• Failure to meet the real requirements of users
• Delays in time to market
• Cost overruns
• Low quality, low productivity, or low “Productivity x Quality”
• Failure to meet important goals: Performance, Usability, Scalability, Security, Availability, Extensibility, etc.
• Misalignment between business strategy and product vision
  
  

These challenges have been with us for the last few decades.  And they will continue to be with us in spite of progress in software engineering and computer science (methods, processes, tools, programming languages and environments); this is so because enterprises continue to develop ever more ambitious and complex software systems, and user expectations about them also continue to increase. 

Fierce global competition further compounds these challenges by increasing pressure to develop and deliver new innovative software products, solutions and services in shorter cycle times in an increasingly volatile and unpredictable  global business environment.  These challenges are further explained in the section on Challenges for Business Enterprises in Global and Volatile Environment. The section on Agile Software Movement further elaborates on the challenges created by the growing momentum of the agile software development movement. Agile methods, when learned and practiced well and properly combined with lean methods and systems thinking, will offer you an opportunity to create a sustainable competitive advantage.

Table 1: Key target areas for addressing endemic challenges facing
software-intensive industries

Improved software processes and project management methods come next, but may not be enough.  As explained in the section on Better Project Management and Process Improvements are not enough; Lean Methods, Systems Thinking and Deep Learning are Needed, improved software project management and software processes may not be enough.  What may be required is a fundamental change or restructuring in one or more systems responsible for managing work in the enterprise. Such  fundamental changes in systems may also be needed to address deep-rooted issues with the effectiveness of people and performance of teams.  Examples of such systems are: Innovation management systems, Project management systems, Operations support systems, Customer service systems, Change management systems, etc.  Solutions addressed with systemic changes are often more enduring and fundamental than those accomplished by changing software project tasks, schedule or resources, or by changing the software development process.  

Advanced tools and technologies, such as integrated development environments, parallel branch and merge configuration management, integrated project management tools combined with defect management and customer trouble tickets, automated testing, project portfolio management, are of value.  However, they should be deployed only after addressing the target areas of people and teams, processes and project management, and systems.  Therefore, tools and technologies are not shown in the 3x3 grid of Table 1. 

1. Business strategy development and driving product vision and development cycle in alignment with the business strategy
   
2. Effectiveness of people and teams
3. Processes and Projects
4. Lean methods, Systems thinking and System dynamics
   
5. Intellectual Property Development
   

New Synergy Group applies lean methods, systems thinking and system dynamics
approaches that are holistic in nature, and complement analytical thinking represented by software project management and process management disciplines.

·         Software products and services for general market, such as:

• Product companies offering software products or software-intensive products
• Providers of software as service

• Banks, financial services and insurance companies
• Telecommunication service providers
• Hospitals and health care providers
• Manufacturing and distribution companies
  

Client-specific software solutions, such as:

• IT services companies
• IT solutions companies     

New Synergy Group helps your enterprise improve its effectiveness, productivity, efficiency and quality by:

Services: Training | Workshops | Consulting | Management | IP Development

Home | New | Resources | About Us | Testimonials | Partners | Contact Us