April 15, 2008

FEATURE 1

Working on System Failures

This is the time to look closely at reliability

Reducing system failures to zero… This is what all IT professionals dream of but it is a difficult wish to realize. With limitations of cost and time, it is unreasonable to expect 100% reliability from all systems. The idea is not to be afraid of failures but to determine the level of reliability necessary to each system. Early adopters have already started to do this.

 

No choice but to give up when things are not clear

 

Have the courage to ask people to be patient

 

Nailing down the cost of cheapness

 

There will be no pain if you are prepared

 

Spotlight on non-functional requirements

 

FEATURE 2

Violent tremors are shaking up IT contracts!

The "Percentage of Completion" That Is Bringing Changes to SI Contracts

 

The methods for processing accounts for SI (Systems Integration) will change dramatically from April of next year. It looks like the newly introduced "Percentage of Completion" will radically change the framework for contracts and projects.

 

Close-Up

New graduate hiring remains aggressive. The gap between companies shows no change.

 

Major revamping of IT skill standard, making the relation with information technology engineer examinations clearer

 

Preparing for a "bull's eye on Japan” scenario, Japan's first ever cyber attack drill is conducted

 

Kenichi Kitagawa's Viewpoint

The Suruga Bank lawsuit shows that…

IBM's stance towards its customers swings between America and Japan

 

Report

 

Hot News

Fujitsu Executive Vice President Ono resigns for "personal reasons"

 

News & Trends

Is Kuniaki Nozoe, new Fujitsu President, a wily operator?

 

Will the ultra-small PC market take off?

 

Memory DB moves to the mainstream. Hitachi enters the field.

 

The facts behind SAP's price increase for maintenance

 

Unisys delivers thin clients at 500 yen per person

 

Choose your telecommunications carrier by undersea cable

 

News Flash by Industry

Distribution & Services

Fifteen booksellers propose using IC tags to prevent theft

 

2 Weeks from IT Pro

Bank of Japan leaks internal information to the Internet

 

People

 

Interview

Yasuyuki Higuchi, President and CEO, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan

Breaking down organizational walls to make the company into a single unit

 

Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan

Seishiro Tsuruho, President, Software Engineering Center

Consolidating in three years the knowledge that is scattered across industry and academia

 

Real Feelings Expressed by Top Executives

Toshio Yamamoto, executive managing director, general sales manager, Keio Department Store

 

Turning Points for System Division Heads

Kazuya Koguma, senior leader, system solution section, corporate planning office, IK CO., LTD.

 

CASE STUDIES

 

A Computer That Does Not Work

National Personnel Authority

Government's human resources system postponed by three years

Even taking up the challenge anew proved too difficult

 

Projects: The Trajectory to Completion

Sekisui Chemical

"Pickled" host of a mainframe replete with unknown contents removed.

Elimination of forms halves 1.1 billion yen estimate

 

MANAGEMENT/TECHNOLOGY

 

The Secrets of Vendor Management That Determine the Success or Failure of Systems Development - Part 1 (New Series)

Seven misunderstandings in outsourced management that can make a project fail

 

Lecture: ITIL Version 3 - Part 1 (New Series)

Version up for operations management standards

 

The IT Planning Trigger Points for Building a System That Contributes to Management - Part 7

Proposals should be firmed up through discussions and implemented

 

Taizo's "Phrase a Day" - Part 22

Build long-term relationships based on trust taking into account your subcontractors' position

 

Mobile Phone Basics for Business Users - Part 7

Gather your customers' viewpoints via email. Obtain know-how on how to make best use of the phones.