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Do You Need to Test You Cloud Applications?

Posted on by Adam Kovitz
Software accessed via the “Cloud” is a deployment model that provides access to software remotely. It may also be referred to simply as SaaS or as hosted applications. Since the software is vendor-hosted remotely, it removes the need for organizations to program, install, buy a lot of hardware for and regularly maintain the software.

Even though the implementation is a cloud-based, do you still to test the software? Yes, and here’s why…
Risk Management
Testing verifies that the software and its delivery meet all of your requirements including functional, performance, security, integration and so on. This verification is done to ensure that you, along with the cloud vendor, have implemented the system correctly and as expected. In addition, testing validates that the system is what the user needs. In the end, validation is performed to help with risk management.
Meets User Needs
Functional testing is the most apparent tool you will have to validate that the product meets your corporate needs. The requirements are the foundation in effective functional testing. Using the original requirements, you can plan and manage tests that are focused on your specific business and user functional needs. Involve the user, either by them directly performing the tests or have them review and sign-off on the test results.
Performance Meets Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Load and Stress testing are a methods used to simulate real life scenario of a given system. It involves testing in real time beyond normal operational capacity in order to observe the results. Have anticipated metrics in place (e.g. maximum number of simultaneous users/connections, number of transaction per second, internet throughput, etc.). Then, measure your test results against the agreed upon performance. Work with the vendor to optimize performance that does not meet your specifications.
Meet’s Security Requirements
Mitigating eternal security threats is a huge concern with cloud based software applications. You will rely on the security measures put in place by the vendor, which are largely outside of your control. You need to validate that the product meets the same password change control and user level security that your organization has set for itself. In addition, you need to continually monitor that the vendor is adhering to its own security protection (virus and malware protection, etc.). The level and types of security that you expect from the vendor must be put in the SLA and reviewed regularly by you.
Data Integration with Other Systems
If one of your requirements is data integration with other systems within your inventory, you need to validate that the input and/or output work as agreed. Don’t assume that when cloud-based applications use standard data interface files (e.g. CSV, XML, etc.) that the field formats delivered will match those of the other systems. Testing of standard files must be done with the same level of diligence as for or custom interfaces. If you requested custom interface files for your implementation, be sure your contract with the vendor specifies that they will maintain the interface format for as long as you are a customer, and not just the length of the current contract.

David Schuchman

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What can we learn from watching the Crystal Ball?

Posted on by Alex Freund
Photo credit to Adam R.

Photo credit to Adam R.

Last night I read a magazine on which issue the front page has a heading “The Permanent Temporary Workforce”.  Their in-depth section The Disposable Worker highlights several facts.  Most of them are expressing the negativity that currently exists in the labor market.  “Since the early ‘80s, the US economy has been taking longer to regain all the jobs lost in a downturn”.  Companies are hedging their bets by hiring temps instead a steady workforce.  And this trend will likely continue similar to Europe which makes a lot more use of temporary and part-time workers.  It mentions also that 26% of working Americans have “non-standard” jobs. These are those that work less than 35 hours per week, independent contractors, on-call workers or day laborers.  The article talks about “labor on demand” and this is on all levels and not only low paying jobs.  Because of these conditions Americans are willing to accept lower pay.  All in all the current conditions are gloomy but let’s focus now on the positive.  The article is predicting that as soon as the economy will show signs of improvement the better employees will jump ship to a company that pays better.  This will lead to openings and opportunities.  The long term prediction is that a decade from now the retirement of the baby boomers could cause labor shortages which again lead to opportunities.  It is important for jobseekers to understand the big picture but they need jobs now and not in the next decade.  So what are they to do?  Because of the tough competition the answer is not simple.  Since most jobs come through networking therefore more and more networking is the answer.  But here I am not talking quantity but quality.  People need to become more sophisticated with their job search.  They also need to learn how to benefit from the fast-evolving social media.  If you don’t buy into these concepts then somebody else will.  Could you guess who is going to get a job faster?

Posted in Monthly Meeting

How to Shorten Your Job Search

Posted on by Adam Kovitz

People in transition know that finding a new, suitable job is a process—and most often, an unpleasant and lengthy one. While this is true in most cases, it doesn’t have to be that way, provided the job seeker understands the search process and becomes efficient with planning, creative thinking, networking, and research. Where Do You […]

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Acknowledge Employees Who Perform Well

Posted on by Adam Kovitz
When your employees perform well and further the mission of your organization, you should acknowledge them. Their performance improves the bottom line, and as their manager, makes you look good. Acknowledgment gives employees incentive to continue to meet this high standard. Recognition does not only need to be by paying them more money. While a bonus check would be nice, employees will appreciate a more simple acknowledgment of their good job performance.
Place more responsibility on the employee
The new responsibility will be seen as an exciting challenge by the employee. Delegate duties that include work that you as the supervisor normally would perform. Above all, your employee may find this as another way to impress you with continued good performance.
Let the employee in on plans for the company
By giving information about the company that you have no obligation to give, you show the employee that you value and trust him/her as both a person and an employee. The employee may make career direction decisions within the organization based on the information you provide about the company.
Inform your management via email, and “cc” the employee 
This type of recognition really pays off. Not only will the employee know that you appreciate such good efforts, but the managers who read the acknowledgments will know that you appreciate the employee’s job performance as well, and likely give their own acknowledgment to the employee.
Give positive feedback
Have a private meeting with the employee in your office to give an evaluation of the performance. When the employee finds that you want to acknowledge good performance rather than criticize poor performance, the employee will likely leave your office with a smile and renewed energy for continuing to perform well.
David Schuchman

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Confronting Aging and Work-Related Issues

Posted on by Adam Kovitz

Asked to leave or fired: it really doesn’t matter what you call it. Come Monday morning, and there’s no place to go to work. Many people face that predicament, and the first thing that comes to their mind—for some at least—is that the culprit is their age. A new and younger generation is pushing them […]

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Developing the Plan

Posted on by Adam Kovitz

Many times when we discuss the “plan,” most people think of the Microsoft tool, MS Project. We have, incorrectly, called this the project plan. The project plan is an all-inclusive set of documents that includes the project schedule (the one we call the project plan), but is not limited to just that document. In my blog published on July 5, 2012, I commented on the project schedule (http://ift.tt/1hkZuDa) as one of the important tools that a Project Manager (PM) uses to communicate the progress of a project. However, it is not the only communication document in the PM’s tool kit.

