Micro Focus® (LSE.MCRO.L), the leading provider of enterprise application modernization, testing and management solutions, today announces the launch of CaliberRDM, a new tool which will help businesses reduce failures in their software development projects.
The product is one of several tools launched by Micro Focus as part of its new Continuous Quality Assurance (CQA) portfolio. Micro Focus’ CQA provides an end-to-end solution for companies looking to improve the quality of their software - spanning requirements, development, testing and deployment.
CaliberRDM combines requirements definition and requirements management capabilities, allowing CIOs to set clear goals for software development projects and track their progress through to completion. The product allows unlimited numbers of stakeholders to review simulations of proposed applications completely license free, and also jump-starts testing by synchronising requirements and test cases so that test planning and execution may be conducted earlier in the development cycle, a key feature of Micro Focus’ CQA proposition.
Advt. To create CMS driven websites visit www.neoewatchmedia.com
Industry analysts estimate that around 80% of all software rewrite costs can be avoided at the requirements stage*, and that the majority of eventual project failures are caused by poor requirements practises. Another major cause for concern is the number of rarely- or never-used features in new software applications – according to some studies, as much as 45% of newly developed features are never used**. Eliminating these problems is therefore a key priority for CIOs operating in straitened economic conditions and having to focus on maximising value from every dollar they spend.
Rich Novak, president and general manager of the Micro Focus Application Management and Quality Division, commented: “Poor requirements definition and management are responsible for the vast majority of project failures and the amount of waste generated in subsequent stages of the software development lifecycle. This must be improved if companies are to avoid overspend and project failure. By combining the two processes, we can now offer an end-to-end solution which will streamline the development process, cutting waste and costs in the process. Research has shown that defects identified during the requirements definition stage are generally 100 times cheaper to resolve than when spotted during testing.”
CaliberRDM utilises simulations to provide project stakeholders with highly accessible, interactive and visual experiences of using proposed applications, allowing business analysts and target users to visualise the application’s business logic and request amends early on, as well as throughout the development process. Making changes earlier in development is far more straightforward than later in the process, and can therefore result in significant savings for CIOs and project managers. By emphasising the role of requirements definition early in the development lifecycle, organisations are able to build quality into their software rather than test defects out at the end of the process.
CaliberRDM’s unique licence-free reviewer capability enables increased stakeholder reach, streamlining the requirements process by allowing any number of people to become active participants in application development at no additional cost. This can be done using a web browser anywhere in the world, meaning that development work undertaken abroad can still be followed closely. Lack of stakeholder involvement has consistently been recognised as one of the primary reasons for project failure in a number of recent studies.
