Sitting Down with John Linford- Security & OTTF Forum Director, The Open Group

Recently we reached out to John Linford, Security & OTTF Forum Director, for The Open Group, to discuss his role, industry advice, updates within his Forum and lots more. Thank you again to John for his time and for giving us an expansive look into his Forum at large. Please see the full interview below:

Please can you tell us how long you have been in your role and what you enjoy most about it?

I joined The Open Group in June 2019, coming from San Jose State University where I taught economics. While teaching, I contributed to creating the Open FAIR ™ Risk Analysis Process Guide, which served as my main introduction to The Open Group. I immediately fell in love with the engaging discussions involved in creating that Guide and working closely with industry experts to do so.

I still enjoy that aspect of my role the most – working with individuals so knowledgeable is incredibly rewarding when we can align on ideas and on how to present them. Getting to that alignment can be challenging, but it is never boring!

What has your journey with The Open Group been like so far?

My journey with The Open Group began with Open FAIR. I learned about the Standards to assist Security Forum Chair Mike Jerbic with a course he was teaching at San Jose State University while I was completing my master’s in economics. This led to my becoming Open FAIR Certified and eventually to me acting as primary author of the Open FAIR Risk Analysis Process Guide.

After a series of conversations with The Open Group President and CEO Steve Nunn, I was fortunate enough to then become Forum Director of both the Security Forum and the OTTF, and I have thoroughly enjoyed helping along the various projects and activities in these Forums.

I had the unusual experience of being in my role for only about 6 months before COVID-19 shut down travel and changed the way we work – just when I thought I had things figured out, I had to completely change my approach.

Are there any new updates within your Forum that you can share?

The Security Forum is working hard on updates to the Open FAIR Certification Program to ensure it aligns with the newest versions of the Open FAIR Standards. We are also making excellent progress on an initial Zero Trust Reference Model Snapshot and are considering “promoting” a couple existing documents to act as the basis for a Certification Program – this idea is in its very early stages, and we welcome input on it.

The Open Trusted Technology Forum is actively working to solicit feedback on the O-TTPS Certification Program from Certified Organizations. We intend to utilize this feedback to improve and/or clarify relevant documents. We are also beginning a collaboration project with the Security Forum to offer guidance on quantitative supply chain risk management, leaning on the

O-TTPS and Open FAIR Body of Knowledge.

Can you tell us about any exciting updates planned within your Forum?

Both the Security Forum and the OTTF are diligently working on updates to their respective certification programs (Open FAIR and O-TTPS, respectively).

The Security Forum is also now working on mapping its existing publications to describe how they work together and to identify where gaps occur. This will allow collaborations with other Work Groups and Forums of The Open Group as we work to fill these gaps and/or rectify divergent thinking. We expect these efforts to fit extremely well with efforts on the Digital Portfolio of Standards and foresee many opportunities for engaging conversations on security topics throughout The Open Group.

What are you most looking forward to for the year ahead?

Outside of seeing the launch of the updated Open FAIR and O-TTPS Certification Programs, returning to traveling and attending industry events has been extremely pleasant –it is hard to believe how much I missed having engaging conversations in person. I am greatly looking forward to attending and presenting at more events.

Is there any advice you can give for those looking to start in the industry?

Learn everything you can and don’t think you know it all – this is not a field that takes a break or slows down. Threat agents are constantly learning and evolving; technologies are constantly changing; and attacks are becoming more sophisticated. Participation in organizations such as The Open Group allows conversations with industry leaders who are keenly and actively following industry trends and changes and can offer unique perspectives on events as they unfold.

If you could give advice to your respective self before starting in your role, what would it be?

Embrace templates and take the time to make and/or revise them as you notice repeat tasks. Creating a detailed Project Charter that is consistent across efforts allows work streams to begin far more efficiently and ensures participants are aligned not only on the project concept but on the goals and methods that will be used for success. Taking a bit more time at the beginning of these efforts results in work occurring far more quickly when it does get going.

Source: opengroup.org

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How to Crack ITIL 4 Foundation Certification Exam 2022?

You want to prepare for the ITIL 4 Foundation exam and pass it the first time you take it. Understanding ITIL 4 Exam Concepts is important, but you must know the ITIL 4 Exam pattern to feel completely sure. So, this blog entails some amazing tips and tricks that can help you pass the ITIL 4 foundation exam.

What is ITIL 4 Foundation Certification?

The ITIL 4 Foundation certification introduces an overview of the ITIL framework. It allows candidates to view ITSM as an end-to-end operating model for developing, delivering, and improving technology-enabled products and services. Candidates who need a fundamental understanding of the ITIL framework, want to use ITIL to improve ITSM, or whose organization has adopted ITIL can benefit from the certification. The ITIL 4 Foundation course introduces participants to the ITIL framework, with a particular emphasis on the following topics:

◉ Key concepts and guiding principles of the ITIL 4 framework

◉ Understand the Service Value system and the four dimensions of Service Management

◉ Knowledge of the link between ITIL 4 and other practices such as Agile, DevOps, and Lean

◉ ITIL management practices and more

Who Should Get ITIL 4 Foundation Certification?

ITIL 4 Foundation is appropriate for individuals who need a fundamental understanding of the ITIL framework and how it can be utilized to enhance the quality of IT service management within a firm. The certification also relates to IT professionals who work in an ITIL-adopted organization and must be aware of and contribute to the entire service improvement program.

The ITIL 4 Foundation certification is intended for anyone working in IT who wants to learn about IT Service Management and how to deliver business value. Anyone who wants to improve their ITIL v3 certification and knowledge.

Job roles that can benefit from ITIL 4 Foundation course include, but are not limited to:

◉ IT Professionals

◉ ITSM Managers

◉ Individuals working in the areas of IT (Digital, Product, Development)

◉ Service Managers

◉ Database Administrators

◉ Software Professionals

◉ Service Process Owners

◉ Individuals starting their journey in

◉ Service Management

◉ Existing ITIL qualification holders

What is ITIL 4 Foundation Exam?

