Understanding the Significance of Business Intelligence Tools

Decisions drive organizations, and making a good decision at a critical moment leads to a more efficient operation, a more profitable enterprise. Business intelligence tools are instrumental to business success because it will aid a company in releasing the power of learning from the past, based on the data and information it provides. With business intelligence you can leverage your organization’s operating data, to gain a competitive advantage and to improve efficiency. It is a flexible resource that can work at various organizational levels and various times. Historical data when converted to information can in fact serve many valuable purposes to your business. In order to build a successful business you thus have to think of such data and information as an asset to your company. In recent times, the concept of business intelligence has gained huge significance in every organization.

Business Intelligence are absolutely key if you have even the slightest understanding of the potential that unlocking the value that is in your historical information can bring to your company or organization. Thinking of your information and data as one of your greatest assets is a start.  Business intelligence tools or bi reporting tools help you release the power of hindsight from your information, and turn it into cutting edge foresight. Business intelligence tools enable you to quickly see which products you ought to be promoting, in which markets and through what channels.

Business intelligence tools, when combined with your operational data, enable you to:

• Build profits by targeting profitable activities.
• Increase customer loyalty and retain customers for life.
• Increase proportion of high-value customers in your customer mix.
• Deploy higher-yield promotions and advertising.
• Predict future behavior of prospects and customers.

Key to developing high-performance business Intelligence solutions is the selection of the right tools and technologies. Adapting, learning and changing can come in the form of making changes to your products and services based on the market intelligence derived from the data and information. On the other hand, managing and controlling could come in the form of assessing the results of previous plans based on the new data and information. All of these are made possible with the effective use of business intelligence tools.

The right solution provider combines proprietary, open source software development and stand-alone technologies and advisory services and helps in developing and supporting robust, cost-effective business intelligence solutions. In order to get the most from business intelligence tools, you should be using them to adapt, learn, and change as well as to manage and control your organization.

Also read on  - distributed software development

Software Product Development: From In-house to Outsourcing

A technological innovation that results in economic growth, business expansions and globalization occur as hardware innovations and development as well as software development. Software development, application development, software application development or enterprise application development, as it is commonly referred to is the development of a software product. Though the term is used to for the process of writing computer programs and maintaining the source code, in a broader sense, it includes all that is involved between the conception of the desired software through to the final manifestation of the software, through a planned and structured process.

Developed for a variety of purposes, Software product development includes the stages of research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, debugging, testing and maintenance, all of which result in a software product. Software can be either custom software for specific client or business, open source software for potential users. Embedded softwares are developed for integration into any physical product or activity.  Depending on the expanse of the software development cycle, organizations have also taken up near shore development services to facilitate the development process.  

However advanced the computer’s hardware and peripherals be, it relies almost entirely on the software for functionality and maintenance. The device driver is software that is installed on the computer to enable it to interact with the peripheral devices. Further, softwares are installed on computer systems to enable end users access. The software product development being a very innovative sector, there are a number of IT organizations that have forayed into software development.

The leaders in this sector develop computer software solutions for hardware and peripheral such as Networks, storage and value-added adapters, USB devices, Protocols, Operating systems and kernels, processor, Boot loaders, File system drivers and Printers and scanners.  The strong team of software professionals with their knowledge of embedded technologies and understanding of media processing, have earned credits for developing software solutions for all levels of the consumer electronics from Digital cameras, DVD to WiFi routers and android application services for mobile processors.

Irrespective of the industry sector, software product development has become a necessity. Be it the financial services, market which uses Business intelligence tools and dash boards for trading, investment planning and CRM applications or the Hospital industry’s Hospital information systems. With a wide range of organizational requirements, most organizations   prefer outsourcing the software development to teams conducting offshore development services. This not only ensures the client organizations innovative software based on cutting–edge technologies, but also provides home team to concentrate on more critical business issues.

