Business-to-IT Alignment

How to Use RACI Matrix Effectively

Definition: A RACI matrix, also known as Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM), describes the participation by various roles in completing tasks or deliverables for a business process. It is especially useful in clarifying roles and responsibilities in cross-functional processes. RACI Explained in Brief: [one_fourth] Responsible (R) "The Doer" Person who completes a particular process step or leads team who do it.[/one_fourth][one_fourth]...

Service Components

Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) – Episode 3 (Services Types)

This is the 3rd episode in the series exploring service oriented architecture (SOA). One of the important aspects while learning SOA is to understand the concept of service and variations of service types. A service is a self-contained unit of software that performs a specific task. It has three components: an interface, a contract, and implementation. The interface defines how...

SOA Myths and Facts

Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) – Episode 2 (Myths and Facts)

 We started in previous episode with investigating the roots and origins of SOA concept. In this episode, we will clarify some of the wrong beliefs and myths about SOA. The worst thing is to have a blurred image about an architecture. We will start with a simple definition of SOA and will proceed to clarify various concepts around...

Three Things Every Manager Needs to Master to Navigate the Maze of Business

For long time, managers focus only upon results and outcomes of their business. They learnt to see only tangible results. Although results and outcomes are extremely important, managers need to pay attention to underlying emotions and the world of power and influence. Current business environments became much more complex than before. Rapid Change is one...

‘How to Manage Change’ is The Simple Difficult Question

'If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living.'Gail Sheehy 'Change' is the most inevitable event in life. We found 'change' everyday in everyplace around ourselves. Life is built on change. As professionals we encounter change in many of our engagements regardless of its size. Of course large engagements...

In Skills Arena, the Soft Sharpens the Hard!

The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said, Peter Drucker Hard skills are the core skills required for any job or role. Usually hard skills are acquired through academic or formal studies. Hard skills are the minimum conditions required by employers for any job (although it does not guarantee that...

What Customers Want? Introduction to Software Requirements -PART 1

Walking on water and developing software from a specification are easy if both are frozen, Edward V. Berard We are living an era where services industry is booming. Current markets are full of new faces other than conventional manufacturing and tangible products. Information technology service is one of those rising industries in services sector. IT Professional and...

Does IT Consultant Need Sales Skills?!

"It is not your customer's job to remember you. It is your obligation and responsibility to make sure they don't have the chance to forget you", Patricia Fripp. Although someone may think that selling skills are far from duties of IT consultant, I believe, on contrary, it is a core skill for successful one. However,...