ITIL 4 was released by AXELOS in early 2019. It is the most recent version of ITIL’s evolution, the standard set of practices designed to assist organizations in their digital transformation. ITIL 4 is a complete IT services model for delivering and operating technologically enabled products and services. As a result, IT operations teams can play a larger role in overall business strategy by adhering to ITIL concepts.

The ITIL exam is a foundational certification that assesses your general understanding of ITIL concepts. It discusses the key elements, concepts, and terminology used in the ITIL service lifecycle, such as the connections between lifecycle stages, the processes used, and their contribution to service management practices. Following is the exam format of the ITIL 4 Foundation exam:

◉ Type: Multiple Choice Questions – 40 questions

◉ Duration: 60 Minutes (1 hour)

◉ Result: 26 out of 40 (65% pass mark)

◉ Open book: No

◉ Language: English

How Difficult is the ITIL 4 Foundation Exam?

Statistics show that nearly 80% of people pass the exam every time. The exam isn’t difficult, but it does necessitate thorough preparation. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan ahead of time. If the test isn’t difficult, it’s not easy. Therefore, to pass, you must have the necessary resources.

Official and online resources can be used to prepare for and practice exam content. So, use the right resources and prepare thoroughly to ace the exam. In addition, you can enroll in the Invensis Learning ITIL 4 Foundation certification, which will help you advance your career.

Tips on How to Crack the ITIL 4 Foundation Exam

There are numerous resources available for preparing for the ITIL 4 Foundation exam. However, because this ITIL 4 Foundation certification is quite difficult, you must exercise caution when selecting resources. Make certain that the resources you’ve chosen are appropriate for your level of understanding. Following are some of the tips to assist you in clearing the ITIL 4 Foundation exam:

Work Efficiently

Begin by becoming acquainted with the ITIL 4 Foundation certification examination framework. Then, prepare for the exam using official sample papers and practice questions. Finally, keep track of the time allotted for ITIL 4 Foundation practice exams, so you don’t miss the deadline. Moreover, a major cause of exam failure is a lack of time and the provision of a preliminary exam. As a result, it is necessary to practice as much as possible.

Discover the Modules of Capability and Lifecycle

Although intermediate ITIL certifications necessitate a deeper understanding of each lifecycle and capability module, your foundational knowledge should be solid. With ITIL 4 Foundation Training, you can learn the fundamentals and comprehend each stage of the ITIL lifecycle and capability modules. In addition, you should be familiar with abbreviations and jargon at all times.

Thoroughly Read and Comprehend the ITIL 4 Foundation Books

The Office of Government Commerce has the book for sale. The five ITIL 4 Foundation modules are set up like a lifecycle, with each module covering a step in the process. So, buying the whole suite is cheaper than buying each module separately. Moreover, there is a PDF version of the ITIL book. It’s best to give yourself enough time to study the material thoroughly. Only then will you be capable of understanding the question and giving the right answer.

Keep the Keywords in Mind

If you want to pass the test, you must correct the keywords. ITIL keywords include service strategy, design, transition, and implementation, linked to other ITIL model keywords.

Study Only ITIL

Many people respond based on current or previous organizational practices, which can backfire during the examination. When studying for the ITIL 4 Foundation level exam, concentrate on ITIL processes and best practices rather than your previous experiences. Above all, the ITIL 4 Foundation exam assesses your understanding of ITIL processes, functions, and concepts.

Take Mock Exams

Attend practice tests and prepare to score more than 26 out of 40. This will boost your confidence before taking the final ITIL exam. Start with the easy questions when you arrive for the exam on the scheduled date. Then, mark your answers following the instructions.

Additional Hints to Ace the ITIL 4 Foundation Exam

Following are some helpful hints to help you make the most of the class and ace the exam:

1. Investigate all of your options to find what you’re looking for. Begin by becoming acquainted with the subject matter. It will assist you in getting up and running as soon as the course begins.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions during the training—there will be plenty to think about. If you’re still unsure, please ask again. Moreover, it is critical to understand the concepts to avoid being stumped by exam questions.

3. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t understand a concept right away. Students may begin to learn the subject as the course progresses. In other cases, the material is not completely covered until the end.

4. Take copious notes, especially on ideas that challenge you. It will aid you in clarifying your understanding and highlighting concepts you may have overlooked previously.

5. Make use of real-world examples. Don’t be afraid to inquire about the applicability of ITIL 4 to your workplace. Your instructor will use real-world examples, and sharing your experiences will encourage and benefit you. When taking the exam, remember to answer questions from an ITIL perspective.

6. You will have the chance to take a practice exam. Don’t worry too much about the details; try to answer each question correctly. In addition, review the incorrect questions with the group to better understand what went wrong. The ITIL 4 app may assist you in preparing for the certification exam.

7. Don’t give up if you’re having trouble answering the questions. Before the exam, you can go over the things that are giving you the most trouble. However, avoid changing your answers throughout the exam because your gut instinct is usually correct. Only revise a response if you are certain you were incorrect.

Source: invensislearning.com

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Project Schedule Management: How to Plan, Develop, Maintain & Control?

In every organization, projects are an essential method to build value. Running an organization with a lack of ideas and no proper schedules planned for projects would lead to failure. No matter what the size or scope of your project is, the project schedule articulates when each activity should be done, what is already done, and the sequence in which things need to be finished. In the present business environment, each organization ought to have the ability to manage and schedule with close-fitting budgets, resource scarcity, and the most recent technology patterns. This article discusses Project Schedule Management in detail and explains how you can plan, develop, maintain, and control the schedule of any project. 

What is Schedule Management?

Schedule management is a procedure that requires the establishment of policies and documentation for maintaining, developing, managing, and controlling the schedules for time and resources for the completion of the project. The strategic benefit of the schedule management process is, that it will monitor and manage the schedule throughout the project.