Also read on -  ecommerce solutions, Advisory services

Making Outsourced Product Development a Success

With almost every company wanting to produce quality product faster and cheaper than their competitors, outsourced product development is the answer. Outsourced Product Development (OPD) has become an integral part of Software Product Engineering for more a while. OPD business has high potential as well as challenges and is a target market for those companies who want to manage their lifecycle as a solution to a demand. A large percentage of companies are already utilizing outsourced product development or considering doing it soon. Outsourced product development advisory services focus on the routine mechanics like selecting a country, selecting a provider, drawing up appropriate legal documents, monitoring, benchmarking performance, etc. Although these steps are vital and necessary in outsourced product development, they are certainly not sufficient to guarantee its success.

How to make your outsourced product development a success
Ensuring the success of any outsourced product development is possible when the goals and the capabilities of the partner are understood. The first step to ensure compatibility is to understand what your short and long term goals are. Once these are agreed upon, the next thing is to select the development partner who will help you meet those goals.
Although often neglected, communication is of vital importance. It is therefore essential to focus considerable effort on the quality interaction with the vendor. The outsourced product development partner must fundamentally be able to communicate clearly and articulately, through both written and verbal means.

It is also a good idea to look for companies with the specialized expertise and experience that your project requires in computer software solutions. Similarly, make certain that they have the necessary resources such computer software solutions and project-management tools. It is of course risky to hire companies without the proper software licenses and other infrastructure. Ensure outsourcing partners have the financial resources and history that make you comfortable in conducting business with them.

As product development is complex and unpredictable, it is necessary to be realistic. Activities like supplier delivery times, etc. cannot be directly controlled, it is therefore not reasonable to expect an outsourced service to control them any better than you can.
By outsourcing Product R& D Services, companies are able to shorten time-to-market, increase number of releases, obtain additional expertise and put together additional resources. Choosing the right outsourcing partner will lead you on the road to success by reducing development costs and above all boost bottom lines by focusing on new competencies.


Also read on - best IT companies to work. , Application lifecycle management

Developments in Mobile Application Development Industry

The mobile phone has become more than a necessity today. It has multiple utilities than just simple calling and texting. The internet boom and the growth of mobile technologies have added to the development of mobile application development. This means, today mobile workers are able to work from their mobile phones or smart phones when they are moving from one place to the other. Not only that, the online gaming industry depends on innovative mobile application technologies and makes business on the maximum download percentage.

Most consumers look out for high –end mobiles than just a basic model. They want a phone that would help them in computing when they are not in front of their desktops or laptops. This has resulted in several MNC’s to foray into mobile application development solutions. The scope to create better solutions and applications is increasing each day, as any software that is discovered today needs to be updated after a span of time.  As you venture into the market, you will come across several mobile operating platforms for instance Java, Symbian, Android, Windows, Blackberry and the like. The process of mobile application development works toward increasing the productivity level of a mobile.

Top software product development brands nowadays are equipped with the methodologies, tools and the required experience and knowledge that enabled them to establish mobile applications faster and in a cost-effective way. The focus areas are listed below-

• Location-Based Services (LBS)
• Mobile Media Streaming
• Presence & Social Networking
• Messaging & Syncing
• Mobile Advertisement & Ad Engines
• Mobile VoIP
• Gaming

Apart from these, the service providers also have the skill and experience of working with Level A companies and assist them with effective product lifecycle management solutions. Some of the selected mobile application support and development facilities provided by them are listed below-

• Developing mobile applications in J2ME, BREW, Android, iPhone, Symbian, Windows Mobile and BlackBerry
• Conceptualizing mobile applications and eliciting requirements, for instance UI design, prototype, wireframes, user stories
• Designing, developing and testing applications
• Porting mobile applications between platforms and devices
• Developing server-side and infrastructure, including for location & mapping services
• Integrating third-party components on the server side, for instance SMS/MMS, billing, feeds, ads, content and many others
• Integrating carrier, SMSC and billing systems, for instance LBS platform for location determination
• Coordinating with carriers and device manufacturers for mobile application testing and certification, for instance NSTL, Java Verified
• Launching and distributing mobile applications
• Carrier Catalogs and Storefronts
• Providing maintenance and support services

Today the mobile application development industry is a million dollar industry and is only expected to flourish and expand in the coming days, which will serve as a platform fort other companies to make profits.

