All posts by : Tejram Sharma

The Agile methodology is preferred by many software development teams for its flexibility, openness to change, and room for creative possibilities. However, when developing solutions in the highly regulated healthcare industry, the majority of teams are likely accustomed to the traditional waterfall approach, where all requirements and expectations are set before work begins. But what if we told you that Agile is a very appropriate, if not the more appropriate, method for healthcare solution development?

In this article, we will address the specific challenges faced by teams developing healthcare software products and how they can apply an adapted Agile methodology to overcome these challenges and develop solutions that meet all the necessary requirements and exceed expectations.

Agile Development Practices
If your team is accustomed to the traditional waterfall development process and unfamiliar with Agile, these are the core elements and practices of developing with an Agile methodology – all of which can be customized to meet your team’s needs:

Sprints

Sprints are the foundation of Agile. A sprint is a defined period of time during which the team focuses on delivering a set of product features. Sprints can vary in length depending on the needs of the project. We have found that sprints of two weeks duration generally work well for healthcare software development.

Sprint Planning: Prior to running a sprint, the entire team gathers to plan the activities that will be performed during that sprint. During sprint planning, the team commits to a set of user stories. User Stories are defined as a set of requirements and acceptance criteria that define a function or scenario from a user’s perspective. User stories are used to define how a feature should work and behave.

Sprint Demonstration: At the end of each Sprint, the team has the opportunity to demonstrate the work that has been done. The sprint demonstration is also an important opportunity for the product owner to provide feedback and make adjustments to the work that was done during the sprint. This feedback process can save healthcare organizations a lot of time and money by not having to correct errors or make changes/improvements after the solution has been delivered, as is the case with waterfall work.

Sprint Retrospectives

At the end of each sprint, the team gathers to review the sprint and identify areas that went well and things that can be improved. This allows the team to continually review their work and improve their processes.

Daily stand-ups: these are very short daily team meetings where each team member shares what they are working on and if they are blocked. The more heads around the table, the more ideas can help solve roadblocks.

Backlog

The backlog is a list of prioritized user stories or features that detail what is needed to create the product. The product owner owns the backlog, which means he or she must define and prioritize all the user stories it contains. The Product Owner is expected to make feature replacement decisions based on the product vision and business requirements.

Sprint Board

The Sprint Board is a tool used by the team to organize and express the status of work in the current Sprint. Issues are moved from one status to the next as they are worked on.

Your team does not need to think of these practices as prescriptive when you first try to implement agile development; adapt the practices as needed to make them work for your product team. For example, the team can use a software tool like VReli for their sprint board, or a physical board with post-it notes.

Let us explore how we can apply these core agile practices to the unique complexities of healthcare solution development.

Regulations

Healthcare is heavily regulated by a number of governmental and non-governmental entities. While these regulations are well-intentioned and designed to protect patients, they result in a complex regulatory environment that impacts the processes required to design and develop a software product.

When developing a healthcare application using Agile, you need to consider and comply with the various regulatory requirements (e.g., HIPAA compliance) just as you would with Waterfall. However, among the most important benefits of an Agile development methodology is that it encourages innovation and can deliver functionality faster. If the software product is a medical device, there are significant regulatory requirements to consider. Your team must determine these requirements in advance, and they depend largely on two key issues:

• Is the software product a medical device OR is it part of a medical device?
• Do you store protected health information (PHI)?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions, your team will need to identify any regulatory requirements you need to comply with, learn about them, and then develop an approach and set of processes to meet those requirements before a development sprint takes place -something that is not common with an agile approach. In the agile methodology, requirements are usually defined during development. The work to identify the processes needed to meet regulatory requirements begins by first understanding the requirements for the specific jurisdiction where the application will be deployed. To do this, you can consult with a regulatory expert. If your organization already has a set of processes in place that meet the regulatory requirements, you should leverage them. Regardless of whether you use an agile or waterfall approach to software development, the regulatory requirements will not change. Once you have defined the legal requirements, they can be documented as non-functional user stories and included in the backlog. This way, these requirements become visible to the team and can be handled like the functional user stories in the backlog. Usability testing, also known as formative testing, can also be integrated into the sprint cycles to ensure that the team is compliant and able to identify potential security risks in the product being developed.