The procedure of scheduling begins with the projects that are expected to deliver according to the requirements of the stakeholder. Schedule Management includes the technical work that generates productivity and brings in change that handles aspects such as risk management and stakeholder management.

Project Schedule in Project Management? Explained!

A project Schedule is a technique that imparts what work should be performed, which resource of the organization will perform the work and the time spans in which that work should be performed. The project schedule ought to reflect the majority of the work related to handing over the task on time. Without a complete schedule, the project manager will be not able unable to communicate regarding costs and resources that are important to deliver the project.

Some software allows project managers to track project schedules, resources, budgets, and project-related assets in real time. The project schedule can be updated and viewed by colleagues related to the task and keeps everyone keeping everybody everyone well informed on the overall project status.

Project Schedule Planning in Project Management

The procedure of building policies, methodology, and project documentation gives direction and guidance on how the task timetable will be overseen all through the project. The intention of a project schedule is to organize and focused based on the advancement of the Schedule Management Plan.

The project plans should consider the following aspects,

The planning of the project schedule is an essential activity that incorporates identifying the project activities, sequencing them, and defining objectives for those activities alongside the project schedule management plan. As relevant as the project management scheduling ability is by all accounts, competency ought to obtain with significant experience.

Develop Project Schedule in Project Management!

Developing Project Schedule refers to planning the timing and sequence of project activities.

A project schedule assigns work to be done and indicates due dates to complete the tasks and deliverables. The project schedule portrays:

1. Time (duration) estimates for all project tasks

2. Start and finish dates for the tasks

3. Names of staff resources assigned to complete the tasks

4. Sequence of tasks

A noteworthy segment of a project schedule is a work breakdown structure (WBS). The project schedule is built to reflect the work breakdown structure.

Project scheduling is the key to ensuring the original project plan, and the final project outcome is at least close enough to call the project a success. Developing project schedules helps the project team to keep the necessary activities on track. PMBOK’s Schedule Management knowledge area explains the critical processes in developing a project schedule.

5 Steps That Help to Develop a Schedule in a Project

Project Management has always been fascinating in how things work and how to make things work better. Thus, a project schedule comes through the planning phase of any project. Below mentioned are the means that are expected to schedule a project:

1. Define Activities

Define activities lets project managers use the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and a deliverables diagram to establish and start the assignments that are essential to finish on time. Thus ensuring they are aware of what activities have to be included in the plan.

2. Sequence Activities

Sequence activities help to determine the relationship between the project activities. The ordering of the tasks and identification of dependencies (Finish to Start, Finish to Finish, Start to Start, Start to Finish) is the next step.

3. Do Estimates

The project team has the activities defined and the tasks in a breakdown structure; the following stage is to choose the time utilization to complete the project. To calculate a schedule, having an estimation of what to do, how to do it, and the essential part of the equation is to what extent should a project take to finish.

4. Determine Dependencies

Projects aren’t simple always. On a regular basis, a project can’t be started until the one in the process is finished. These are called task dependencies. Consequently, your schedule will need to reflect on these connected projects. As project supervisors, you can likewise pursue a methodology by monitoring your schedule to suit these related projects.

5. Assign Resources

The last step is to Assign Resources to finish your planned schedule. It picks what resources you should complete the given assignments on time. As a project management team, you need to have the right resources and their time ought to be considered to plan the assignments.

When you have intended to formulate the schedule for a project, get feedback from your manager and roll out the essential changes that have to be finished. You’ll need to estimate the project plan before you move on to executing the plan. Once the project is in progress, it’ll help you compare the planned versus actual dates. Consider the task’s goals that assist you to set up a schedule once you complete the process.

How to Develop a Project Schedule?

What To Do?	How To Do It?
Determine the tasks to be placed in the schedule	Refer to the tasks identified in the work breakdown structure.
Determine the relationships between the tasks	Identify tasks that must be completed before other tasks can begin. Identify tasks that can be done while other tasks are being performed. - A network diagram (a precedence diagramming method) can be used to diagram the dependencies.
Assign each task to a specific staff	This establishes ownership of the task. Assigning the right person to the right task is one of the most critical factors in a project’s ultimate success.
Estimate the amount of effort required for each task	Work with individual team members or others who have experience with this type of project. Base the estimate on an assumed level of skill. Document assumptions used in estimating.
Consider the other variables that go into building the schedule	Example variables to consider: - Project Constraints - Assumptions - Lead and lag time (delay) of materials - When, where, or how the task must be performed - Project risks - The realities of vacations, meetings, discussions, staff interactions, and any ongoing responsibilities team members may have. - Staff Training time
Build a time reserve into the schedule for contingencies and unforeseen events	A contingency is a specific provision for unforeseeable elements that could cause schedule delay. How much time contingency to allow can depend on: - The degree of acceptable risk for delays - The completeness of the project definition - How well the work will be managed A good rule of thumb for schedule contingency is 20%, but a project can include more or less based on the factors above.
Identify the project’s critical path	The critical path is a project management technique that analyzes what activities have the least amount of scheduling flexibility (i.e., are the most important) and then predicts project duration based on the activities that fall along the “critical path.” Activities that lie along the critical path cannot be delayed without delaying the finish time for the entire project. If the critical path exceeds a required deadline, review methods to shorten the critical path.
Check to see if the staff is over-allocated	If the staff is over-allocated, figure out a way to level the team so they are assigned the right amount of work. Possible actions - Modify the schedule to accommodate the constraint - Provide additional resources for the task - Reduce task or project scope - Make any adjustments to the staffing plan Caution: There is an overhead cost for bringing new staff up to speed. Not all team is truly interchangeable. The skill level of the new person may affect the time to complete and the quality of the work. Contract staff may need more oversight.
Repeat steps 3 and 5-8 until a baseline is established.	Developing the project schedule is an iterative process.
Place the schedule information in a Gantt chart	Place the tasks, milestones, relationships, staff assigned, duration, and work estimates in a Gantt chart to show the detailed timing of the project. A Gantt chart graphically represents a project by showing each task as a horizontal bar whose length is the time needed to complete the task. Various project management tools can generate Gantt charts. Other formats can be used to display the schedule information based on the needs and preferences of your customer.

