Advising on the commercial impact of technology and
    market changes in telecoms, software and IT services

Application Lifecycle

We define the Application Lifecycle to be "The seamless integration of the phases that make up the software development lifecycle, executed within a structured and disciplined framework that supports methodology and repeatable practices to enable a productive and flexible approach to delivering, maintaining and managing quality applications that can meet the business goals". We look specifically at the tools, processes and technologies which organisations use to take applications through from specification to deployment. We also look at the development process as it relates to the rest of the organisation in respects to both IT operations and the business.

This research programme helps clients to understand where the real application lifecycle "pain points" are for international IT user organisations, and how vendors are positioned versus their competitors in addressing those pain points.

Why is the application lifecycle so important today?

The impact of the Internet on businesses, and its integration with business applications and middleware technologies, has created a very fast-moving technology foundation that both enterprises and software vendors are trying to get to grips with. At the same time companies are being told to "do more with less", rationalise their IT investments and demonstrate the value of IT to the business.

To do this effectively, you have to take a much more structured approach to developing and deploying business software. This must take into account new developments in the technology environment to maximise the flexibility and openness of new applications, but also ensure that software developers follow established quality and management procedures.

More importantly the process of development has come under the spotlight as it expands within the organisation and outside it. Understanding what is important and establishing the right interactions between key roles and groups inside the organisation and managing relationships between external providers is vital for successfully IT.

Areas of Coverage

Requirements specification	.NET	J2EE	Distributed Team Support
Model Driven Development	Software testing	SOA	Outsourced development
Composite applications	Software quality	Configuration Management	Software development processes and Management
Rich Internet /Interactive Applications	Application Lifecycle Management	Business Oriented Development	Metrics

Help with your key decision making

Advice for user organisations:

Understanding the benefit of different types of integration product is one thing: Knowing which solutions work best in certain situations is an entirely different matter. We meet this precise problem head on, giving subscribers clear analysis and guidance on the relative merits of different products and solutions, together with though-leading commentary on the way the market is evolving.

Advice for software vendors:

We help vendors understand their competitive position in what has become an extremely fast-changing market. This research balances the desires and objectives of software vendors with the often stark reality of what organisations are looking to achieve, acting as a valuable and vital independent voice.

Your next move...

To find out more about Software@Ovum or to enquire about how our flexible tailored options can meet your needs, please telephone, fax or email your Ovum Account Manager.