Version 4.0.6 Review - A Tool for a Mature Development Process
Updated April 29, 2015

Version 4.0.6 Review - A Tool for a Mature Development Process

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Software Version

4.5

Modules Used

  • Workflow Management (Rational Team Concert)
  • RTC/CCM & QM

Overall Satisfaction with IBM Rational Team Concert

Rational Team Concert - RTC, is being used by a project team to facilitate software development. We define user stories, fill a backlog with epics and stories. We then prioritize and rank the backlog, and groom the stories to match our working velocity for the sprint. Rational Team Concert facilitates the requirements documentation, the sizing of the stories, and tracks our progress when used consistently.

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Traceability
  • Generation of Reports
  • Customization to match your implementation
  • Can be self documenting and recording of history

Cons

  • Most reports and queries just display data graphically for trending. It would be nice to be able to easily build tabular reports.
  • The application is logistically complex, meaning there are many moving pieces to keep track of. One needs to work with the application learn it. Some people have trouble with this when they are new to RTC and have tight developmental time lines.
  • Running the RTC in house requires trained, dedicated staff. Upgrades are difficult and require expert level knowledge.
  • Better organization of requirements
  • Effective assignment of priorities
  • When estimating the size of stories and tasks become predictable, it facilitates sprint planning.
  • There is a very positive ROI when a disciplined, mature development team use use the software.
This product had many of the same features, was easier to use, which would result in less training, and had a lower price tag. Logic and reason do not always figure prominently in a decision. Sometimes there are intangible characteristics that alter the flow. In my observation, there was a pending reorganization and a major shift in development methodology that were to come. It was believed that alignment with IBM's Rational Team Concert, we would have better overall support from a pre and post sales perspective, as well as any required responses to "break-fix" activity via their customer support line. IBM also has a fairly large user community at Jazz.net, so that forum is also available for research. These types of items were less developed in other vendor offerings.
It is more suited to an Agile development methodology. However, it is not a replacement for or crutch to be used instead of a strong, disciplined Agile development staff. The software facilitates your existing process. It would be highly recommended to mature your Agile methodology before software acquisition. The software in a less mature environment, can allow bad habits to impact the Agile methodology discipline.

Using IBM Rational Team Concert

4 - Training either in house or away from the office was not possible, thus the skill set of the individuals required in part, that they were interested enough to explore RTC and figure out the behaviors. We instituted a weekly meeting, where the administrators would meet and discuss the issues and new found/understood features. We used our own internal WIKI to document the features we discovered.
The software had become so ingrained, that one should not further fragment the software requirements, the test plans/test cases, and the results. We chose a path to implement a centralized repository structure. Additionally, since this requires an expert staff, and there is a hosting service employed, this is really easy to use. It would create much discourse if a whole new direction were taken,and the artifacts (requirements, test plans, test cases, test results, etc) were again.

IBM Rational Team Concert Implementation

  • Professional services company
CloudOne was used. They managed the installs, upgrades, and patching, as well as the hosting services. They have the expertise to keep the environment up and available, and even create a "go to" environment, as a prelude to upgrades, and port your data over. They typically see the upgrades and patches multiple times, as they work through their client list. Thus, they know the processes extremely well, and are fast and efficient.

CloudOne service was found to be more economical and reliable than using our own hardware and IBM professional services.

Using IBM Rational Team Concert

There are a number of pieces to Rational Team Concert, though, with honest time working with the software, it can be easily learned while using the software on the job. While I have been an administrator for the software, and have conducted training, it is business software. It is not intended to be enjoyable as in playing a game, though it is perfectly reasonable and acceptable for the intended tasks.

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