Agile Process & The Role of Clarity in the IT Ecosystem
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Agenda
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Governance Tool Ecosystem (Dan)
Use of Integrations – Approach and Cost (Raghu)
Common Integrations (Raghu)
Strategic Integrations – Best Practice
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Financials (Dan)
SharePoint (Dan)
Excel (Raghu)
Service Management (Raghu)
Agile (Doug)
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Governance Process Ecosystem
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Governance Sub-Process Ecosystem
4
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Governance Tool Ecosystem
5
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Governance Tool Ecosystem
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Integration Basics – Triggers
● Event Based
○ This type of Interface is triggered by event in the system. (Either something got created
or updated or deleted)
● Batch
○ This type of interface is scheduled and triggered at a set time (nightly or at certain
interval, etc). Since, batch interfaces will handle multiple instances, you want to
address transaction managements (what happens when a record fails – one fail, all
fail?)
● Manual
○ This type of Interface is manually started by the user when they are ready for data
transmittal.
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Integration Basics – Methods
● Flat File
○ A .CSV file ftp’ed onto a server can be pulled into Clarity. The file can be read by custom GEL
scripts within a process that can be scheduled or started manually. (This is CA’s preferred
method of integration for the On-Demand Clients)
● Web Services
○ XML based messaging that makes a call via URLs, or over HTTP to request data from or push
data into clarity. This method could leverage GEL scripts, Java classes, or Stored Procedures
in the DB
○ This is the most common approach used by any industry for Integrating different systems.
Most of the big software vendors like SAP, Oracle, HP, CA have web service API’s developed
for bi-directional data exchange with their systems.
● Database Links
○ Establish a link from the Clarity DB to another system database and just pull data from one
system to another using a stored procedure or SQL statement. Best practice in this form is to
create a “view” in the source system vs. the core tables. (This is not an option for the On
Demand Clients)
● Third Party Tools
○ Leverage a third party integration tool like ITROI, etc to build integrations.
○ Leverage an integration service – Pervasive or Task Top
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Comparing Methods
Available in SaaS
Rough Effort*
Examples
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Components
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Flat File
Web Services
DB Link
Yes
Yes
No
40-60 Hours
80-120 Hours
40-60 Hours
Send journal entry for
capital entry
Read data from any
legacy system.
Process to read
Error object
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•
•
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Create SAP project
from new Clarity
project
Auto create support
tickets in Clarity by
reading data from
ticketing system
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Process for outbound
Java for inbound
Error Object
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•
•
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Pull non-labor
financials to Clarity
Pull resources into
Clarity
Push assignment
data from Clarity
View to read
Process to move
from view to object
Error object
*With an integration, effort is needed on both the sending and receiving application.
This means that any Clarity integration will
require some effort form the support team of the system you are integrating to. The level of effort depends on the type of interface
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Keys to Success
● Simpler is Better
○ With integrations, the more complex the interface is the more difficult it will be to
build and maintain. One Direction vs. Bi-Direction is simpler.
● Get it Right the First Time
○ We love agile and iterative development, but not when building an interface.
Interfaces are best done with solid waterfall requirements and signoffs.
● Integrations are recurring jobs.
○ Integration are not for performing one time data loads. Integrations are for exchanging
data between two systems on a regular basis.
● Data Ownership is Key
○ You must determine which system is the “source” vs. the “non-source” of the data.
One source must be the owner of the data in case there is a conflict. Do not make the
mistake to think Clarity will be the “source” of everything. Leverage other systems to
pull summarized data vs. all detail.
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Keys to Success
● Error Handling / Transaction Management
○ Errors are inevitable when two different systems are being integrated. Therefore plan
to developing an error handing mechanism to handle data errors, connectivity errors,
and system outages.
○ Equally important is transaction management and performance considerations
● Trial First to Avoid Errors
○ Before you build the complete interface – try a semi-automated load to ensure the
“process” you have defined is correct.
○ Have a Testing Environment. It is really important to have test environments that
mirror the productions as much as possible and that the data is representative of
actual production data.
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Common Integrations – Picture 1
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Common Integrations – Picture 2
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Strategic Integrations: Financials
● Overall Strategy
○ Clarity is not the financial system of record, but it is often the source
for labor actuals and it needs to be the place for PMs to manage
project budgets
● Who Has an Interface?
● Common Uses:
○ Generate Financial Project or Asset element
○ Create Capitalization Journal Entry Data
○ Pull Actuals from financial system
• How do you reconcile Clarity rates vs. actual labor costs?
● Approach
○ Custom interface for each use
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Strategic Integrations: SharePoint
● Overall Strategy
○ Clarity is for Management and SharePoint is for Communication and
Interaction with Stakeholders
● Who Has an Interface?
● Common Uses:
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Documents - Show SharePoint Documents in Clarity – “Frame”
Issues / Risks
Demand - Pull SharePoint Ideas to Clarity Ideas
Reporting - Create SharePoint Portlets
● Approach
○ OOTB Connector
○ Custom Connector
○ Purchase Add-On: ITROI
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Strategic Integrations: Excel
● Overall Strategy
○ Leverage Excel for data manipulation and then import to Clarity – like
MSP sync
● Who Has an Interface?
● Common Uses:
○ Financial Plans, Allocations, Bulk Data Load
● Approach
○ Custom interface for each use
○ Purchase Add-On: Integrin, ITROI
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Strategic Integrations: ITSM/Demand
● Overall Strategy
○ Clarity is for Project, Resource, and Portfolio Management and Service
Mgmt Tool is for Incident/Problem/HelpDesk Ticket Mgmt
● Who Has an Interface?
● Common Uses:
○ Pull Time into Clarity (one way)
○ Pull Tickets into Clarity Incidents (one way)
• Architecture Decision – what comes over and do you sync back?