Maintain the Project Schedule in Project Management

Amid the essential project management abilities, booking can influence, either decidedly or unfavorably, the most territories inside a task. Inadequate project schedules can create hindrances to your project schedule management thus creating an interruption for individuals and production equipment leading to project failures.

Here are a few techniques that can help you maintain your entire project schedule:

Planning About the Project 

A successful project is all about planning. A well-designed project plan will save time, cash, and a considerable measure of cerebral pains once the undertaking is dispatched. To begin with, creating a project plan, should focus on the following components:

Once the project plan is ready, present it to all the board members to utilize it as the roadmap during the project.

Maintain the Project on Track

A clear and well-defined project plan can help guide a project team throughout the project. A constant review, revising, and monitoring of the project is also necessary from the start until the end of the project.

Utilize Project Management Software

Regardless of how detailed the project plan is and how prepared you are, project managers face a lot of challenges. Gratefully, technology has made overseeing everything from online life records to client connections more powerful and advantageous. Project managers likewise prefer to get access to software that has made their lives simpler.

Time Management

For every project management team, it’s always an advantage to be skilled in effectively managing time in the workplace. While there are varieties of methods that a project management team could use to deal with the opportunity, here are a few of the best techniques to follow:

1. Delegate Tasks

2. Prioritize your tasks

3. Run more effective meetings

4. Learn to say ‘no.’

5. Write tomorrow’s task today

Celebrate the success

Once the project completes by implementing the right strategies, the ultimate opportunity for the project management team is to celebrate. A well-known approach to observing is by going out to have a team dinner or having a few celebratory drinks. Rewarding the team with certification or thanking the team in person is also a good sign.

“Control Project Schedule” in Project Management

Control of a Schedule in Project Management signifies the approach to monitoring the status of the project, and consequently, updating and managing the project changes to the scheduled baseline to accomplish the goal.

This procedure helps to decrease the threat of delivery slippage when handled well. Besides monitoring the status, the schedule control process updates projects and manages the change in the schedule so that project managers can achieve the goal.

Know the Principles of Control Schedule Process

◉ The developments not only should be responded to but instead, be controlled proactively. The project managers need to act quickly before the changes impact the complete schedule.

◉ The control schedule process deals with the abilities of the stakeholders approaching them with guidance to work that the project managers have to accomplish according to the type and duration of the work.

◉ Knowing the actual performance of the schedule is essential. The control schedule process permits project managers to adopt the status of the project schedule and validate the required changes and manage it.

The below-given figure depicts the inputs, tools, techniques, and outputs of this process.

Control the Project Schedule: Techniques

1. By utilizing Earned Value Management (EVM) the schedule variance and schedule performance index employ to survey the scope of schedule changes.

2. In schedule control, it is essential to decide if the schedule variation needs corrective action. For instance, if there is an interruption in the project that leads to a negative impact on the schedule plan and thus requires immediate action.

3. Utilize the critical chain scheduling method; you can compare the amount of defense needed and the remaining security to regulate the schedule status.

4. The utilization of measurements of Schedule performance to evaluate the amount of variation to the original schedule baseline. The aggregate float variance is likewise a vital module to assess project time performance.

5. Essential aspects of project schedule control incorporate deciding the reason and level of change with respect to the schedule baseline and choosing whether it requires corrective or preventive action.

An Agile Approach to Control Schedule

Agile Project Management methodologies have been growing in adoption. Several organizations are now engaging their projects with a combination of traditional project management and Agile Project Management tools.

While agile techniques provide many useful progress indicators, Control Schedule is concerned about:

◉ Organize demonstrations for correcting the process to improvise when required.

◉ Re-prioritizing the rest of the work design.

◉ Regulating the rate where the projects are delivered, approved, and acknowledged in the given time per emphasis.

◉ Managing genuine changes as they happen.

Source: invensislearning.com

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What is Strategy Management for IT Services?

Strategy management for IT services is a process of defining and maintaining the perspective, position, plans, and patterns (which constitute the 4 Ps) of an organization with regards to its services and management of those services. The purpose of strategy management for IT services is to make sure that a strategy is defined properly, maintained, and managed adequately to achieve its purpose.

Objectives of Strategy Management for IT Services

The objectives of strategy management for IT services include the following:

◉ A statement that clearly expresses the vision and mission of the service provider, which is reviewed on a regular basis. This constitutes the perspective of the service provider.

◉ A proper definition of the services that will be provided by the service provider, to what market spaces they will be provided to, and the strategies by which the competitive advantage of the service provider will be maintained. This constitutes the position of the service provider.

◉ The production, communication, and maintenance strategic planning documents of the service provider. This constitutes the plans of the service provider.

◉ A definition of how exactly the service provider will consolidate itself to allow the business objectives to be met. This is a pattern of the service provider. An organization works because of a pattern of action.

Scope of Strategy Management for IT Services

◉ The responsibility of strategy management falls on the executives of an organization, and it allows them to set the objectives of the organization. The executives also have to mention exactly how the organization will meet those objectives and prioritize the investments required to meet those objectives.

◉ The strategy of an organization is not limited to a single document or department. The organization’s overall strategy is broken down into separate strategies for each business unit in the organization.

◉ It is the duty of strategic management of the organization to make sure that the individual business strategies for the business units are consistent and linked to one other.

◉ Strategy management for IT services also has to ensure that the services and their way of management support the overall strategy of the organization.

◉ The IT strategy and IT service strategy are usually derived from the business strategy of the organization and validate the business strategy as well.

