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Education

5 (more) new realities IT must learn to accept

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EducationEvery new tech trend comes with varying levels of acceptance among IT departments. When the web first rolled around, some recognized its value and jumped on board. Others sat back and waited. I’ve noticed similar responses to the recent major trends, like mobile and cloud computing.

Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you which trends to adopt and which to ignore. After all, every company has different needs.

However, I’d like to take a step beyond the recent trends, and focus instead on the new “realities” brought about by these trends. What’s the difference between a trend and a reality? While you can choose whether or not to adopt a trend, realities aren’t up for debate. They’re happening, whether you like it or not. You can’t sit back and see what others are doing. You must adapt.

So, what are these new realities? While this isn’t an exhaustive list, here are 5 realities to which IT departments must adapt:
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7 principles of modern web development

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EducationWhat makes a “productive developer?”

That question came up in a recent article, and I think it’s worth exploring. Generally speaking, productivity correlates directly with speed. With developers, however, it’s different. Speed doesn’t necessarily equal productivity.

photo credit: Dmitry Baranovskiy via photopin cc
photo credit: Dmitry Baranovskiy via photopin cc

For instance, suppose a developer completes a project in half the time expected. Is that developer productive? It depends. Does the application meet the specs? Is it usable? Is it secure? Will it scale up with the company? Will it adapt to future needs? I could go on.

As you see, the term “productive developer” isn’t clear cut. A “fast” developer that creates complex, unmaintainable applications isn’t productive. Quite the opposite, in fact. I’d argue that a “productive developer” is one who builds applications the right way, in the most efficient manner possible. In other words, productivity = speed + quality.

The next logical question: What makes a “quality” application? Is it one that delivers on the specifications? I believe it goes far beyond that. A quality application is one that’s built for both the present and the future. It adapts to changing technology, solves the user’s long-term needs, grows with the business, and is easily maintainable.

So, how can developers build quality applications? It starts with an understanding of modern web development principles. These principles will help developers create successful applications–those that meet their user’s present and future needs, and adapt to the ever-changing tech trends. While this isn’t a comprehensive list by any means, here are 7 important principles of modern web application development:
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What is a ranking report (or “top N” report)?

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EducationToday, let’s explain an important type of web report that could be a useful addition to any company’s reporting repertoire: the ranking report (also known as “the top N report”). What is it, why is it important, and how does it help your company? Let me explain.

The ranking (or top N) report creates variable rankings, across multiple dimensions, while specifying various selection criteria at run-time. In short, it lets you rank any aspect of your data from best to worst, or vice-versa. It lets users choose from a number of different criteria at run-time, and then instantly run a top/bottom ranking report complete with a graph.
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9 huge enterprise mobile trends of 2014

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EducationOver the past couple of years, we’ve seen the business world slowly adapt to the rise of mobile devices. Some businesses have jumped in with both feet, while others have moved more cautiously. I believe we’ll see the pace quicken dramatically this year, as more businesses rush to jump on board.

Why will 2014 be a big year for mobile in the business world? We’ve reached a point where businesses can’t afford to ignore the trend any longer. What do I mean? Here are a few examples:

  • Mobile browser usage share recently hit 20%. That means one out of every 5 customers, employees, or prospects that visit a site does so on a mobile browser.
  • The percentage of employees using their own devices for work-related tasks has grown exponentially. I’ve seen studies that put this number anywhere from 50-70%, but I’d wager the actual numbers far exceed those estimations.
  • Mobile is becoming the foundation for new technological advances. For instance, the rise of trends like the “internet of things” and wearable technology revolve around mobile devices.

I believe this will be an exciting and eventful year for mobile in the business world. We’ll see mobile do everything from improve business efficiency to completely revolutionize industries. So, where is mobile headed this year from a business perspective? Here are 9 of the biggest enterprise mobile trends to watch in 2014:
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What are multi-tenant applications?

