, benefits, and how to be successful with it.…
Is your Project ‘Business As Usual’? 
Companies have become keenly aware that BAU - Business as Usual - is just not good enough any more. If you don't innovate you will cease to be, but most big organizations have difficulty managing the tension between progress (innovation) and…
Business-As-Usual (BAU) Testing 
Read also: Is your Project ‘Business As Usual’?
As Quality Assurance professionals, many times we used to talk about this term BAU (Business As Usual)…
NDA for Software Development Outsourcing: What should we do to make it really work? 
Before you kick off with the software outsourcing project or the IT recruitment processes, you should consider signing an NDA, meaning a Non-Disclosure Agreement. What is NDA, why is it important in software outsourcing and how to prepare it?…
Keys to a win-win Outsourcing Partnership 
Outsourcing your software development or accounting, payroll, reporting... is a collaborative partnership. This means you’re not handing off tasks and processes to an outside party to be completed without your involvement. Your Business Process…
Why is it important to have a “single point of contact (SPoC)” on an IT project? 
What does Wikipedia say:
“A point of contact (POC) or single point of contact (SPOC) is a person or a department serving as the coordinator or focal point of…
Odoo Website Helpdesk Support Ticket and Issue Management 
Odoo Website Helpdesk and Support System Module in Odoo allows you to manage and create Support Tickets for customers and access Ticket Portal for complete Issue Management Technical support team in Odoo, service center…
Increasing Transparency and Automation to Compress the Competition 
Country: Finland
Industry: Direct drive Oil-Free air VSD turbo compressors Manufacturing
Implementation Partner: SprintIT
Odoo Account Manager: João Monjardino
Apps Implemented: PLM, Quality, Inventory,…
What is outsourcing? Definitions, best practices, challenges and advice 
What is outsourcing?
Outsourcing is a business practice in which services or job functions are farmed out to a third party. In information technology, an outsourcing initiative with a technology…
Artificial Intelligence or Augmented Intelligence – What You Need To Know Before Adopting AI 
A computer would deserve to be called intelligent if it could deceive a human into believing that it was human. – Alan Turing
…
Odoo Project Management - Easily Manage all Your Work 
Odoo Project Management
A fast user interface designed for modern project management. Get all the information you need where you need it.
…
Foresight. Insight. Hindsight. To succeed, you need all three 
I’ve really learned to appreciate the nuanced differences between foresight, insight and hindsight especially when it comes to growing new ventures. Together these three words make up the spectrum of skills any entrepreneur or team needs to have…
5 Reasons Why Analytics is Vital to Project Management 
From the idea to the execution stage, the project life cycle entails identifying the risks, budget, project schedule, and adhering to the timelines. It’s a great idea to use project management tools such as Wrike, Jira, etc. to meet the demands…
[INFOGRAPHIC] The 12 Agile Principles ![[INFOGRAPHIC] The 12 Agile Principles](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-09/2022-09-22_22-29-58.png?itok=PEJyGqBa)
The 12 Agile Principles—Infographic
Agile Project Management is becoming more popular on projects and is rapidly replacing more traditional project methods and approaches. So, what makes agile so popular? Well, we think it’s because…
How Agile Transformation is Different From Digital Transformation? 
Introduction
In today’s competitive digital era, where a Fortune 500 company’s life expectancy has declined from around 70 years- just half a century ago to less than ten years, it is becoming necessary for every…
How to deliver successful IT projects using MSF team model and MSF process model? 
Download PDF file: MSF Project Management Discipline v. 1.1.pdf
Abstract…
How to maximise value from IT vendor collaborations? 
It goes without saying that not everyone can be a maestro of everything. This is hugely applicable to IT businesses who tackle complex tasks across several technologies and infrastructures on a daily basis. It becomes clear that IT companies that…
Post-mortems vs Retrospectives: What’s the Difference? 
Picture this. After months of work, you’re done. Your big feature or project has been released, customers are reaping the rewards of your work and your team is overjoyed. Celebratory drinks are ordered. Everyone breathes a big sigh of relief.…
How are product post-mortem reviews different from project post-mortems? 
Projects tend to be one-shot efforts; products are long-lived items with many releases and many customers.