In case you have not noticed: Developing healthcare solutions involves a lot of effort related to regulatory compliance, especially if the solution you are developing is considered a medical device. Your team needs to incorporate the regulatory effort into the agile sprint planning process so that the workload is properly distributed and product development can meet the delivery deadline.

Although it is ideal to define all product requirements upfront when developing healthcare solutions, healthcare software products are typically complex; they may involve integration with other systems and are often mission-critical. Their complexity makes it even more difficult to define all requirements before development begins – in this situation, Agile is very useful. With Agile, corner cases and unknown complexities, as well as valuable features and new requirements, can be discovered by the team during development and addressed and corrected in future iterations. Course corrections, which are part of the nature of Agile development, can be used to find complex solutions as you deliver features. This means that while your team may find that an element of the solution needs to be changed or added, agile course corrections allow the team to consider the necessary work in subsequent sprints and do not prevent them from delivering functional features in each sprint. This is one of the most compelling reasons for using Agile as a software development methodology. By adopting sprints, your product can end up being even more valuable and usable than your team originally expected, and this process prevents expensive time from being wasted fixing a solution once it’s developed.

Securing User Information
The protection of Protected Health Information is one of the special needs for healthcare solutions (PHI). Patients’ health information must be protected from purposeful or unintentional access by anybody who are not authorized to have access to it, including members of the development team while the application is being created. Any given healthcare solution must include PHI security, thus it is crucial to do this step right.

Your Agile software development process has to include or change a variety of steps when it comes to PHI security in order to safeguard patient data and shield the development team from purposeful or unintended exposure to patient data. Your development team ought to:

• Obscure the data: Private health information should be obscured if patient data must be used for product development. Avoiding the use of “real” data in software development and testing is a better way to obfuscate the data. Our teams often create and use a database of fictitious patient test results.
• For PHI requirements, create non-functional user stories: the user stories must include the security specifications for securing PHI so the development team can incorporate them into the final product.

Agile software development is suitable for healthcare projects

An adapted agile development methodology is well-suited for most healthcare projects because it allows the product team to more accurately capture the elements and features that are most important to end users (whether medical staff or patients) and prioritize the delivery of those features. And ultimately, the ability to deliver useful software that meets the needs of end users impacts the quality of patient care through technology.

Accurately implementing the agile practices described at the beginning of this article is usually not possible when you are working with healthcare organizations that have inflexible processes and strict requirements. For example, if healthcare software development has a hardware component, the team may waterfall the interaction and visual design and then apply an agile methodology to the development of the software (i.e., prioritizing features through backlog grooming, etc.). 

The next steps to implementing Agile on your team are to learn about Agile practices – but do not apply the Agile Manifesto to the letter. You need to assess for yourself how you can adapt Agile principles to your organization’s needs. Once you are able to do so, you can look to engage an executive sponsor for a pilot project to demonstrate and determine if an adapted version of Agile is right for you.

As with the development of any other product, you need to mitigate or avoid risks. The risk management processes for Agile are the same as you would need for a waterfall project. When developing healthcare software, keep in mind that risk mitigation is critical not only to the successful delivery of the product, but also to the well-being of patients.

Finally, it is important to recognize that while agile development can be adapted to the needs and processes of a healthcare organization in most cases, in some instances another methodology may be more appropriate. For example, the agile methodology may not be appropriate for interoperability solutions where requirements are well-defined and non-negotiable. Your team should take the time to analyze whether Agile is really right for developing your product and determine which methodology you will use at the beginning of the project.

Sprint planning is central to the success of Scrum projects. In Agile development  effective planning of sprints distinguishes from others such as waterfall, prototyping, and so on. Sprint completion should ideally result in the creation of deliverables at regular intervals that can then be provided to clients for regular feedback. This is especially useful if a project’s requirements are constantly evolving and changing over time, and it is one of the many significant benefits of the Scrum framework.

Set the sprint goal

Setting a sprint goal is an essential part of any sprint planning. It should be specific, measurable, and the result of a discussion between the product owner and the development team.

To help you set the sprint goal, ask yourself the following questions:
What do we want to achieve? This is not just about the isolated sprint, but also about its contribution to the product as a whole.

How can we achieve this goal? The team needs to go through each point and make sure everyone understands its requirements and can anticipate potential obstacles. This helps both estimate and clarify the sprint goal.

How can we verify that we have achieved this goal? In other words, the definition of “done” that is unique to your team, and it’s your job to make sure you are all on the same page.