○ Pull Tickets to Ideas (one way)
• Architecture Decision – what comes over and do you sync back?
● Approach
○ OOTB light connector with CA Service Desk
○ Custom Connector
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Strategic Integrations: Agile
● Agile Introduction
○ Manifesto
○ Benefits
○ Statistics on Growth
● Comparison of Agile Tools
○ CA Agile / JIRA / Rally / Version One
● Using Clarity AND and Agile Tool
○ Governance & Process
○ Integration Points
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Agile Manifesto
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Agile Manifesto
Individuals and
interactions
over
Process and tools
Working software
over
Comprehensive
documentation
Customer
collaboration
over
Contract negotiation
Responding to
change
over
Following a plan
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Why Companies Want to Move to Agile
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Benefits … With a Downside
● Faster Features to the Customers
● Better Business Involvement
● Easier Ability to Correct/Fix BEFORE going live
BUT
- Little/No Visibility for Management (‘old dog, new trick?’)
- Requires Manual Intervention when aggregating for decision
support
- Co-location is a problem
- Resource management is an issue
- Financial Cap/ex (aka. A “post it wall wont pass an audit”)
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Statistics on Growth
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35% of all projects use Agile
20% or more of the PMs are Agile
Most have been using it for 3 years or less
Growth of PMI-ACP: 300%
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Gartner Leaders + CA Clarity Agile
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2013 Surveys on Tools Used
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CA Clarity Agile
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Key Features:
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Full built-in integration with Clarity PPM Projects, Tasks, and Timesheets
Weaknesses
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Not widely used – as of right now it’s mostly limited to Clarity customers.
Not mentioned in either Gartner or Forrester Research papers on ALM Solutions for 2012
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Atlassian JIRA + Agile
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Key Features:
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Price: 10x cheaper than other solutions
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Big community (over 20,000 customers)
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Many add-on and plugins available that are easy to install and provide much additional functionality
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Simple, easy to use
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Weaknesses
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Out of the box there isn’t a lot of advanced functionality
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Built-in reporting and dashboarding not very robust
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Rally Software
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Key Features:
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Broad set of features
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One of the most widely used agile-specific software
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Weaknesses
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English only
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Expensive
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VersionOne
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Key Features:
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Broad set of features
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One of the most widely used agile-specific software
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Supports Scrum, Kanban, Lean, XP and Hybrid methodologies
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50+ pre-packaged agile metrics and reports
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Weaknesses
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Limited but growing technology partnerships
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Support for non-agile processes is limited
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IBM Rational
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Key Features:
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Largest vendor in the market by installed based and ALM revenue
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Broad portfolio provides coverage of the widest variety of functionality and platforms
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Weaknesses
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Complex, overlapping product line
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Accommodation of installed base and legacy products slows the pace of change
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Complex installations and management
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CollabNet TeamForge
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Key Features:
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Long experience with SaaS support of developers
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Access robust ALM capabilities in their own environment
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Mobile access
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Weaknesses:
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Overlaps in product offerings due to acquisitions
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Management outside SCCM is less mature
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Vender Overview
Vendor and
Tool
Clarity
Integration
Methods
SaaS Solution
Available
Yes
Scrum, Kanban
Yes
Yes, 3rd party
(Tasktop,
Pervasive, or
custom)
Scrum, IBM
Agile Scaling
Model
CA Clarity
Agile
IBM Rational
Atlassian JIRA
+ Agile
Collabnet
TeamForge
Rally Software
VersionOne
Yes, 3rd party
(Tasktop,
Pervasive, or
custom)
Yes, 3rd party
(Tasktop,
Pervasive, or
custom)
Yes, 3rd party
(Tasktop,
Pervasive, or
custom)
Yes, 3rd party
(Tasktop,
Pervasive, or
custom)
Key Features
On Premise
Cost for 100
Users
(annually)
SaaS Cost for
100 Users
(annually)
out of the box
Clarity
integration
N/A
$54,000
Yes
largest vender in
$100K - $150K
ALM market,
plus Clarity
large range of
integration
products
IBM Rational
Jazz
Scrum, Kanban
Yes
price, large user $6,000 ONE
base, lots of TIME FEE (plus
add-ons and
Clarity
plugins
integration)
$5,400 (plus
Clarity
integration)
Scrum, Kanban
Yes
Scrum, Kanban
Scrum, Kanban,
Lean, XP,
Hybrid
$50K - $75K
plus Clarity
integration
Web Service
APIs and SDK
Yes
large featureset, large agilespecific user
base
$42,000 $58,800 (plus
Clarity
integration)
$42,000 $58,800 (plus
Clarity
integration)
Yes
large featureset, supports
many
methodologies,
large agilespecific user
base
$34,800 $46,800 (plus
Clarity
integration)
$34,800 $46,800 (plus
Clarity
integration)
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Using Clarity and an Agile Tool
● With Agile, tool not as important as process
● Key decisions
○ How to maintain governance
○ Integration points
● Governance vs Agile
○ Visibility for PMO & senior leadership needs to be maintained
○ Only a portion of your project or team may be agile
○ Water-Scrum-Fall
• Ex: general Project Charter with a fixed time frame & budget
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Integration Points
Agile
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Product or Release
Sprint/Kanban Board
User Story/Issue
Task
Impediment
Team Member
Hours Logged
Remaining Hours
Clarity
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Project
Phase
Activity
Task
Issue
Team Member/Assignee
Timesheet/Trans. Hours
ETC
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Integration Points
● Data almost always flows Agile ➞ Clarity
● Exceptions
○ Project
○ Team allocated in Clarity, assignments made in Agile tool
○ User Stories…Depends
• Will your product owner be in Clarity or the Agile tool?
35
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Questions
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