The one-shot nature of projects means that (on average) our post-mortem is at the end, and usually focuses on where projects go…
What is a Software Post-Mortem? 
There are software bugs that can end up crippling companies if they aren't dealt with rapidly.
The Knight Capitol Group was an American…
What pros and cons are there if non-IT company hires an outsourcing company to develop there apps? 
There definitely are two sides to outsourcing. But when it comes to a company outsourcing app development, it's safe to say that it probably is the best option, because, well, as long as your company doesn't plan to launch new apps consistently,…
Vietnam is a favorite supply of IT outsourcing services to Japan 
According to a statistics from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan has an average of over 100,000 engineers working in the fields of information security, cloud computing and mobile technology. For new technologies such…
Top tips for entering an IT partnership for the first time 
Partnerships are a massive part of human society, and have been for centuries, based on the fact that we’re social animals and function better in teams. In business terms, partnerships have also been prevalent across different sectors where…
New Tech Solutions Should Always Tie into the Customer or Client Journey 
The other day I made a purchase via a new vendor. I then wished to exchange the item. It was apparent to me that someone had spent quality time to map the return process as if they were the customer.
Why is this so important? Because, if…
4 Keys to Improve Collaboration and Alignment 
If you ask many who are in tech support or providing service to customers, there is a significant problem affecting many organizations: a lack of collaboration between teams and departments. With new technology, processes, or tools thrust upon…
The work breakdown structure (WBS) for project management: What it is and how to use it 
A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a visual project breakdown. Beginning with the scope of work, the WBS shows the deliverables and how they connect back to the overarching project.
Since a work breakdown structure is displayed visually…
Why is a Business Case Important and how to write an effective business case? 
Nearly every project needs to be approved—whether that means getting the simple go-ahead from your team or gaining the support of an executive stakeholder. You may be familiar with using a project plan or project charter to propose a new…
Release management: 5 steps of a successful process 
If you’ve ever experienced a software release, you know just how complicated things can get. From managing project timelines to keeping track of due dates and scope, it’s a lot for one person to handle. That’s where release…
9 IT outsourcing mistakes to avoid 
As IT outsourcing moves well into its third decade, IT decision makers have made great strides in maturity, managing to avoid some common and costly pitfalls of the practice. As clients enter into their next-generation outsourcing deals today,…
What Are OLAs? SLAs vs OLAs vs UCs: What’s The Difference? 
In today’s technology-driven marketplace, delivering superior IT service management is a requirement. As such, organizations must monitor key infrastructure performance indicators and business services, all defined in :
- Service Level…
What is an SLA? Best practices for service-level agreements 
SLAs are a critical component of any outsourcing and technology vendor contract. Beyond listing expectations of service type and quality, an SLA provides remedies when requirements aren’t met.
Following are answers to common questions…
3 Ways to Avoid Scope Creep in Consulting 
As a consultant, be it IT or creative, you’ve probably experienced a moment of doubt or uncertainty at some point in your career - and in most cases, it’s been related to your overall profitability.
There are many…
16 hidden costs of OUTSOURCING 
One of the biggest mistakes an IT organization can make when outsourcing is failing to consider the total cost of the relationship — including all the hidden costs that are likely to accrue. Historically, there has been little incentive for…
Discover the Hidden Costs of Outsourcing 
Avoid surprises. Uncover, measure, and mitigate hidden costs of outsourcing.
- Business and IT leaders have come under increasing pressure to cut costs, in part due to hype surrounding the…
Offshore Software Development Rates by Country 
Before employing offshore developers, thoroughly research today’s offshore software development rates by country. Software development hourly rates by region vary according to…
Template - Software/R&D Outsourcing Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) Sample 
We are very concerned about our clients and potential clients' business health. Here is an example of NDA that we used to sign with our partners:
NON - DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT
-
Effective today…
Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Engineering Services 
Today, large enterprises, small and mid-sized businesses, and even startups all over the globe use outsourced engineering services to bring their software development projects to life. An outside team is often a good solution for optimizing…
What are Benefits of Offshore Software Development? 
Let's consider the main benefits for you as a customer in case you decide to use offshore development services.