Also read on - ecommerce solutions, Customer research

Java Developer Jobs – The Booming Job Sector

Before Java was invented, one of the key industry trends was to increase the productivity of both developers and end users. Java was designed in 1990 as an easier and more portable option than C++ to develop embedded systems. Java can be viewed as a technology, rather than as a program since it can be used in embedded systems.  As a programming language, it is gaining more and more importance these days in the internet platform. And being a popular programming language, it is used in many computing platforms, from mobile phones to enterprise servers.

With most of the websites these days being based on Java and other Java tools, Java developer openings have been becoming exceedingly popular among developers for the past decade. The Internet and the World Wide Web have become a source of information and promotion for many businesses, and this has given rise to job opportunities for freelance Java Coders. There are many IT firms recruiting Java coders for development of new projects or for successfully carrying out the already existing projects. As the demand of Java developer jobs is continuing to exceed supply, many companies are finding new ways to meet their development needs by seeking new sources of developers and making those they have more efficient. It is believed that Java will stay in the market for several years to come as it is regarded as a step ahead of the other programming languages and therefore java professionals can expect a stable job prospects in the near future.

One of Java's greatest strengths has been the number of young developers learn it as a first language. As Java becomes less and less of a client-side language, it is expected that that educational institutions switch to other languages for primary education, ones with stronger client-side representation such as JavaScript and HTML 5. “Java is still firmly planted in enterprise IT shops for custom-developed applications”, reveals Forrester data.  Java is not going away for business applications, just as COBOL is not going away. It is still a remarkable choice for app dev teams that have developed the architecture and expertise to develop and maintain business applications. Java is also an excellent choice for software vendors to develop tools, utilities, and platforms such as BPM, CEP, IaaS, and ECP. Software such as operating systems, databases, and console games are still mostly developed in C++.

It is apparent on a relative basis that although Java has peaked it is still a dominant platform. And the data on current usage and employment indicates that this position is sustainable moving forward.

Also read on: outsourced software development, distributed agile development

How to Efficiently Manage Distributed Software Development

Until management insists that product development work be planned and properly managed, effective software process improvement will not start. With an increasing number of system developments made from distributed sub-system software projects, this becomes even more challenging. Distributed software development has become omnipresent in modern enterprise environments. A software configuration management (SCM) system needs to include a common, dependable repository, be tolerant to network outages, support various environments with negligible administrative overheads, to maintain collaboration. It is difficult to visualize any considerable development project managed without a fundamental software configuration management (SCM) tool.

As early models of software development were centralized, every developer working on a project worked in the same place. Today there are global teams consisting of thousands of users, combined with newer methodologies such as agile development, resulting in processes that are both geographically dispersed and exceedingly interactive.  This requires a real-time exchange of source code, documents, and images between team members. To efficiently manage distributed software development, there are techniques and active participation required by team members.  Some of the other requirements for a distributed software development are;

Mutually Shared Repositories
Most of the software management tools that are available are internet enabled. These tools make it increasingly feasible for distributed software developers to get up-to-date information with shared repositories. The mutually shared repositories need to provide a consolidated, real-time view of all assets, their current states, and their development histories to all users. repository- centric tools like, product lifecycle management, change management, project management help to manage processes and offer integrated collaborative characteristics like messaging, threaded discussions, etc.  

Competent Network
The system needs acclimatize to provisional network outages in order to reduce the effect of the network as a restriction on performance and availability. For this the connection between users and the repository ought to utilize nominal bandwidth. To ensure that users do not feel the need to circumvent SCM procedures due to the amount of time required to check in or check out files, bandwidth efficiency is essential. For a user to work productively during an outage, network outages should be minimally disruptive and be simple for users to resolve changes made offline when connectivity is reinstated.

Adequate backing for multi-platform milieu
It is characteristic for large organizations to have numerous development groups working in cross-platform milieu. Additional challenges to deployment also arise from the need to integrate code, as organizations grow. There is also a surge in the data between groups that follow different development methodologies and use different tool sets. It is therefore necessary for a SCM tool to support all major hardware platforms and operating systems.

Latest forms of information exchange are offering inventive ways for distributed developers to collaborate. Distributed software development can be managed efficiently by utilizing the various tools that are available.

