Archive for August 2011
IT Outsourcing Companies – Top 3 Rules to Follow When Selecting a Software Outsourcing Company
August 16, 2011 | 
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Finding the right software IT outsourcing company is critical to the success of your software outsourcing project.
With the hundreds of software outsourcing companies out there, you must thoroughly filter through all of them and determine if they are offering the services you need, and if their goals and overall company culture complements your own corporation’s culture.
Unfortunately, there are no standards when it comes to outsourcing vendor selection. Selecting the right outsourcing provider really depends primarily on the needs of the organization and scope of the project’s initiative.
Here are the top three general rules to follow when selecting an IT outsourcing companies that can help you.
Objective
Have the concrete project objectives and requirements documented and on hand. Having a clear list of business objectives and requirements will definitely help you in the vendor selection process. This will give you the benchmark criteria that the outsourcing company must meet in order to be considered as a potential provider.
This document will aid you in pinpointing technologies, skill sets, and other requirements that you’ll need to get your outsourcing project up and running.
The Right Match
Focus on the match making. After short listing a list of outsourcing companies that actually offer the services you need, you will find that the ‘short’ list is still quite long. Indeed, there are probably countless of companies that offer the same services with varying selling points.
However, one critical factor is if the company actually matches the standards and methodology of your organization. Check if the company has already worked on projects similar to those initiatives you plan to outsource.
Determine if the technologies, framework, and processes they are using matches to what your organization is already doing. Having a similar work methodology and processes can lessen or ultimately eradicate communication barriers because both of you are speaking and understanding the same terms.
Track Record
Determine the vendor’s track record. Finding the perfect company that matches your outsourcing needs doesn’t end your search. You’ll need to dig deeper into the outsourcing company’s background and history.
Verify the company’s actual track record. Are they able to deliver their projects? Are their clients satisfied? Are they developing their talent?
These are just some of the questions that you need satisfying answers to. If you need to ask for a second or even third opinion then ask away. Having a result oriented review about the company will help you in determining if they will actually deliver your requirements for the project.
Posted in technology skill sets | 
Tags: Outsourcing Companies, Outsourcing Provider, Work Methodology | 
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Start Your Information Technology Career Off With an A+ With CompTIA’s A+ Network+ Program
The knowledge and skills to service and maintain computers in a real-world environment is a valuable, much sought after skill. Trying to learn these skills by one’s self can be a difficult and time-consuming process. A better way to learn these skills in a timely and efficient manner is through CompTIA A+ Network+ certification.
CompTIA’s A+ Network+ is a combination program where students gain a foundation in PC hardware, operating system knowledge, and networking basics.
CompTIA A+ Network+ is perfect for those who:
Are seeking an entry to mid level IT job Want to learn the fundamentals of computer hardware, operating systems, and network functionality Need to know the fundamentals for a higher level networking course The culmination of hands-on classroom learning provided by an A+ Network+ course, when combined with real-world job demands, allows for limitless growth and the potential for further opportunities. In this way, A+ Network+ serves as an excellent gateway towards further professional learning, personal development, and ultimately career advancement.
Skills learned in CompTIA’s A+ Network+ Program are highly sought after by employers, who are constantly in search of talented individuals to manage and develop their growing IT infrastructures. By providing proven certifications that emphasize a deep and thorough understanding of computing technology, prospective employees will gain an invaluable asset towards finding a satisfying career in the booming IT field.
More specifically, A+ Network+ allows an individual to pursue employment through a variety of positions including IT, helpdesk, and system support. These positions allow a person to work directly with end-users, creating the opportunity to learn invaluable skills through a wide variety of both technical and interpersonal experiences.
Looking beyond the firmly established foundation afforded by A+ Network+, as an individual’s scope in the IT field expands, so do his or her possibilities for growth. A+ Network+ opens the door for exactly this kind of opportunity. Whether interested in becoming a system administrator, system engineer, network specialist, or IT security expert, A+ Network+ enables an individual to achieve the necessary practical skills towards pursuing these avenues while simultaneously establishing the knowledge necessary to earn a job within the field through a proven certification.
Posted in information technology skill | Tags: Networking Course, World Environment, World Job | No Comments »
Skill Set of a Business Analyst
You have heard the designation ‘Business Analyst’ sometime, and you have realized it is a worthy job to have. The next question that must have popped in your head must be then what is the requirement to be a Business Analyst? To answer that question you need to know what a Business Analyst ( BA) does on a typical day in an organization. That will enable you to learn the necessary skill set of a BA, which in turn will make you realize what the requirements to be a BA are.
A Business Analyst is basically a bridge between the development team consisting of programming engineers and coding engineers and the client of the company who is the end user of the project. So, a BA is the one who is the connecting link between the two important entities at the two ends of a project. He should be able to answer the queries regarding the project, to the software developers and be able to communicate well to understand the needs of the client, who is the end user.
Thus it is important for a Business Analyst to have Good Communication skills.
A BA has to study the existing conditions prevalent at the client’s end before drafting the project specifications for the development team. He needs to be able to understand the existing IT infrastructure at the client’s end to be able to understand what needs to be changed. At the same time, he should be knowledgeable of the processes, rules, regulations, terminologies, workings of the sector in which the client’s business falls under. Thus, his spectrum of knowledge needs to be a good blend of both – the Information Technology and Engineering part of the systems and business know- how of sector for him to be able to carry out his job well.
Thus it is important for him to have a good bank of knowledge and a realization to update that knowledge form time to time. While understanding the client needs and expectations from the project, the Business Analyst has to define the problem with clarity so that the software team can understand the requirements clearly. The Business Analyst has to be able to draw relevant analysis from quantitative data supplied by the client and other stakeholders; at times, he may have to source the data himself. Being able to judge and analyze the findings of the quantitative data and couple it with strategic thinking in order to envision a solution to the client’s problem requires good managerial and analytic skills.
In today’s world, where knowledge sharing is a way of working style, it is possible that the Business Analyst finds the need to use additional developers from a different geographical location and time zone, besides the ones he has working with him in his own geographical location. In that case, proper coordination and scheduling of tasks need to be done in order to complete the project efficiently, and faster.
In addition to the above skills, the Business Analyst must know how to brainstorm with the client and the development team to ideate and create long lasting and efficient solutions for the client.