◉ The IT strategy is capable of determining the technical feasibility of a strategic objective and the level of investments that would be needed to meet that objective.

◉ Based on these reports, the organization will be able to decide whether or not the objective should be included and whether it should be prioritized.

Basic Concepts of Strategy Management for IT Services

It is important first to understand that a service strategy is not the same as an ITSM strategy. The following differences exist between them.

◉ Service Strategy

This is a strategy provided by the service provider to define and execute the services which meet the business objectives of the customer. The Service Strategy is a subset of the IT strategy for an IT service provider.

◉ Service Management (ITSM) Strategy

This is the plan for identifying, implementing, and executing the various processes used to manage services that have been identified in a service strategy. The ITSM strategy will be a subset of the service strategy in an IT service provider.

Value of Strategy Management for IT Services

The objectives of an organization are defined by its strategy. This includes how it will meet the objectives and how it will know that the objectives have been met.

If the objective is not defined, the organization can only react to the demands of its stakeholders. They would not have the adequate capabilities to assess each and every demand and understand the impact of each demand on the organization.

A strategy that is well-defined and managed ensures that the organization’s resources and capabilities are aligned in such a way that their business outcomes can be achieved. It also ensures that the investments made by the organization match its intended development and growth.

Strategy Management Benefits

The following are a few benefits that strategy management provides:

◉ It ensures that all the stakeholders involved are represented in making decisions regarding the appropriate direction in which the organization should head.

◉ Ensures that all the stakeholders should discuss and agree on the objectives of the organization and the means by which resources, capabilities, and investments are prioritized.

◉ It ensures that resources, capabilities, and investments are managed in a suitable manner to achieve the required strategy.

Strategy Management for IT services provides the following benefits to a service provider:

◉ It makes sure that an appropriate set of services are present in its service portfolio.

◉ Ensures that all the services have a clear and focused purpose and all the employees in the organization of the service provider are aware of their role in achieving that goal.

◉ It encourages suitable levels of investment, which leads to cost savings and increased levels of investments for key projects. It also makes sure that investment priorities are shifted to ensure that effort and budget are expended on the areas which have the highest level of business impact.

Process Activities of Strategy Management for IT Services

The key process activities are:

1. Strategic Assessment

◉ To analyze the internal environment and identify the current strengths and weaknesses.

◉ To analyze the external environment and identify the opportunities and threats and find out how they will develop in the future.

◉ Defining opportunities in a market space where a service provider can deliver the necessary value to the customer.

◉ To establish the objectives that need to be achieved.

2. Strategy Generation, Evaluation, and Selection

◉ To determine perspective: It defines the overall direction, values, belief, and purpose

◉ To form a position: It defines how the service provider can be differentiated from the other service providers.

◉ Create a plan: A strategic plan will identify how the organization will go about achieving its objectives, vision, and position.

◉ Adopt patterns of working: The patterns which are believed to be efficient and effective in achieving objectives by the executives should be adopted. Ways of dealing with change so that the strategy adapts to and evolves along with the organization and its environment should be adopted.

3. Strategy Execution

◉ Service management processes assist the service provider to achieve the necessary alignment. This is done between the services and the required outcomes on a continuous basis.

◉ It helps to align the assets with the outcomes desired by the customer.

◉ Optimizes the Critical Success Factors (CSFs)

◉ It helps to prioritize the investments

4. Measurement and Evaluation

◉ Continual Service improvement activities measure and evaluate the achievement of strategy over a period of time.

5. Expansion and Growth

◉ After the organization has become successful by using its strategy, it will be in a better position to deliver services to the existing market spaces and expand into new customers and services.

Challenges of Strategy Management for IT Services

The following challenges are faced by Strategy Management for IT services:

◉ Usually, strategy management for IT services is conducted at an inappropriate level in an organization. It needs to start from the top, with the senior executives driving it and each organizational unit following them. These units should follow them by generating a strategic, tactical, and operational plan. Which is also a subset of the organization’s strategy.

◉ There can be a lack of accurate information about the external environment.

◉ The absence of support from the stakeholders can prove to be a challenge.

◉ A lack of appropriate tools or lack of understanding regarding the usage of tools and techniques required.

◉ Failure to match operational targets with strategic objectives will result in operational managers struggling. They won’t be achieving targets that are not aligned with the strategy.

Risks of Strategy Management for IT Services

The risks faced during strategic management of IT services are:

◉ A governance model which has flaws can allow managers to decide whether to implement all the aspects of a strategy. Or, to deviate from the strategy for short-term goals.

◉ Short-term priorities can sometimes override the directives of the strategy.

◉ Making strategic decisions in the absence of key information.

◉ Choosing an incorrect strategy that does not match the goals of the organization.

◉ Strategies are often seen as an exercise that happens once a year. And has no effect on what happens for the rest of the year.

Source: invensislearning.com

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Top 6 Tips for Successful Scrum Daily Stand-Ups

Is it easy enough to conduct a daily scrum meeting?

It’s just another meeting, after all. Not actually, that is. 

So, what is Scrum Meeting?

The standup or scrum meeting is a delicately nuanced method in which the team is encouraged to stand for the duration of the meeting, typically held for a brief period. 

Stand-up is a powerful process that keeps your project moving. But, at the same time, it is also easy for the meeting to turn into one that doesn’t add any value. So, knowing the right way to perform these meetings is important. So, today let us discuss them.

Here are six suggestions to prevent this from happening and help you optimize your daily scrums.

6 Ways to Improve Your Stand-Ups

Scrum call is a little progress every day

The Daily Scrum is the official term. But some call it the daily stand-up, the scrum, the morning meeting, or the huddle.

When done correctly, it is very valuable for the whole Team. However, it can become unbearable when done badly. A chore people don’t want to do.

So, let us point out a few suggestions to improve the daily stand-up.

1. Fix Your Timings

The daily scrum is limited to 15 minutes per day, though it is typically much shorter. If your daily scrum keeps going over, you should investigate why. 