Reasonable development costs
Most offshore software development…
What is Offshore Development and how to choose the right vendor? 
At the moment, the outsourcing market shows a turnover of about 320 billion dollars. Most of it is highly qualified labor, so we can confidently say that outsourcing and offshore development companies are an extremely important part of the global…
Offshore Software Development – Benefits, Challenges and Opportunities 
Whether you are a founder starting an app business or a project manager launching an app, software development outsourcing is a complex business decision. There are a number of factors to consider, and the things at stake if you make a bad…
Building a CI/CD pipeline: key considerations 
A continuous integration / continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline is a workflow that incorporates software development phases. It includes continuous processes for integration, testing, delivery, and software deployment. These processes are…
Best practices to Offshore Software Development 
When you’re wondering what is offshore software development, remember outsourcing. Offshore software engineering is synonymous, and indeed means, outsourcing. The word ‘offshore’ simply marks the fact that you’re sending your business operation…
Offshore Software Development: Why You Should Hire Offshore Developers 
Everyone is talking about the talent shortage in the U.S., especially in regards to how difficult it is to find and hire the right people for the job. Coupled with rising wages and independent contractor rates, it can be difficult to find the…
Using stretch work assignments to help engineers grow 
Most companies aim to build high-performing teams that have motivated engineers. One of the best ways to achieve this is through creating an environment that allows your engineers to constantly grow and develop their skills. Assigning your…
What is a Knowledge Base? How to Build and Manage an Effective Knowledge Base? 
Why are Knowledge Bases Important?
Knowledge bases can be an incredibly valuable resource if they are created and managed well. Their importance lies in the numerous benefits they provide:
- Help to continually lower…
What is technical debt? How to escape the black hole of technical debt 
Working in the product space often requires quick decisions about software features. If you’ve ever worked in a DevOps team, you know just how many decisions are needed to push features live.
Technical debt is the term used to describe…
What VUCA Really Means for You 
It’s become a trendy managerial acronym: VUCA, short for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, and a catchall for “Hey, it’s crazy out there!” It’s also misleading: VUCA conflates four…
Deleting data: soft, hard or audit? 
For years I have developed web apps with the idea of soft deletes: when data is deleted, it is simply marked as “deleted”, but not actually deleted from the database.
One of the main reasons for this is that, well, users tend to like…
How does the cost of software development outsourcing in Vietnam compare with other countries? 
Hiring outsourcing development companies in Vietnam is cheaper than China, India.
Currently, India and China are industry leaders for outsourcing development companies. Vietnam market started to emerge…
Scrum Vs Agile Vs CMMI Methodologies Differences 
Agile is a methodology implemented in software industries for its development. In this method, team development is attained by sprints, iterations. Thus, process incremental is achieved by performing sprints. This helps the organization to…
CMM vs. CMMI: What's the difference? 
CMMI is a newer, updated model of CMM. SEI developed CMMI to integrate and standardize CMM, which has different models for each function it covers. These models were not always in sync; integrating them made the process more efficient and…
TQM vs. Kaizen vs. Six Sigma: what’s the difference? 
TQM, Kaizen, and Six Sigma are all unique management approaches that have a shared focus on processes rather than projects and value continuous improvement— let’s examine where they differ.
Six Sigma
Six Sigma …
What Are The Advantages and Disadvantages of Custom Software? 
When it comes to the use of specialized software there are two main options that you have to choose from: custom software and off-the-shelf software. There’s no clear answer which option is better. It depends on the goals and…
The Pros and Cons of 10 Information Gathering Techniques for Projects 
Every project manager knows that you need the right information to make your project a success. Vital information such as a projects requirements, client’s expectations and assumptions and understanding the risks are all a key part of the…
What is Requirements Elicitation? Why is it important for software project success? 
Discussing requirements is one of the first and most important stages of software development. The scope, budget, and time estimation for a project fully depend on how complete, clear, and relevant the requirements are. …
How much does Software Programming Cost in Vietnam? 
Outsourcing software programming companies in Vietnam is more costly-effective than China, India’s ones
Currently, India and China are industry leaders for outsourcing software programming and…
Expected Features of Odoo 16 ? 
Odoo 16 is expected to be be released during odoo experience 2022.