Also read on : advisory services , Ecommerce solutions

The Benefits of Open Source Software

Typically, the most reliable, secure and efficient software is usually under an open license and not owned by a company. Open source software was developed with the source code freely available to the public. It may be a unique way of developing software, but it is surprisingly common and effective. It can be downloaded by anyone, and the necessary changes can be made with the hope that any improvements made by individuals will be committed back to the main source tree, thereby benefitting everyone by the modifications.

The commercial replacement cost of free software is high and to deploy a commercial solution it would be necessary to trim back for a significant buy. Not all of the benefits of open source software deployment are in the form of cost savings. Most of the benefits are is in terms of capabilities gained. Some of the other benefits are

Security
Open source allows anyone to examine software for security flaws. The incessant and broad peer-review enabled by publicly available source code enhances security through the identification and elimination of flaws that can be missed. Gartner, recommends the open source Apache Web server as a more secure alternative to closed source Internet Information servers. The availability of source code also facilitates in-depth security reviews and audits by government customers.  

Fast deployment
With open source software consumers needn't wait years to deploy a solution. Open source software is predominantly apposite for inter-agency collaboration, rapid prototyping and experimentation and can be “test driven” prior to procurement. Both known and unanticipated users can be swiftly provisioned.

Reliability
As open source is peer reviewed software, it is more reliable. The infrastructure of the Internet is largely composed of open-source programs such as DNS, send mail, Apache and languages such as HTML and Perl. They have proven to be both reliable and robust under the most strenuous conditions, like the fast growth of the Internet.

Low-cost
Open source software is often developed through community forums and collaborative. Developers volunteer their time and expertise, and are coordinated by fewer paid programmers. The lower overhead costs translates into substantial savings, as does the fact that open source software typically does not have a per-seat licensing cost. According to Gartner, open source is even more attractive to businesses during tough economic times.

Lower virus vulnerability
Traditionally, an open source OS's have fared better than other operating systems. A virus infection on a network server can be devastating in terms of data loss, down time, and staff time required for reconstruction. Open source servers that are less vulnerable to virus infections provide cost savings in terms of diminished liability in these areas.

Open Source Software may not provide a solution for every computing requirement, but it is a well established part of the computing ecosystem that plays a critical role in Internet and business infrastructure that enables companies to access expert resources and components that accelerate software product development  and release processes.

Also Read on:  Ecommerce solutions, Mobile application development

Effective Mobile Application Development – For Quick Communication

Mobile Application Development is primarily the process for producing application software for mobile phones, personal digital equipment and other devices of low power.
In this world of the Internet and technology, mobile devices occupy a greater place in our everyday lives. In the commercial and business sphere, individuals use mobile phones not only to keep in touch with dealers, clients and suppliers, but to also facilitate other business processes. The best product development companies in mobile application therefore bring out effective business applications, thereby adding value in the era of quick communication. These applications are developed using diverse technologies for different environments. For instance, mobile applications based on windows are in C and C++ language.

Today, the top IT companies to work with in this segment have a deep understanding of the subject. Further, in most cases their expertise covers various mobile operating systems, mobile platforms and mobile devices.

In today’s global world, mobile application development using web technologies has gained immense prominence. Further, the advancements in mobile equipment has in turn altered people’s attitudes. The majority today prefer smart phones to laptops and desktops. Be it for drafting a business email or social networking, the first choice is the handy mobile phone that can be carried everywhere.

A study conducted recently suggests that there will be approximately 79.6 billon mobile applications downloaded by 2014. This indicates that the number of mobile application downloads will be seven times what it is today. A question that comes to mind is, “how can there be numerous mobile applications available?” The answer is in the increased demand for these applications. Even if there are two similar applications created by mobile application developers, there would be greater demand for them.

Going by records and statistics, the mobile application industry is estimated to exceed $35 billion by 2014. As a result, companies of various sizes will have the scope to attain success in this emerging industry.