It’s not natural to cut someone off in the middle of a conversation, but you should do it if they’re babbling and not contributing anything. Bigger discussions can and should occur, but not during the daily scrum. Keep the daily scrum on track and within the allotted time.

One can add extra time on the fly in 1 or 5-minute increments if you need it for a particular task. To keep everyone on the same page, the timer will send out alerts when it is started, when more time is added, when the time is up, and when the meeting is over.

Although you can use the daily stand-up outside of the Scrum framework, the meeting will be more productive if you limit it to answering only three questions, which we will discuss in the next section of the blog.

2. Know the Questions to Ask in a Daily Standup Meeting

This is one way of conducting the meeting, but there is no prescribed way or format. Scrum merely gives an example of how you could run it. It’s down to the team to run it as they see fit.

Mixing things up occasionally and changing how the team conducts the daily scrum is good. One way is to focus on the Product Backlog Items, starting right to the left and walking the board. This way, every person gets talked about and is noticed. But if the team works well together, work in progress should be addressed, regardless of how you conduct the daily scrum.

During the daily scrum, people discuss which task to perform and who will work on it. In other words, what is the most important task, and who is working on it? Also, transfers are very important if anything is getting in the way of the work on the critical path. You want to keep the ball as you pass it on to the next important task.

The three questions are a common Daily Scrum process that Development Teams tend to follow:

1. What did I do yesterday that helped the team reach the Sprint Goal?

2. How will I help the team reach the Sprint Goal today?

3. Do I see anything that makes it hard for me or the team to reach the Sprint Goal?

Answering these 3 questions will be enough in the daily scrum.

3. Know How Much Time you Have to Spend

The Daily Scrum can happen at any time as long as it happens at the same time and place daily to keep things simple. The exact time can be whenever the team feels like it.

If the goal is to check, plan, and change things for the next 24 hours, the daily scrum should happen as soon as possible. From what I’ve seen, the daily scrum will have a different effect if you do it at 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. The workday has already started, and people will have already talked.

I think you should ask the team when they will be there and then agree on a time that works for everyone. Between 9:15 and 10:15 in the morning is the best time.

Having the daily scrum between these times does help cut down on problems that could happen. For example, if people are late to work because of bad traffic, they probably will get it.

4. Rearrange the Order of Tasks

Everyone wants to do well at what they do. But team members are often too busy with other projects to work independently. 

Daily meetings are a good way to ensure priorities are clear and right and move work around. 

If a team member is too busy, they might work on the wrong thing, and important tasks might take longer than they should. Use the time during the daily huddle to ensure that everyone on the team knows their top priorities and is relaxed.

5. Add a Little Fun to the Process

Make sure everyone on your team is aware of the stand-up meeting. Due to the limited time, it’s important to stick to a plan, but you could let people know when the session is about to start by playing a happy tune or singing a song. If you work from home, send a daily calendar invite with a fun fact or a thought for the day.

By giving teammates a quick chance to relax with warm-up exercises or “ice breakers,” you create a more cooperative environment and make it easier for people who are usually shy to share their ideas and thoughts about the tasks.

6. Use a “Parking Lot” for Problems that Can’t be Solved

The daily scrum meeting agenda lets everyone on the team know what was done earlier, what needs to be done, and what problems are getting in the way. Anything else needs to be taken care of after these. 

Explain what a “parking lot” is and list the things that will be dealt with later. After the meeting is over, set up a new meeting with only those who have something to do with that issue. You could keep a notebook or whiteboard with a list of topics that need a longer discussion and must be taken care of by a certain sub-division. 

Team members should be able to use these “parking lots” even when they aren’t at the scrum daily meetings. This is so they can write down things that need to be done. So, during their daily scrum meetings, they can stay on topic and not think about anything else.

Source: invensislearning.com

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Is the Cost of PRINCE2 Certification Worth It?

Are you thinking about getting a PRINCE2 certification but aren’t sure how it will help you? 

Whether you’re an experienced project manager wishing to certify your skills or new to the field and unsure where to begin, being PRINCE2 qualified could be the ideal approach to get started. It is one of the most generally recognized project management certifications. We’ve covered you if you seek reasons to get PRINCE2 certification in 2022. So, read this article to discover the top reasons why you should consider obtaining a PRINCE2 certification or whether the PRINCE2 certification cost is worth it or not.

First will discuss what PRINCE2 certification is.

What is PRINCE2 Certification?

PRINCE2 stands for PRojects IN Controlled Environments. It is a process-based approach to effective project management that will teach you the core skills required to become a successful project manager. PRINCE2 is also scalable, and the most recent update to the framework makes it easier to adapt to each project you work on. As a result, more than 1 million qualified professionals worldwide use PRINCE2 as their project management method.

In addition, the PRINCE2 certification scheme assists you in gaining expertise in the PRINCE2 approach, allowing you to manage projects of any size or complexity. Following are two levels of PRINCE2 training and certification:

1. The PRINCE2 Foundation certification teaches you how to plan, manage, and deliver projects from conception to finish.

2. The PRINCE2 Practitioner certification builds on the knowledge gained at the Foundation level, allowing you to use and modify the approach in a real-world working setting.

The next section will discuss the reasons whether the PRINCE2 certification cost is worth it or not.

Is the Cost of PRINCE2 Certification Worth It?

Have you ever wondered if it’s worth studying more to advance your project management career?

So, let’s discuss why getting a PRINCE2 certification is a good idea. This will help you understand what this could mean for you and why PRINCE2 training could be the best way you ever do for your career. The following are reasons why you should consider the PRINCE2 certification cost is worth:

Enhances Your Project Management Abilities

Project management necessitates a diverse range of skills. Certain skill sets can only be acquired through experience. As you begin to work on larger, more sophisticated projects, you will encounter more conflict. These initiatives will necessitate strong risk management and dispute resolution skills. But, even after that, you can’t be certain that things won’t spiral out of control.