Another important aspect to consider is whether the goal you want to set is challenging enough. You do not want to set a goal that is too easy to achieve just to have a successful sprint. After all, Scrum is about continuous improvement from iteration to iteration, and if you set the bar too low, it will not contribute to the product or the team. Make the goal challenging enough to get the best out of your team.

Once you set the sprint goal, it will serve as a guide for the development team and help them prioritize how to achieve it.

Who participates in sprint planning?
The scrum team, the product owner, and the scrum master are the three key players in sprint planning.

The person in charge of turning their vision for the product into a finished one is known as the Product Owner, and they are the ones who own the finished item that is produced at the conclusion of a sprint.

The Scrum Master is a team member who facilitates Sprint meetings and the development process primarily. He or she makes sure that ethical agile methods are applied during the product’s development. The absence of a qualified Scrum Master is not a deal breaker for most interviewees, despite the fact that some are.

Last but not least, the scrum team decides on the list of backlog items, or required product functionality, that may be finished and satisfied by the conclusion of the sprint. This prevents missed deadlines and is crucial for establishing the best sprint objective.

Leave room for flexibility

Any agile methodology is inherently flexible, and Scrum is no exception. If there is no room for flexibility, something has gone seriously wrong.

It’s important to acknowledge that not everything will always go according to plan. You will always encounter new information, stakeholder insights, and dependencies that the team must adjust to. Make sure the team understands that they need to be flexible and that they will be supported throughout each sprint.

How do you plan it effectively?

1. Why is a sprint planning meeting necessary? 
Sprint planning meetings set the tone for all work on a particular sprint. These meetings contextualize the work of past sprints in relation to future sprints to ensure timely delivery of all end products. They also make it clear to all stakeholders what the expectations are for the final product and what processes will be used to achieve those expectations.

2. Involve the team
Dysfunctional sprint meetings are usually due to dissatisfied teams that feel left out of the planning process. This is where the Scrum Master needs to step in and use their influence to include all team members and consider them and their skills in a mutually beneficial way.

3. Use inputs from previous sprints 
If this is not the first sprint in the development process, feedback from previous sprints can help the team repeat and avoid past mistakes to ensure seamless and smoother development. Past sprint reviews and sprint retrospectives are immensely useful here.

4. Ensure the availability of your team
This point is especially important as the vacation season approaches and team members are unavailable for large portions of the sprint.

5. Update your user stories
Maintaining your user stories along with the backlog is a great way to see your project from the perspective of the potential end user and the difficulties they might have using your product.

6. Use estimates to make decisions based on team capacity

Overloading your team or an individual beyond their capacity does far more harm than good. The team will be more likely to make mistakes and morale will drop if goals remain perpetually unattainable. Use agile estimation techniques and story points to better understand workload and capacity. How much work and effort is required to achieve your goals? Make sure you set realistic and reasonable goals based on your best estimates.

7. Prioritize the tasks
Now that you have taken the time to set the sprint goal and clarify all the tasks, it’s much easier to prioritize the tasks that will help you achieve that goal.

There is no right or wrong way to decide on priorities, as long as your team members engage in an active discussion and decide together what should get done during the sprint. This can be done by simply having team members discuss what they want to accomplish by completing this task and what successful completion might bring them.

Some teams prefer to tackle the larger tasks first and save the smaller ones for the end, while others prefer to complete the smaller tasks first so they have more time to focus on the complex tasks. Your workflow can be unique in its own way, as long as the tasks are consistent with your goal and everyone is in sync.

8. Keep your workload reasonable.
Taking on too many chores and being overconfident are both simple to do. Taking on too many duties will be detrimental, even though the Sprint objective should be challenging for the team to complete. Frustration and disappointment are sparked when the team fails to provide what was agreed upon.

By calculating the time needed to complete each activity, this problem may be resolved. Using your prior expertise doing jobs of a comparable nature is both possible and recommended:

Which original estimation did you have?
Did you complete the delivery by then?
Explicit obstacles halted the process?
The likelihood of running across them again is what?
Can you foresee any other obstacles?

Defect tracking is the process of recording and tracking problems or bugs found while testing software. It is also referred to as issue tracking or bug tracking. In large systems, there may be hundreds or thousands of bugs. Each one must be weighed, tracked, and prioritized for bug fixing. In certain circumstances, it may be necessary to track faults over an extended period of time.

Defect tracking is an important step in software development because complicated and mission-critical systems have hundreds of defects.

