“Show Me the Data” is No Longer a Challenge, as
Companies Team-up to Tell the Truth about Agile Results

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/26/ma-qsm-associates-pillar-idUSnBwpSGLha+9c+BSW20130226

PITTSFIELD, Mass., Feb 26, 2013 – QSM Associates and Pillar Technology today announced a partnership designed to deliver Agile software solutions, and benchmark time to market, speed to value and the quality of results. Under the agreement, believed to be unique in the software industry, Pillar will provide Agile enablement to enterprises, and QSM Associates will perform benchmarking services that are drawn from the software industry’s largest and most complete database of project statistics.

Pillar Technology, developer of enterprise software solutions and consulting services, uses Agile to develop software solutions at a productivity and quality rate that can be up to 10x better than the industry norms. Long before the Agile Manifesto, Pillar was built on a foundation that focused on Iterative and Incremental approaches, value focused delivery, and technical excellence.

QSM Associates provides the SLIM suite of software benchmarking and estimation tools. For more than 20 years, QSM has been researching software productivity and quality, including 10 years in the Agile environment. Using the QSM SLIM Database, comprising more than 10,000 completed software projects, QSM Associates delivers the most thorough and accurate project forecasts.

Through its proven process of structured interviews, expert observation, and assessment using SLIM, Pillar clients have produced some of the most impressive results in an ongoing study of Agile programming practices in central Ohio. The study goes beyond anecdotal claims by providing the Columbus Agile community with valuable, verified information on patterns of defect rates and time to market. It was during this study, conducted by QSM Associates, that the two companies recognized the value that collaboration could bring to customers.

“When customers say ‘show me the data,’ we have it, and now the word is getting out,” said Michael C. Mah, Managing Partner of QSM Associates. “When it became clear that some of the best Columbus results were achieved by Pillar clients, we knew that the news would spread fast, but there would be some skepticism,” he said. “QSM Associates has been tracking Agile productivity and quality for the last 10 years, using actual research data which documents the kind of productivity patterns that are rare in software.”

The SLIM database enables clients to assess and validate productivity and quality results of Agile development practices, and traditional approaches such as the waterfall method. Customers can license the database for self-assessment, or work with QSM Associates for a facilitated audit of their productivity and defect rates relative to industry norms.

“Converting to Agile can be a transformative commitment, and companies need proof that it works. Analyzing our projects with SLIM demonstrated that Agile works for us, but you don’t need to take our word for it,” said Angelo Mazzocco, Pillar Technology president. “We’re teaming-up with QSM Associates because their independent database of software development projects is like a Kelly Blue Book. QSM Associates provides a credible source based on reality, not speculation or hyperbole.”

Since the preliminary Columbus results were announced, QSM Associate has been invited to help launch similar region-based studies in Boston, Chicago, and Munich.

About Pillar Technology
Pillar Technology develops limitless Agile solutions at The Forge, a software studio that sparks breakthroughs with a “no holds barred” philosophy. As an incubator for thought leadership, The Forge allows rapid development of innovative software products and applications, serving as a resource for solving problems and achieving business goals through value focus, improved quality, and reduced waste. At the Forge, Pillar Technology’s plan-driven development allows a balance between the seeming “extremes” of vision and action, energy and focus, resulting in a catalyst for business brilliance. Information is available by emailing Steven Yaffe, syaffe@pillartechnology.com, or at www.pillartechnology.com.

About QSM Associates
QSM Associates, Inc. measures, plans, estimates and control software projects for businesses and organizations. It offers the SLIM (Software Lifecycle Management) Suite of tools, so managers can benchmark and forecast Agile, waterfall, in-house, offshore/multi-shore or ERP/package implementation projects. SLIM contains statistics from a worldwide database of more than 10,000 completed projects, enabling productivity benchmarking on the desktop. Using SLIM to dynamically run “virtual project simulations,” companies can model and forecast waterfall and Agile releases to deliver on time, within budget with >90% estimation accuracy. SLIM can also derive ROI achieved by Agile methods and other process improvements. QSM Associates offers consulting, training, and coaching to help accelerate this capability. Information is available at www.QSMA.com.

Michael Mah (Twitter: @MichaelCMah), is also the Benchmark Practice Director at the Cutter Consortium, a Boston-area IT think-tank. Along with Microsoft, Oracle, and Salesforce.com, QSM Associates is a Rally Software Strategic Partner.

QSM and SLIM are registered trademarks of Quantitative Software Management, which is headquartered in McLean, VA with partner offices and affiliates throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia.

Contact: Edward Bride, 413-442-7718 (Ed@edbride-pr.com)