We plan to release Odoo version 16 during Odoo Experience in October 2022.
Disclaimer: Please note that a product roadmap is a forward looking vision…
Remote Project Management – Tips to Manage Successful Remote Project Teams 
Remote work is increasingly becoming the norm rather than an exception. We have the Covid-19 pandemic to thank for speeding up a shift to the remote that was already afoot.
Here are three statistics about remote work to illustrate the…
Remote vs. On-Site Work: What’s It Gonna Be? 
Working remotely has always been the most popular choice among tech specialists and other digital nomads. This type of employment has countless benefits. It drives flexibility and enables a more balanced lifestyle. During the past year or so, we…
9 Important Pros and Cons of Outsourcing to Vietnam 
The outsourcing industry in Vietnam has grown tremendously in recent years, making it an attractive outsourcing destination for international companies.
Today, Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh city is regarded as one of the top cities in the world…
What Is Software Outsourcing and How Much Does it Cost? 
Are you looking for a software house to create your app? Nowadays, thanks to outsourcing services, the whole world is at your disposal. You can opt for locally-based services or choose nearshore or offshore development. Whatever your decision is…
What Are the 12 Principles of Agile Project Management? 
According to the PMI Pulse of the Profession annual report, 48% of projects are…
Creativity vs. Innovation: What's the Difference? 
Change is the basic law, that governs the entire nature. In this fast-paced world, technology is changing rapidly, i.e. nobody can assure you that the world is going to be same, five years later, as everything changes with the blink of an eye. So…
VIETNAM SOFTWARE OUTSOURCING: WHY IT IS A GOOD CHOICE? 
Software outsourcing services have recently gained global popularity.…
Difference between Quality and Grade 
The terms "quality" and "grade" are often used interchangeably. In this post, let's understand the difference between these two terms
Difference between Quality and Grade:
Quality is an…
Understanding the Role of an IT Business Analyst & How to Become One 
The role of an IT Business Analyst is to understand the business landscape and the changing needs of the business. A Business Analyst will communicate with the top stakeholders in the organization to analyze business requirements, processes, and…
PERT Based Projects: the Program Evaluation & Review Technique 
The PERT based projects method of planning:
Every project manager wants to successfully see a project through from ideation to fruition. Planning and estimation are key to this success. However, when projects are complex, it can be…
How to Write RFI to Software Development 
So, Have You Ever Heard of RFI?
First of all, RFI stands for 'Request for Information'. An RFI is a document that organizations, as well as products and services, send to potential suppliers to gather information about…
What are the best practices for software contract negotiations? 
I made a framework for negotiating software deals. It's made of 9 categories of questions you answer from your point of view first, and research possible answers from your negotiating partner's POV.
This defines your scope. Answers fit…
RFI vs RFP: Understanding the difference 
RFIs and RFPs are used at different points in the pre-development phase of a project. Both types of requests are looking for solutions to a problem, but the response to each one will be very different. In this article, we’ll compare RFI and RFP,…
What is a Request for information (RFI)? 
RFI meaning
A request for information is better known by its acronym RFI. It’s a document that a company uses to request information about a product or service from suppliers. This way, the…
6 Benefits Of Using WBS Project Management 
As seen in the PMP Training, the Work breakdown structure of a project shows the hierarchical decomposition of the project work and…
What is the difference between DoR (Definition of Ready), DoD (Definition of Done) and AC (Acceptance Criteria)? 
What’s the Difference between DoR, DoD and Acceptance Criteria?
To ensure the definition and verification of quality goals it is critical to define when a specific work item is complete and can thus be…
Fixed-price vs time & material vs dedicated team: which engagement model to choose? 
To choose a correct engagement model for your project is one of the most critical things which must figure out soon. It is like deciding between Agile software development and Waterfall.
However, the engagement model has far more…
What is Empirical Process Control? 
In Scrum, decisions are made based on observation and experimentation rather than on detailed upfront planning. Empirical process control relies on the three main ideas of transparency, inspection, and adaptation.
…
What are the 10 Principles of LeSS Framework? 