That is why you require PRINCE2. The PRINCE2 technique emphasizes greater control. When you maximize your control over a project, its odds of success improve. Project managers operate in a highly structured setting to ensure project completion on time. Custom frameworks can also be used to target KPIs.

You’ll comprehend the methodology, procedures, framework, vocabulary, and everything else with a PRINCE2 certification. Furthermore, because PRINCE2 is used by over a million successful project managers worldwide, you’ll study the skills they’ve developed in project planning, monitoring, initiating, executing, and managing.

Worldwide Recognition

The PRINCE2 certification is worldwide recognized and widely accepted as the industry standard. As previously stated, PRINCE2 was developed for the UK government. However, it has since been released into the public domain. As a result, it is extremely popular in nations such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Netherlands.

Moreover, it is gaining popularity in Asia, Africa, the United States, and beyond, with public and private sector organizations embracing it for its strengths. According to an AXELOS white paper, even US Federal government project managers use PRINCE2 to execute their IT investments.

So, if you want to work on a global scale, obtaining a PRINCE2 certification can help you get there. Then enroll in Invensis Learning’s PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner course to get PRINCE2 certification!

Increases Career Opportunities

PRINCE2 training might improve your employment prospects by opening up new career opportunities. For example, the PRINCE2 certification would make you a very marketable project manager capable of handling highly worthwhile projects. In addition, the accreditation would allow you to work in international corporations that pay high salaries and provide generous benefits.

If you want to work for specific NGOs and make a difference, PRINCE2 training will provide you with an opportunity. Several non-governmental organizations have initiatives that require informed and skilled specialists, such as those who have completed PRINCE2 certification.

Furthermore, the PRINCE2 certification will open many doors for you, and the training is well worth your time and money. Therefore, quoting your CV’s qualifications makes you an excellent prospect for a project management job interview. Following are the job roles that can benefit from PRINCE2 training include, but not limited to:

◉ Project Managers

◉ Aspiring Project Managers

◉ Project Board members

◉ Product Delivery Managers

◉ Project Support Staff

◉ Operational Line Managers

◉ Team Leads / Team Managers

Capability to Deliver Excellent Results

By arming yourself with PRINCE2 knowledge and abilities, you may feel secure in managing difficult projects and delivering excellent results at all times. Furthermore, the course will give you the confidence to tackle any assignment, no matter how difficult it may be.

When you adopt PRINCE2, you eliminate the stress and tension that comes with project management. In addition, because of the training, you feel prepared for any project that comes your way. The sensation improves both your overall quality of life and your work morale.

Huge Salary Benefits

One of the reasons you might want to take PRINCE2 training is to boost your remuneration package. According to the trends, those with the correct qualifications are more likely to be well-paid than those with inferior talents.

Because firms tend to compensate highly skilled project managers who have the training, the PRINCE2 certification may boost your monthly payments. The training costs less than the amount you receive on a monthly wage. You make a small sacrifice in preparation and benefit greatly throughout your working life. Following are the PRINCE2 certification exam and training costs:

◉ PRINCE2 Foundation 6th Edition Exam Cost: USD 363

◉ PRINCE2 Practitioner 6th Edition Exam Cost: USD 488

◉ The PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner Certification training cost is between 700 USD to 1500 USD, approximately

Moreover, India, the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom have some of the best PRINCE2 certified salaries in the world. Let’s look at the average PRINCE2 certified salary by country:

Country	Salary Per Annum
USA	98,422 USD
Canada	89,009 CAD
Australia	1,18,488 AUD
India	1,517,208 INR
UK	44,466 GBP

No Prerequisites for Taking the Certification

One of the main reasons for PRINCE2 success is that there are no prerequisites for applying for the certification. The qualification is open to both newcomers and experienced project managers. As a result, you don’t need to worry about gaining prior experience before applying. Knowledge of project management can be useful, but it is not required. So, if you want to work in project management, you can apply for PRINCE2 certification. It’s as simple as that.

Avoid the Lengthy Preparatory Period

The Foundation level of PRINCE2 certification is the first step. It is available to both experienced project managers and newcomers. A training course is usually two and a half days long. Unlike other certifications, where you must spend significant time preparing for the exam, PRINCE2 allows you to be prepared in a significantly shorter period.

Because the PRINCE2 Foundation certification is open to newcomers, no prior experience is required. Therefore, you can begin your career as a project management specialist as soon as you are PRINCE2 certified. Above all, this reduces the time and money you would have spent acquiring the necessary training and expertise for other certifications.

While studying for the PRINCE2 Foundation certification, you will thoroughly understand the methodology and be prepared for the PRINCE2 Practitioner certification. So, all of this simplifies your entry into the field.

Operate in Any Business of Your Choice

A practice-driven approach to project management is incorporated into the PRINCE2 methodology. It is a very adaptable and scalable strategy that may be tailored to specific needs. As a result, the PRINCE2 approach may be used for any project in any industry. With the PRINCE2 Agile accreditation, it can also take on Agile projects.

Organizations such as the UK Highways Agency employ PRINCE2 in the construction business. Furthermore, prominent IT businesses such as IBM, HP, Aquasoft, Philips, Siemens, BAE, and others employ the PRINCE2 approach to oversee better and manage their operations.

In the banking industry, PRINCE2 helps to provide the necessary flexibility while ensuring that everything is correctly prepared. A PRINCE2 certification might benefit your investment banking portfolio by confirming your project management skills. Above all, Barclays used PRINCE2 to establish a new governance structure, which allowed them to apply a consistent strategy across departments.

Because of the necessity of accomplishing things step by step, PRINCE2 is also extensively utilized for engineering projects. The PRINCE2 methodology uses a highly process-driven approach to increase efficiency in Operations Management. In addition, PRINCE2 is frequently utilized in the Marketing industry to keep projects on budget.