Read more on: Open source software development

Outsourced Product Development and the Enterprise

Today’s enterprise is seeking those solutions that can easily address the issues of their SaaS business models efficiently. From effective usage of Agile methods to shortening product development cycles, enterprises are on the constant lookout for solutions that can help them augment the quality of their products drastically while being economical as well. Therefore it’s no surprise that enterprises look for outsourced distributed software development providers to relieve their own personnel from the constant pressure to develop new products and software. The idea is simple: opting for a cost-effective service can ensure faster turnaround time for the enterprise and can also reduce risks. Choosing an outsourced product development service provider can decrease risks for the enterprise and yet offer enterprises better quality and performance for their software product.

Outsourced product development services and solutions can assist enterprises in developing innovative products and also in converting and perhaps even re-engineering their existing products in a much better and more inventive manner. With most solutions providers ensuring comprehensive quality checks right from testing tools and design to ensuring some of the testing product support services are customized for certain clients, enterprises can rest assured of getting the best. While the requirements of different enterprises may be as diverse as wanting a horizontal, vertical or even a system kind of software to be custom developed for an enterprise, these product development service providers promise to deliver what is required with their specialized set of skill, tools and technologies.

On the software product development solutions’ checklist of enterprises’ first and perhaps the most important element is manageability. Enterprises need such outsourced product development solutions that are essentially built on multi-tenant architecture that can ably support clients from a single instance and thereby reduce infrastructure costs, as well as hosting and management expenses. Performance comes in next on the list. Enterprises often feel that a solution that can offer ways and tools to ensure distributed data caching and the best ways of code optimization can be a definite asset. Such a solution can not only enhance the performance of the enterprise but also make response time that much swifter. Scalability of open source software deployment solutions are also on the checklist of most enterprises. Security will also remain a key element and enterprises need a solution that can offer the best security model that is both multi-tiered and multi-layered. Time taken to market is yet another element that often figures in the checklist of enterprises because this would mean shorter release cycles. Other essentials remain compatible across different browser platforms, all around availability for continuous service and best up time.

Know more - product lifecycle management

The Benefits of Open Source Software

Typically, the most reliable, secure and efficient software is usually under an open license and not owned by a company. Open source software was developed with the source code freely available to the public. It may be a unique way of developing software, but it is surprisingly common and effective. It can be downloaded by anyone, and the necessary changes can be made with the hope that any improvements made by individuals will be committed back to the main source tree, thereby benefitting everyone by the modifications.
The commercial replacement cost of free software is high and to deploy a commercial solution it would be necessary to trim back for a significant buy. Not all of the benefits of open source software deployment are in the form of cost savings. Most of the benefits are is in terms of capabilities gained. Some of the other benefits are

Security
Open source allows anyone to examine software for security flaws. The incessant and broad peer-review enabled by publicly available source code enhances security through the identification and elimination of flaws that can be missed. Gartner, recommends the open source Apache Web server as a more secure alternative to closed source Internet Information servers. The availability of source code also facilitates in-depth security reviews and audits by government customers.  

Fast deployment
With open source software consumers needn't wait years to deploy a solution. Open source software is predominantly apposite for inter-agency collaboration, rapid prototyping and experimentation and can be “test driven” prior to procurement. Both known and unanticipated users can be swiftly provisioned.

Reliability
As open source is peer reviewed software, it is more reliable. The infrastructure of the Internet is largely composed of open-source programs such as DNS, send mail, Apache and languages such as HTML and Perl. They have proven to be both reliable and robust under the most strenuous conditions, like the fast growth of the Internet.

Low-cost
Open source software is often developed through community forums and collaborative. Developers volunteer their time and expertise, and are coordinated by fewer paid programmers. The lower overhead costs translates into substantial savings, as does the fact that open source software typically does not have a per-seat licensing cost. According to Gartner, open source is even more attractive to businesses during tough economic times.

Lower virus vulnerability
Traditionally, an open source OS's have fared better than other operating systems. A virus infection on a network server can be devastating in terms of data loss, down time, and staff time required for reconstruction. Open source servers that are less vulnerable to virus infections provide cost savings in terms of diminished liability in these areas.

Open Source Software may not provide a solution for every computing requirement, but it is a well established part of the computing ecosystem that plays a critical role in Internet and business infrastructure that enables companies to access expert resources and components that accelerate software product development  and release processes.

Also Read on:  Ecommerce solutions, Mobile application development