LeSS (Large-Scale Scrum Framework) is more than a set of principles and experiments. It also provides a framework with rules. The LeSS Rules define what is LeSS (and what isn’t) and they provide a concrete framework for applying LeSS. Within the…
The Fallacy of Data-driven Decisions 
Entrepreneurs and managers who lead emerging companies often make critical decisions based on imperfect data and a gut feeling.
Most, if not all, companies seek “…
How the Diderot effect affects your business? 
If you have never heard of the name Denis Diderot before, then it’s about time you had a peek at who he is and what kind of impact he has on how today’s businesses work.
Who is Diderot and What is Diderot Effect?
…The Benefits Of Service Level Agreements In Custom Software Development 
Measuring the productivity of software engineers is a controversial topic. A traditional service level agreement (SLA) encompasses the scope of agreement-related issues, but productivity remains one of the most disputable, interesting, and actual…
What is the difference between a use case alternative flow and an exception flow? 
A use case specification describes the functionality of a system in terms of a sequence of user-system interactions. The main flow of events describes a single path through the system. It represents the most common way that the use case plays out…
What is PROJECT POST MORTEM? 
A project post-mortem meeting is a gathering that happens at the end of a project where the team examines the challenges and successes of the endeavor. There are a few ways to run this meeting, but the primary goal of any project post-mortem is…
What is NOW-NEXT-LATER roadmap? 
You should use the Now Next Later view when you need a high-level way to visualize and communicate your product plans. Since this visualization is super easy to understand and does not offer too many details it is the perfect view to use when you…
A Guide to Story Point Estimation 
A story point is an arbitrary measure of effort required to implement a user story; it's a number that tells the team how hard the story is. “Hard” can be related to complexity, unknowns, and/or effort.
Estimation Guidelines…
Managing Expectations of Your New ERP System 
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) projects represent a significant investment for most companies, so the need to ensure the ERP selection process leads to a successful deployment and user-adoption is ever-present. As you embark on your ERP…
How To Create An In-Cell Pie Chart In Excel 
They are a great way to visualize your data without resorting to any default Excel charts, allowing you to analyze massive volumes of data quickly. This chart type is best suited to demonstrate progress toward a goal.
As an example, here’…
The actual cost of new feature 
When I picked up coding, technical software tasks immediately became less daunting. The unfortunate side-effect was that I started developing the unhealthy mentality that features were “cheaper” than they were in the past.
…
What is Capability Maturity Model (CMM)? 
What is Capability Maturity Model(CMM)?
The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is a cross-discipline and technical paradigm for facilitating and refining software development processes and system improvement. This…
What's Hypercare and Why It Matters in Customer Support? 
When you hear the term, "hypercare" you might think it was a phrase used in an old Star Wars movie. However, if you work in software development, hypercare is a fairly common term used to describe the onboarding process for a new customer.
…Project Estimation Techniques 
In this article, we will learn about:
- empirical estimation techniques
- heuristics estimation techniques
- analytical estimation techniques
Software Project…
What is Empirical Estimation, Heuristic Estimation and Analytical Estimation? 
Cost Estimation Models in Software Engineering
Cost estimation simply means a technique that is used to find out the cost estimates. The cost estimate is the financial spend that is done on the efforts to develop and…
How Much Does Custom Software Cost? 
In this article, we will tackle one of the first questions we get asked by our customers. How much does custom software cost to build?
It is a tough question to answer for anyone in the industry, even when you’ve been…
Avoiding Problem Of Padding 
A project manager friend of mine recently transitioned into software industry from hardware manufacturing. He was complaining about the problems he’s been having to come up with good schedule for mid-size software project.
Specifically,…
BUFFER VS. “PADDING”: WHICH TERM SHOULD YOU USE? 
The use of certain words can provoke varied and sometimes intense reactions in different people. One word that has always had this impact on me has always been, even from an early start of my project management career, the use of the term “…
What is the Difference Between Hybrid, Flexible and Agile Working? 
Despite often being used interchangeably, the terms agile working and flexible working refer to separate styles of work, requiring different kinds of office design and infrastructure. We explain the difference between hybrid, flexible and agile…
7 common project risks and how to prevent them 
As a project manager, knowing what could go wrong during your project can help you set your team members up for success. For example, what if project stakeholders propose a new app and you don’t consider the time and resources it will take to…
Pricing Options For Software Development Projects 
When clients explore options for a software development project, a factor that greatly influences the choice of the vendor is pricing.
