Ever hear of a "therblig"? It's one of eighteen fundamental types of motion required in manual labor, as described by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, pioneers in the study of motion and work efficiency. (Notice that "therblig" is a backwards spelling of "Gilbreth"!) By naming the elements involved in work flow, the Gilbreths and many others over the past century have helped manufacturers of nearly everything -- from bricks to software -- understand their processes and implement improvements. Lean Thinking offers more new terminology for understanding processes, and it's the subject of this month's cover story: a "Lean" examination of software development and IBM Rational capabilities. We also conclude our series on SysML; explore the possibilities of SOA merging with Web 2.0; and consider techniques for unit testing using mock objects.
You'll find more, including book reviews and a new whitepaper. And don't forget our archives in the navigation bar at far left.
Lean software delivery with the IBM Rational solution, Clay Nelson What does building a better car have to do with building better software? The lessons of lean manufacturing offer many opportunities for improving the underlying software supply chain that every business depends upon today. The principles of Lean Thinking offer practical, measurable ways to use the Rational solution to transform software delivery processes.
Establishing portfolio management governance: Key components, Michael F. Hanford The fifth installment in a series of articles on portfolio management, this article provides an overview and discussion of key concepts and ideas relative to the need for and development of governing policies, capabilities, structures, and other components required to create a "mechanism" for executive oversight and sustained management of portfolio management for initiatives as an organizational process.
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Book review -- Ajax Design Patterns, written by Michael Mahemoff, reviewed by Dave Susco A review of Michael Mahemoff's book, Ajax Design Patterns, covering Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) best practices and four categories of patterns.
The future of SOA -- A service-based delivery model with Web 2.0 capabilities, Anirban Dutta Could service-oriented architecture (SOA) and IT governance merge with Web 2.0 capabilities to allow creative service delivery models? Read how seemingly opposite approaches to information sharing on the Web and within corporate IT might actually complement each other in the near future.