Managing, evaluating and prioritizing these issues is one of the difficult aspects. As time passes, the number of bugs increases, and a bug tracking system is used to handle them effectively and simplify the work

How Defect Tracking Works?

A software error happens when a program or application does not function as planned. Errors made by system architects, designers, or developers account for the majority of defects. When developing and testing an application, test teams utilize bug tracking to keep track of and report on issues.

According to Wikipedia, “a database that stores information about known problems is a significant component of a bug tracking system.” “Facts” include information regarding when a defect was reported, its severity, improper programmed behavior, specifics on how the bug was replicated, as well as the names of the reporter and any programmers who might be able to repair it.

Why bug tracking is important?

It is said that software developers produce 100 to 150 errors per thousand lines of code. “Even if only a tiny number-say 10%-of these issues are problematic, a very small application with 20,000 lines of code contains about 200 serious coding errors,” according to a report by the Consortium for IT Software Quality (CISQ). 

To detect and minimize defects, software testing is critical. Testing teams are responsible for managing all bugs found through a good QA process that can find hundreds or even thousands of bugs. By helping testers prioritize, monitor and report on the status of each bug, bug tracking is integrated into the testing workflow to increase productivity.

Which Bug Tracker is the best?

• Well, it depends since there are a few factors to consider: for example, simplicity. If there are non-tech people in the team and you choose a complex tool, its adoption can be challenging. You will have to train your non-tech people and that might take too much time and resources. So, it is highly recommended that the bug tracker is simple enough and easy to use for everyone.
• Another thing to consider is the workflow. If one and the same issue travels from one team member to another then a simple workflow won’t work. However, if you are a small team, a simple workflow might be perfect for you.
• The third thing to consider is the policies i.e. you should take into account your company policies when deciding which bug tracker to use. Sometimes, clients and other stakeholders do not want software teams to use external software. On the other hand, if you are going to use a self-hosted bug tracker, it might require a whole lot of attention due to its maintenance issues.

And there are of course some other things to consider based on your business type and client requirements. So, you might want to take a closer look at a few bug trackers in order to decide which one to use.

VReli

VReli helps turn client feedback into actionable tasks. Your clients report issues by making annotations from the site. And the software turns these into bug reports which you can use to fix the problem.

See what you can do with VReli:

• Submit feedback and easily report issues directly from your website;
• See where the issue was reported;
• Automatically attach a screenshot with every bug report;
• Manage, assign, and prioritize tasks through the visual task board;
• Use it for unlimited projects;
• Export data to use for reporting;

Leverage VReli time tracking tool which comes with simplified approvals, 360° complete visibility into projects and streamline client billing.

The VReli time tracking platform helps you capture all billable hours, manage approval and billing workflows, apply relevant rates, and accurately bill your distributed customer base every time. Our customers are streamlining their time and project billing and achieving a 5-10% increase in billings and more than 90% reduction in billing time with these advanced features.

For Your Business: Time Tracking
Set up timesheets to track client project data according to your company’s needs.
Utilize our cutting-edge app to provide your consultants the freedom to enter their time and expenses from any location at any time.

For correct invoicing, track all billable and non-billable project hours and assign them to clients.
Consultants might mark time off as vacation or unavailable on the timesheet.
Give supervisors and clients detailed context and transparency by using timesheet comments and attachments.

Intelligent Approval Workflows
Reduce timesheet errors and rework using advanced business validations.
Model approval workflows that make sense for your client billing use case.
Dynamic routing of timesheets to project managers further reduces overheads and lead times.
Ensure timely actions from consultants and supervisors using real-time alerts.

Maximize Billable Hours

• Manage cashflows and revenues with clear billable hour targets for individuals, teams, departments or business units.
• Easily handle reduced work hours and exceptions, such as holidays or non-working days.
• Give your supervisors and executives up-to-the-minute visibility into billable hours through advanced reporting and dashboards.
• Manage your business performance and accountability with access to historical trends and real-time billable target progress.

A backlog is a collection of tasks, ideas, or features that a team has identified as important, but has not yet had the opportunity to work on. It is a way of prioritizing and organizing work so that the team can focus on the most important items first.

There are many benefits to maintaining a backlog. It helps the team stay focused and organized, as they can easily see what needs to be done and prioritize their work accordingly. It also allows the team to be more responsive to change, as they can quickly add new items to the backlog as they arise.