Source: invensislearning.com

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Top 5 Risk Analysis Methods That You Should Know

Risk analysis has become an integral part of every organization. There a multitude of risk analysis methods to use today. However, why do we need to perform risk analysis? 

A lot of small and medium-sized businesses are facing cyberattacks. They are more at risk than larger enterprises because their security measures are often weaker. Small and medium-sized enterprises believe that their size of operations makes them less of a target. Still, cyber attackers find it a lot easier to find vulnerabilities and launch attacks on their business than the larger organizations. 

A recent study stated that 78% of all participating companies in the United States survey faced a cyber attack in the last year, out of which a majority were smaller sized companies. A stable way of understanding and managing risks to companies is to invest in risk management tools and practices to protect their company’s most valuable assets. Risk analysis is a big part of the risk management strategy that needs to be implemented for the risk management plan to work. The article discusses what risk analysis is and the most popular methods of conducting a risk analysis for companies.

What is Risk Analysis?

There are many types of risks and threats that companies of all sizes need to prepare measures for. These risks can arise from malpractices, lack of optimal efficiency in operations, cyber attacks, exposed vulnerabilities in the firewall, using unsafe applications, and more. Risk analysis is a means by which organizations can identify these vulnerabilities, threats, and risks to their company and then create strategies to protect themselves against these risks.

Risk analysis deals with identifying risks and potential threats to a company’s operations and processes and analyzing them to measure their severity of impact and likelihood of occurrence. A risk analysis process typically centers around a few fundamental steps. These steps are common to the different risk analysis methods and are applied in different forms using various means.

Key Steps Involved in the Risk Analysis Method

The most basic and skeletal steps that are involved in any method used to conduct risk analysis are:

◉ Identification of threats, vulnerabilities, and uncertainties

◉ Understanding the impact of these threats, vulnerabilities, and uncertainties

◉ Creating or using a model for risk analysis

◉ A sampling of the model to understand the threats, vulnerabilities, and uncertainties better

◉ Analyzing the results obtained from the above steps

◉ Implementing a risk management plan to manage these threats, vulnerabilities, and uncertainties based on the results of the analysis

Risk Analysis Methods 

There are two types of risk analysis and assessments conducted in organizations. They are qualitative risk analysis methods and quantitative methods of risk analysis. The qualitative methods are widely used means for companies to assess and monitor day-to-day risks faced by them. This makes them widely used approaches. The different risk analysis methods are used based on the type of organization, type of project, and more.

Risk analysis and management experts are usually the ones who know what risk analysis methods are best suited for specific projects. Using the right method is also important because it can determine the project’s success rate. Some of the most commonly used and popular risk analysis methods are listed below:

◉ Delphi Technique of Risk Analysis

◉ Decision Tree Analysis 

◉ Probability and Consequence Matrix

◉ SWIFT Analysis 

◉ Bow-Tie Analysis

Delphi Technique for Risk Analysis

The Delphi technique for risk analysis is quite similar to a brainstorming session. The concerned teams must work with risk analysts and other security specialists to come up with different potential threats and vulnerabilities to their organization or project. The crucial point of what makes the Delphi technique works is that it uses risk professionals and experts. Without utilizing the expert skills, it becomes no different from a regular brainstorming session and will not yield very successful results.

After the brainstorming session is complete, risk analysts and team members work together to evaluate their identified risks and analyze them. All the experts make their lists of potential threats and their evaluations individually and then compare them to create a complete risk register to document all the risks before creating a risk management strategy.

Decision Tree Analysis 

The decision tree analysis is used to create various outcomes or consequences of an action. This risk analysis method is widely used because project teams can be prepared for any and all possible outcomes and create strategies to ensure that they can achieve the best one. The decision tree analysis is used to chart or create a pathway for teams to follow to avoid risks and follow the best course of action for their project. 

A decision tree analysis is mainly used when project teams do not know or are uncertain of the final outcome. This way, they can gauge the different possibilities and prepare for the worst of them, and expect the best. The process involves creating different outcomes, analyzing the probabilities of them occurring, and then creating a pathway or a course of action to achieve the best results.

Probability and Consequence Matrix

This is the most widely used method of understanding the impact and severity of any risk. The probability and consequence matrix is created to help teams rank the identified threats, vulnerabilities, and risks. This is done to identify how severe a risk could be if materialized. The severity of risks is calculated by multiplying the level of impact of the risk against the likelihood or probability of the risk-taking place.

By identifying and calculating the different factors of risk in the probability and consequence matrix, it also becomes easier for risk analysts and professionals to work with teams and come up with various risk avoidance and mitigation strategies for risk management.

SWIFT Analysis 

The SWIFT Analysis stands for Structured What If Technique. This analysis method is used to understand the consequence and viability of all risks in projects based on different changes made to any aspect of a project. The risk analysis and project team evaluate all the changes made to the project based on the changes made in the project’s design or plan and use them to identify different Opportunity Risks to the project.

Bow-Tie Analysis

The bow-tie analysis is one of the most practical approaches to risk management. It helps teams understand the risks and consequences of the risks reasonably, which makes coming up with a risk mitigation strategy a lot simpler. The process is quite straightforward:

◉ The team identifies various risk events to a project or to the organization

◉ Then, the team divides each individual risk event into two sides: On one side, all the possible causes for the risk event taking place are listed. On the other side, all the possible consequences and impacts of the risk are listed

◉ The risk professionals then analyze and create barriers or other mitigation methods to every cause of risk to prevent the consequence of the risk

Final Thoughts

Risk analysis is an important part of all projects and organizations’ security. Risks can directly impact a project’s success and can negatively affect the company by causing a loss in reputation, loss in revenue, and more. To protect the organization and its projects from these threats, certified risk management professionals are hired. The risk management certification helps all project managers, IT professionals, and security professionals increase their knowledge and expertise in the field.

Source: invensislearning.com

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