The Beginning
When a PM develops a plan, the PM begins with the Statement of Work (SOW) that includes the scope statement and scope of the project.  This document identifies the scope of the project, and especially what is out of scope for the project. The end of that sentence is most important and critical for the PM to understand. The common foe of any PM is scope creep, or additional tasks that get placed in the project that do not belong there. With this knowledge, the PM begins building the project. When I say build the project, I mean to assemble the building blocks of the project. That includes, but is not limited to, the communication plan, the resource plan, the budget, the risk and issue list, the status report, the project schedule, and other documents, depending on the type and complexity of the project. For example, you may need to include a telecom plan or a purchase order. With that said, those reports are the foundation of the project plan, not just the schedule. The communication plan should detail not only whom you communicate with, but when and how. The resource plan defines the type of resources you need, both human and hardware, and whether you need to purchase hardware (leading to a purchase order) or to hire consultants for specific technical needs. The budget of the plan speaks for itself. The risk and issues list may become the main communication tool for the project, along with the status report. The last document is the project schedule.
Executing the plan
A major misconception is that a project begins with the budget, but it really begins with the SOW. That then leads to the resource plan and budget plan. These are what I call the foundation documents to the project. Once these documents are begun to be populated the PM can then begin the project schedule. The schedule is developed at the planning phase of the project, but may change, depending on approved scope change, during the duration of the project. The schedule is built by the whole project team and is changed, when approval is received, by the whole project team. One common misconception is that the schedule is built by the PM. That is a recipe for disaster. The project team builds the schedule and the resources that commit to the task and the timeline own the task and the timeline. What the PM does with the schedule is manage and communicate with the team and ensure that the approved timeline is followed. The PM then becomes responsible for the approved schedule and the whole project plan, to be concise. 
Completing and Closing the Plan
Upon the completion of the project, the PM is responsible for delivering the closing documents and archiving them for reference.  Now, some may also consider having a small group celebration with refreshments. That is a good idea, and if there is leftover funding, then yes, the PM should do that. However, a simple face-to-face thank you goes a long way and I would suggest that as a very important gesture. If the project team members believe that a PM is grateful for their contributions and service, then they will want to work for the PM that appreciates them. THAT is how a PM or any manager leads.
I am open to discussion at any time on these blogs or anything else related to project management you would like to explore. If you would like to comment about this blog, please do so by posting on this blog or by responding in an email at Benny A. Recine. You may inspire a blog article. I look forward to your comments.

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Job Interview Tips for Mature People

Posted on by Adam Kovitz

To start with, here are some statistics: Only 28% of workers 55 and older find jobs within one year versus 71% of those aged 25 to 35, reports Career Builder. 63% of workers 55 and older applied for positions at lower levels than their previous jobs. 48% of workers 55 and older found positions at […]

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Are You an Effective Job Search Networker?

Posted on by Adam Kovitz

Loads of people network during their job search, but very few are effective at such networking. Certainly, some are better at it than others, but in general, the majority of people not only dislike networking but also are simply not good at it. Based on a survey they conducted, Ivan R. Misner, Ph.D., and Don […]

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Not Everything that is Important is Actually Urgent

Posted on by Adam Kovitz
Some tasks and projects require more urgency than others. However, if we consider everything to be urgent, we clog our work queue and confuse trivialities with important priorities. Sometimes the challenge we face as a manager is to distinguish between what is actually urgent and what is not.

Consider these tips to help you determine what truly is urgent.

Don’t assume that “Urgent” means “Immediately”
Explore with the person that made the request of you what they are really trying to accomplish and when it’s actually needed. Sometimes the sense of urgency is just a way of conveying a person’s importance and power, or even a reflection of personal anxiety. Giving that person a little bit of your time before starting on their request may be sufficient for them to be assured you understand their request and its urgency. Then, you will have the opportunity to determine when you will actually need to address the request.
Distinguish between an urgent crisis and an urgent request
There are times when people making a request have issues that need to be resolved right away, and diving in immediately is the right thing to do. But depending on your business, this may actually be the exception rather than the norm. Probe the person that made the request of you about what would happen if you got back to them in a couple of days or the next week. Often, as long as you commit to a specific completion time, that will be sufficient.
Be prepared to say “No”
Good customer service doesn’t necessarily mean doing everything that the person requests. More importantly it means doing what is best for them, even when they may not realize it. Talk through the implications and outcomes of what the requester is asking for and make sure it’s the right thing to do. Explain your reason why in order to get them to understand and agree.

The PICK chart illustrated at the top of this post is a tool used for organizing and categorizing process improvement ideas in a Lean Six Sigma project. The acronym stands for Possible, Implement, Challenge, Kill.

David Schuchman

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Employers Hire the Best: Is That You?

Posted on by Adam Kovitz

No employer is seeking to hire Mr. Average. All employers seek the exceptional and the very best. But how do you convince them that you are the ideal candidate? And how do you beat your competition for this one job? Most candidates approach the interview similar to a test. For many, this is the logical […]

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