However, it is important to manage the backlog carefully, as an overgrown or poorly managed backlog can become a hindrance rather than a help. Here are some tips for effective backlog management:

• Keep the backlog small and focused: Avoid adding too many items to the backlog, as this can make it difficult to prioritize and make progress. Instead, focus on a smaller number of high-impact items.
• Prioritize the backlog: The items at the top of the backlog should be the most important and should be worked on first. This will help the team focus on the most valuable work and ensure that they are making progress on the most important items.
• Regularly review and update the backlog: The backlog should be a living document that is regularly reviewed and updated. This will help ensure that it remains relevant and that the team is always working on the most important items.
• Communicate the backlog: Make sure that the entire team is aware of the contents of the backlog and their priorities. This will help ensure that everyone is aligned and working towards the same goals.
• Don’t be afraid to remove items from the backlog: If an item is no longer relevant or important, don’t be afraid to remove it from the backlog. This will help keep the backlog focused and prevent it from becoming cluttered.
• Use agile project management techniques: Agile methodologies, such as Scrum, can be effective for managing backlogs. They involve regularly reviewing and adjusting the backlog to ensure that the team is always working on the most important items.

Effective backlog management is essential for any team that wants to stay organized and focused. By regularly reviewing and updating the backlog, teams can ensure that they are always working on the most important items and making progress towards their goals

Offshore development

Also known as outsourced or offshore software development, is a business model in which a company outsources its software development needs to a team or vendor located in a different country. This model has gained popularity in recent years due to its cost-effectiveness, access to a global talent pool, and ability to scale quickly. In this article, we will explore the various benefits of offshore development and how it can help businesses to achieve their goals.

Cost-effective

 One of the main reasons why companies choose offshore development is the cost savings it offers. Labor costs are generally lower in countries where offshore development teams are located, which means companies can save a significant amount of money on development costs. This is especially beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses that may not have the budget to hire a full-time in-house development team.

Access to a global talent pool

 Offshore development allows companies to tap into a global talent pool and hire the best developers from around the world. This is especially useful for companies that may not have a strong local talent pool or are unable to find the right talent in their region. By outsourcing development to a team in another country, companies can find developers with the right skills and expertise to meet their needs.

• Ability to scale quickly: Another benefit of offshore development is the ability to scale quickly. If a company has a sudden increase in development needs, they can quickly and easily scale up their offshore development team to meet the demand. This is a much faster and more cost-effective solution than hiring and training a full-time in-house team.
• Flexibility: Offshore development offers flexibility in terms of the type of work that can be outsourced. Companies can choose to outsource entire projects or specific tasks such as testing or quality assurance. This allows companies to focus on their core competencies and outsource non-critical tasks to a dedicated offshore development team.
• Quality: Many companies are concerned about the quality of work when outsourcing to an offshore development team. However, offshore development teams are just as capable of delivering high-quality work as in-house teams. In fact, many offshore development teams follow the same processes and standards as in-house teams, ensuring that the quality of work meets the company’s expectations.
• Time zone advantage: Offshore development can also provide a time zone advantage for companies. If a company outsources development to a team in a different time zone, it can ensure that work is being done around the clock. This is especially useful for companies that need to meet tight deadlines or have a 24/7 operation.

In conclusion, offshore development is a cost-effective and flexible business model that allows companies to tap into a global talent pool and scale quickly. It can also provide a time zone advantage and ensure high-quality work. If your company is considering outsourcing software development, offshore development is definitely worth considering.

As the lead developer at Venture7, I have always been passionate about creating a positive and productive work environment for my team. I believe that when team members feel supported and motivated, they are able to do their best work and contribute to the success of the company.

One of the ways I have tried to bring out the best in my team is by fostering open communication and collaboration. I encourage team members to share their ideas and perspectives, and I make sure to listen actively and give constructive feedback. I have also implemented regular team check-ins and one-on-one meetings to ensure that everyone feels heard and supported.

Another way I have tried to bring out the best in my team is by providing opportunities for learning and growth. I understand that software development is a constantly evolving field, and it’s important for my team to stay up-to-date on the latest tools and technologies. I have therefore implemented a company-wide training and development program, which includes workshops, conference attendance, and mentorship opportunities.

I also believe in the importance of work-life balance, and I make sure to give my team the time and space they need to recharge and take care of themselves. I encourage team members to take regular breaks and use their vacation days, and I have implemented flexible work arrangements to allow for better balance.