And while numbers and figures get most of the attention, there’s little talk about the different…
Why does Test Scenario save time and money than Test Case? 
Software testing is one of the fundamental components of a software development project which help determine whether a software program or application meets the business requirements or not.
It is sort of an investigation performed on the…
What is Software Maintenance? 
What is Software maintenance?
Software maintenance is widely accepted part of SDLC now a days. It stands for all the modifications and updations done after the delivery of software product. There are…
Design Thinking vs. Systems Thinking: What's the Difference? 
User experience (UX) Designers are professionals who make a product or service usable and entertaining for users. It's important to learn the processes involved in this field to increase the probability of success for achieving user satisfaction…
What is Feature Flag-Driven Development? 
This article provides a broad and comprehensive overview of feature flag-driven development, from gradual rollouts to A/B testing.
A Typical Afternoon
It's an uneventful Friday afternoon. You're ready to head…
What is the difference between "New feature" and "New development"? 
In the environments I have worked in, new development is green field work where there no existing system in the target software platform. This may be a reimplementation of an existing system, or development of a new system. The scope of new…
Staff Augmentation vs Managed IT Services 
Stratistics MRC has revealed the insights into the worldwide IT outsourcing market. Having accounted for $314.92 billion in 2015, it is expected to reach $481.37 billion by 2022. The figures are quite predictable: companies want to…
Staff augmentation vs outsourcing a dedicated team 
Luckily, IT outsourcing comes to the rescue, with its numerous benefits – optimising time and costs of the project, tapping into the knowledge base of a skilled IT partner, increasing operational efficiency and allowing you to focus on core…
What is "Streamlining Your Business"? Tips for streaming your business 
What is streamlining?
Streamlining is the process used to simplify or eliminate unnecessary work-related tasks to improve the efficiency of processes in businesses or organizations. Streamlining processes require the…
What are the differences between Business Process Management (BPM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems? 
Business Process Management (BPM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are often confused and whilst there are some similarities between them, there are also some key differences. Both systems are…
Cost Estimation Models in Software Engineering 
Cost estimation simply means a technique that is used to find out the cost estimates. The cost estimate is the financial spend that is done on the efforts to develop and test software in …
User Story vs Use Case 
"Is a User Story the same thing as a Use Case?" People often ask this question and the dispute on whether an agile team should practice Use…
Estimation Techniques - Use-Case Points 
A Use-Case is a series of related interactions between a user and a system that enables the user to achieve a goal.
Use-Cases are a way to capture functional requirements of a system. The user of the system is referred to as an ‘…
What Is The Train The Trainer Concept? Benefits & Limitations 
Train the trainer is a concept that can be applied to almost any field. However, it’s not easy to understand what train the trainer really means or how it works.
You know you need training for your team but you don’t know where to start…
What Is Hybrid ERP and What Are Its Advantages? 
You may think when it comes to choosing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software system to run your business, you have to make a hard choice between on-premises software or a cloud-based solution.
But for many organizations, it may…
What is the user-friendly ERP software? 
An user-friendly software will pass 3 tests:
Test 1: Handling all business scenarios
If an ERP software can handle all of your business cases and scenarios, then it should be the most user-…
Odoo Project Management Module for Efficient Task Management 
Odoo is an open-source ERP software framework that is widely used by global enterprises. It is a comprehensive suite of numerous models and business applications including warehouse management, human resource management, sales, accounting,…
The critical role of systems thinking in software development 
Software applications exist to serve practical human needs, but they inevitably accumulate undefined and defective behaviors as well.
Because software flaws are often left undiscovered until some specific failure forces them to the…
What is Data Gravity? 
What is Data Gravity?
When working with larger and larger datasets, moving the data around to various applications becomes cumbersome and expensive. This effect is known as data…
What is systems thinking? 
Systems thinking is an approach to integration that is based on the belief that the component parts of a system will act differently when isolated from the system’s environment or other parts of the system. Standing in contrast to positivist and…
Vietnam software outsourcing: Why it is a good choice? 