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EducationToday, let’s explain an important term in the world of application development: multi-tenancy. What is it, why is it important, and how does it help your company? Let me explain.

The concept of multi-tenancy revolves around a single instance of a software application that serves different users/customers (also called “tenants”). In a multi-tenant application, different users access the same application, but see different data.
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7 critical security tips for modern web development

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EducationModern developers are caught between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, businesses are requiring faster application delivery from their development staff. As software plays an increasingly important role in the modern business, developers regularly face impossible deadlines.

On the other hand, web application development is becoming more complex. For instance, as outlined in this article, modern developers must create applications that adapt to any device, port to any platform, integrate with other services, and withstand increasingly sophisticated attacks. Whew!

The big problem: With these changing requirements and growing demands for faster development, developers struggle to keep up. Certain development aspects are bound to fall through the cracks.

As it turns out, that is exactly what’s happening…with security. Despite the growing importance of proper security, many developers aren’t following basic security principles. How bad is it? According to this study from last year, 99% of applications have one or more serious vulnerabilities.

Today, let’s examine this problem. While I know we can’t address every security mistake developers make, we can highlight the most important principles. What basic security guidelines should every modern web developer follow? How can you protect your web applications from being easy targets for an attack? While the list could be much larger, I’ve rounded up 7 of the most important security tips every developer must follow, and listed them below:
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9 most common Business Intelligence misconceptions

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EducationGartner recently predicted that Business Intelligence (BI) and Analytics will remain a top focus for CIOs through 2017. As the benefits of a data-driven decision-making process become more evident, we’ll see most businesses adopt a BI strategy in one form or another over the next few years.

The only problem: Many businesses still don’t quite understand BI. They have a general idea, but the concept remains clouded in misconceptions. These misconceptions keep many businesses from adopting BI, or from taking full advantage of its potential.

Today, I’d like to address these misconceptions, and explain why they’re false. So, what are the biggest areas of confusion surrounding BI? While the list could be much larger, here are 9 of the most common BI misconceptions:
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Whatever the future holds, we’re ready for it. Here’s why…

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EducationWhat’s the next big tech trend? How will the web change in 5 years? Who knows? Sure, people like to speculate and make bold predictions. But, they don’t know what the future holds. I don’t know what the future holds. Neither do you.

One thing I do know: Whatever the future holds, we’re ready for it.

How am I so sure?
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7 habits of highly productive web developers

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EducationA recent Forrester study highlights a major shift in the business landscape: More and more, software development plays an increasingly important role in a company’s competitive edge. According to the study, “Companies that are able to innovate quickly with software will outcompete traditional market leaders.”

There’s just one problem: As the study points out, software development is still a problem for the majority of companies. Most are not able to deliver software solutions as fast as the business leaders want them.

photo credit: Nathan E Photography via photopin cc
photo credit: Nathan E Photography via photopin cc

The fact is, as business moves to the web, software development speed plays a crucial role in a company’s success. The old software development methodologies–in which development projects required months (or even years) to complete–will no longer work. Businesses must permanently shift their development cycle into the “days and weeks” range.

How can businesses improve their development speed so drastically? While the answer to that question varies by company, today I’d like to focus on one area that’s relevant to most businesses: improving developer productivity.

What separates the productive developer from the unproductive? What do the productive developers do differently? How can developers become more productive? We posed those questions to a few experts in the area, and have compiled their advice below. Here are 7 habits of highly productive developers:
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21 ways m-Power will improve your enterprise systems

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EducationAccording to Forrester, “approximately half of ERP customers are currently on releases that are two versions behind the current release, which may be four years old or more.” For these companies, upgrading to a new ERP version or package is often too difficult or expensive. Past customizations or enhancements have virtually locked these companies into their current ERP versions. An upgrade represents countless dollars and months of extra work—a project that most companies can’t afford to undertake.

The sad reality: These companies are locked into their enterprise system. Many feel tied to the old features and capabilities of their outdated systems.
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