Some Tips For Building A String Team

• Clearly define roles and expectations: Make sure each team member knows their responsibilities and what is expected of them. This will help them to focus on their tasks and perform to the best of their abilities.
• Encourage open communication: Create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, ideas, and concerns. This can be done through regular team meetings, one-on-one check-ins, or an open-door policy.
• Provide opportunities for development: Invest in your team members by offering training and development opportunities that align with their career goals. This will help them to acquire new skills and feel more invested in their work.
• Recognize and reward good work: Show appreciation for a job well done by recognizing and rewarding team members for their contributions. This can be done through verbal or written praise, bonuses, or other incentives.
• Lead by example: Model the behavior and work ethic you expect from your team. Show them that you are committed to the success of the team and that you are willing to put in the work to make it happen.
• Empower them to make decisions: Give team members the autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of their work. This will help them to feel more invested in their tasks and more motivated to do their best.
• Encourage collaboration: Facilitate teamwork by encouraging collaboration and cooperation among team members. This can be done through group projects, cross-functional teams, or other team-building activities.

Overall, my goal is to create a positive and supportive work environment that allows my team to thrive and do their best work. By fostering open communication, providing opportunities for learning and growth, and promoting work-life balance, I believe that I have been able to bring out the best in my team and drive the success of XYZ Inc.

Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) is a software engineering process that aims to manage the development, maintenance, and retirement of software applications. It involves coordinating the various activities that are necessary to bring an application from conception to production, and to keep it running smoothly once it is in use. ALM is a critical process for organizations of all sizes, as it helps ensure that software applications are delivered on time, within budget, and with high quality.

One of the main goals of ALM is to improve communication and collaboration among team members. In a software development project, there are often many different people working on different aspects of the application. For example, there may be designers, developers, testers, and business analysts all working together to build a new application. ALM helps these team members stay on the same page by providing a set of tools and processes that facilitate communication and collaboration.

ALM typically consists of several key stages, which are discussed in more detail below.

Requirements Gathering

The first step in the ALM process is to gather requirements for the software application. This involves working with stakeholders to understand their needs and wants, and to determine what the application should do. Requirements gathering is a critical step in the ALM process, as it helps ensure that the final product meets the needs of the users.

During the requirements gathering stage, team members may use a variety of techniques to gather information. These may include interviews, focus groups, surveys, and user observations. The requirements that are gathered during this stage are used to create a detailed specification for the software application.

Design

The next step in the ALM process is design. During this stage, team members work together to create a detailed plan for the software application. This includes determining how the application will be structured, what features it will have, and how it will be implemented.

The design stage is an important part of the ALM process, as it helps ensure that the final product is well-organized and easy to use. It is also during this stage that any potential issues or problems with the application are identified and addressed.

Coding

Once the design for the application has been finalized, the next step is to start writing code. This is typically done by developers, who use programming languages such as Java, Python, or C++ to build the application.

The coding stage is an iterative process, as developers may need to make changes and adjustments to the code as they go along. It is important for team members to work closely together during this stage, as any changes to the code may have an impact on other parts of the application.

Testing

Once the coding stage is complete, the next step is to test the application to ensure that it is functioning correctly. This is typically done by a separate team of testers, who use a variety of techniques to identify and fix any issues with the application.

Testing is an important part of the ALM process, as it helps ensure that the final product is of high quality and meets the requirements that were gathered in the beginning of the project. Testing can be done manually or with the use of automated tools.

Deployment

Once the application has been tested and the issues have been addressed, it is ready to be deployed. This typically involves installing the application on servers or in the cloud, and making it available to users.

Deployment is an important part of the ALM process, as it marks the point at which the application is made available to the public. It is important to have a well-defined deployment process in place, as it helps ensure that the

7 Benefits of  Application Management Tool

• Improved communication and collaboration: ALM tools provide a centralized platform for team members to communicate and collaborate. This helps improve the flow of information and reduces the risk of misunderstandings or miscommunications.
• Enhanced visibility: ALM tools provide a clear view of the progress of a software development project. This helps project managers and team members stay on track and identify any potential issues early on.
• Better project management: ALM tools provide a range of project management features, such as task tracking, milestone tracking, and resource allocation. This helps teams stay organized and ensures that projects are delivered on time and within budget.
• Increased efficiency: ALM tools can automate many of the manual tasks associated with software development, such as building and testing code. This helps teams work more efficiently and frees up time for more important tasks.
• Enhanced quality: ALM tools provide a range of tools and processes to help teams ensure that their software is of high quality. This includes features such as automatic testing, code review, and defect tracking.
• Improved security: ALM tools can help organizations ensure that their software is secure by providing features such as access control and secure code review.
• Reduced costs: By improving efficiency and increasing the quality of software, ALM tools can help organizations reduce their development costs. This can be especially beneficial for organizations with large and complex software development projects.

