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Panel Discussion


Expert Panel: Quality Opportunities and Challenges with Agile

Track 1: 11:30 -12:30

Join our expert panel for a lively discussion on the trend toward following the Agile methodology and explore the question of Agile, what difference does it really make after all?

On the Panel...
Burke Cox, Stelligent Incorporated
David Longstreet, SoftwareMetrics.Com

Bill Rinko-Gay, Technisource
Lois Zells, Lois Zells & Associates, Inc.


Burke Cox, Stelligent Incorporated

Burke proposes that it is necessary to escape the typical Agile focus on human processes and look to real-world, automated solutions that can accelerate development by stacking the deck in favor of project success.  A central component of Agile feedback is the expanded role of a Continuous Integration (CI) server to deliver broad feedback to the entire team.  Real world examples do support best-practices in test-driven development (TDD).  If you are contemplating adoption of Agile methodologies, an ordered approach to introducing CI as a practice for your team is critical to your success.

About the panelist...
As CEO of Stelligent Incorporated, Burke Cox is a seasoned software executive with proven success building and leading high technology organizations.  Burke is a nationally recognized speaker at leading software conferences.  He is a frequent contributor of written and oral commentary for industry editorials on important topics facing developers and the software industry today.  Burke earned a Bachelor of Computer Engineering from Auburn University and currently serves on the industry advisory board for the Auburn University Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering and on the advisory board for the George Mason University College of Information Technology and Engineering.

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David Longstreet, SoftwareMetrics.Com

Agile software development is the vogue idea today among software professionals.  In David's opinion, however, Agile, as it is implemented, is not only the wrong development methodology, but it equates to software malpractice.  David will share some of his findings from other disciplines and provide some very specific examples of what is wrong with Agile.  David welcomes proponents to attend the panel discussion and engage with him in debate on the subject.

About the panelist...
David Longstreet is an international consultant.  He has consulted for organizations in every corner of the globe, those with IT budgets in excess of one billion dollars and for organizations with just a few employees.  Working with all levels of management, David has helped create believable benchmarks, valid assessments, and accurate estimates, resulting in assisting his clients in estimating and obtaining some of the largest software contracts in the world. David has been an integral part of software acquisitions worth well in excess of 100 million dollars.  He has presented papers in various venues throughout the world and is an adjunct professor of graduate level statistics in both the Business and Psychology departments at Avila University.

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Bill Rinko-Gay, Technisource

In his Friday presentation, "QA Lessons I Learned from Agile," Bill Rinko-Gay suggests that traditional development and testing methods can benefit from the application of Agile techniques.  Bill theorizes that any project or approach can use selected practices from the Agile playbook to improve in efficiency, effectiveness, and overall quality.

About the panelist...
Bill Rinko-Gay has over 25 years experience in systems test and software quality assurance.  He has managed security testing for ICSA Labs, test development for PC World Magazine, Competitive Analysis and benchmarking for Compaq, and provided quality assurance and test consulting for Spherion.  Bill holds PMP and CSQA certifications.  Bill began studying Agile methodologies in response to the project management process problems of on of his largest clients.

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Lois Zells, Lois Zells & Associates, Inc.

Lois Zells, presenter of Thursday's session, "Software Reviews: Spend Less than 5% of Your Project in Testing...Guaranteed!!!" joins her fellow panelists in a discussion of Agile methods, exploring whether there is anything new about this approach.  Hear the latest on why these types of projects may still fail.   Learn how to avoid the pitfalls and how to direct realistic expectations before these projects go awry.

About the panelist...
Lois Zells is an international author, lecturer, and business consultant.  She has been speaking at QAI conferences since their very beginning.  Lois is the author of book Managing Software Projects and of the integrated, three-tier learning program on project management called Successful Projects: The Common Sense Approach.  Lois is a founder of the PMI Information Systems Specific Interest Group, a 1993 PMI Woman of the Year, and the co-honoree of the PMI Wilson/Zells Scholarship.  In addition, she frequently serves as an expert witness in software project failure litigations.  Lois graduated Summa Cum Laude in Data Processing Management from the University of Baltimore and completed her master's studies in Computer Sciences at Johns Hopkins University.

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