Anderson is a project manager at a software development company. He was responsible for leading a team of developers, testers, and designers in building a new application for one of the company’s clients.

As the project began to take shape, Anderson quickly realized that he needed a better way to keep track of all the tasks and issues that were coming up. He was using email and a spreadsheet to manage the project, but he found that this was becoming increasingly difficult as the project grew in size and complexity.

One day, Anderson heard about a new ticketing tool called VReli that his company had recently acquired. He decided to give it a try and was immediately impressed by how easy it was to use. With the ticketing tool, Anderson was able to create a central hub for all the tasks and issues related to the project. He could assign tasks to team members, track their progress, and collaborate with them in real time.

The ticketing tool also had a range of other useful features, such as the ability to prioritize tasks and set deadlines. This helped Anderson and his team stay organized and focused on the most important tasks.

As the project progressed, Anderson noticed that his team was able to work more efficiently thanks to the ticketing tool. They were able to track their progress more accurately and communicate more effectively with each other. This helped the project stay on track and was a key factor in the team delivering the application on time and within budget.

Overall, Anderson was very happy with the ticketing tool and was grateful for the way it had helped him and his team manage the project more efficiently. He knew that without it, the project would have been much more difficult to manage and would not have been as successful.

Some Key Features of VReli.

Go Agile

An iterative approach to project management and software development that helps teams deliver value to their customers faster and with fewer headaches.

VReli offer’s practical Agile solutions and travels along on the exciting journey of your Agile transformation.

Agile Development

VReli is an agile project management tool that supports any agile methodology, be it scrum, kanban, or your own unique flavor. From agile boards, backlogs, roadmaps, reports, to integrations and add-ons you can plan, track, and manage all your agile software development projects from a single tool. 

Kanban or listing view

Use Kanban views to monitor your project workflow, progress and dependent tasks records in a graphical way for easy and simple visualization. Allow each team members to see the state of every piece of work at any time and plan accordingly for maximum efficiency

Goals, Features & more

Goals IN VReli gives you an easy way to create and track progress on sprint and project goals for your entire organization. Get a full history of your team’s progress on a dashboard and track your project productivity and goal reach

Gain time for Product Development

Spend time more on your actual product development and less time on on project, team, feature, defect and release management by maximizing the use of VReli core features as required.

Product Focused

Build By Product Guys For Product Development.

Requirement Management

Using VReli create a collaborative product requirement to branch out details for large complex epics. When your requirement list is defined and the details are all in one place, it makes it a lot easier for Development and Design to provide immediate feedback and input. When this happens you can iterate quickly and implement work right away. 

Defect Management

Using VReli quality-testing team will be able to log bugs captured and keep track of all in one single place through out the lifecycle of the project development. Having a single source of truth of all issue types helps teams prioritize against their big picture goals, while continually delivering value to their customers.

Release Management

VReli release management enables the process of planning, designing, scheduling, testing, deploying, and controlling software releases. It ensures that release teams efficiently deliver the applications and upgrades required by the business while maintaining the integrity of the existing production environment.

Slack Integration

VReli services connects you with the people and tools you work with every day so you can easily collaborate with your team like slack. You can reach to people via slack without leaving your workspace so that Realtime collaboration becomes efficient and easy.

Ease To Use

Build By Product Guys For Product Development..

Hashtags

Hashtag property of VReli helps team to refine, categorize, group so that browsing through information becomes easy and quick.

Personalized Dashboard

A personalized company dashboard allows team members at all levels to view real-time data about their company and how it’s progressing toward its goals. This visual representation of your data can be extremely useful for execs as well as employees in various departments and roles.

Workflow Customization

In software development, a workflow defines the steps and statuses that tasks move through as a part of a team’s process. In VReli you can create custom workflow based on each organization/project requirement

Agile Reporting

Reports provide agile teams with greater visibility. They display team efforts, help teams monitor their progress toward key goals, and allow users to plan effectively. Agile status reporting can show teams how to incorporate timely changes so they can keep up with changing business environments.

Vreli Plug & Play

Build By Product Guys For Product Development..

Wiki

Create your project knowledgebase repo to cater your customer FAQ, how to questions from a single place . And also allow customer to raise ticket for product improvement and fixes

Docs on Cloud

Collaborate with team by creating/Editing/Sharing your files within VReli docs manager. From a single source have multiple access level and control

Change Control Board

A change control board includes stakeholders from your business or your client’s business who have the power to approve or reject proposed changes. VReli CCB Matches with CMMi standards of CCB

Timesheet

Timesheet allows you to plan, track, collaborate, and execute projects, in real-time and all in one place. Timesheet gives you a holistic and visual approach to project management that helps scale your complex workflows. Now you can spend less time managing and more time working on what’s important.

When it comes to outsourcing, finding the right partner is crucial to the success of your project. Here are some key factors to consider when finalizing your outsourcing partner.

• Expertise: It’s important to choose an outsourcing partner that has the necessary skills and expertise to deliver the quality of work you expect. This includes having relevant industry experience and a track record of successful projects.
• Communication: Good communication is essential for any successful partnership. Make sure that you choose an outsourcing partner that is responsive, clear, and transparent in their communication.
• Cultural fit: It’s important to choose an outsourcing partner that shares your values and has a similar work culture. This will help to ensure a smooth and harmonious working relationship.
• Cost: Of course, cost is a major factor to consider when outsourcing. Make sure to get quotes from multiple providers and compare the costs carefully. It’s also important to consider the long-term cost of the partnership, rather than just focusing on the short-term price.
• Location: The location of your outsourcing partner can have an impact on the success of the partnership. If you are working with a partner in a different time zone, consider the potential challenges this may present in terms of communication and project coordination.
• Scalability: It’s important to choose an outsourcing partner that can scale with your business. This will ensure that they are able to support your needs as your business grows.
• Security: If you are outsourcing sensitive or proprietary information, it’s crucial to choose a partner that takes security seriously and has strong protocols in place to protect your data.
• Technical capabilities: Evaluate the development partner’s technical expertise and experience in the technologies and platforms relevant to your project. This will ensure that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver a high-quality product.
• Quality assurance: Evaluate the development partner’s quality assurance processes and procedures to ensure that they are rigorous and thorough. This will help to ensure that the final product is free of bugs and meets your quality standards.
• Portfolio and references: Review the development partner’s portfolio of past projects and references from other clients to get a sense of their experience and track record of delivering successful projects.
• Scalability: Ensure that the development partner has the ability and resources to scale up or down as needed to meet the changing needs of your project.

When approaching an outsourcing partner, there are several key steps you can take to ensure a successful partnership:

• Clearly define your project scope and requirements: Before beginning the partnership, clearly define the scope and requirements of your project, including the deliverables, timelines, and budget. This will help to ensure that both parties are on the same page and that the project stays on track.
• Communicate effectively: Establish clear and open communication channels with your outsourcing partner, and make sure to keep them informed of any changes or updates to the project. This will help to ensure that they are able to effectively meet your needs and deliver the desired results.
• Establish clear expectations: Set clear expectations for performance, quality, and timelines, and make sure that your outsourcing partner understands and agrees to them. This will help to ensure that the project stays on track and meets your requirements.
• Build trust and a good relationship: Build a strong and trusting relationship with your outsourcing partner, which will be beneficial for both parties in the long run. This will help to ensure that the partnership is successful and that both parties are satisfied with the results.
• Monitoring and feedback: Regularly monitor the progress of the project, provide feedback and make necessary adjustments, this will help to ensure that the project is moving in the right direction.
• Be open to different approaches: Be open to different approaches and methods, as your outsourcing partner may have different ways of working that can be beneficial to the project.
• Legal and compliance: Ensure that your outsourcing partner complies with any legal or regulatory requirements, as well as your company’s policies and procedures.
• Flexibility: Be prepared to be flexible and adapt to changes. Outsourcing projects can be unpredictable, so it is important to be ready to adapt to any changes that may arise.

Ultimately, the right outsourcing partner will depend on your specific needs and goals. Carefully considering these factors will help you to find a partner that is the best fit for your business.