15 http://www.aspe-sdlc.com ASPE Inc. SDLC division is a national provider of IT and professional skills training for project managers, Business analyst professionals, agile methodology pratitioners, software testers en-us 130 50 http://www.aspe-sdlc.com http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/graphics/ASPE-SDLC-logo.gif ASPE instructor Mark Weinstein, and developer of our SharePoint Curriculum, recently released a new book for pre-order on Amazon.com. Entitled Pro Project Management with SharePoint 2010, the book looks at the latest release of Microsoft SharePoint and how to best utilize it for managing projects. Learn more about the book on our SharePoint Training Curriculum page. http://www.aspe-it.com/sharepointtraining.php http://www.aspe-it.com/sharepointtraining.php This week we held the 2010 Instructor Conference here in Cary, NC. Instructors from all of the ASPE family of companies were present. Our latest blog post highlights the lighter side of ASPE and the conference. Get a glimpse behind the scenes as we review the after hours event at Chef Mario’s where we, as a team, prepared a 5-course meal. Menu items included Prosciutto wrapped Shrimp, Steakhouse Bruschetta, Orange Glazed Salmon, Pistachio Crusted Chicken Breast, and even Berries in Pappillote. Be sure to check out instructor Bill Gaiennie’s Carrot Henge masterpiece and the video of Chef Mario doing a little showing off. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=339 http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=339 We hope you all have a safe and lovely New Years! Thanks to everyone who helped make 2009 a great year despite the tough economy, and we look forward to what 2010 brings. We are happy to announce that Katie Cothran has joined our team as a Marketing Specialist, and will be focused on helping improve our direct mail marketing in 2010 and beyond. If we don't talk to you before Friday, we'll see you in 2010. Be safe in your celebrations. Think long and hard about those New Year resolutions, and if we can help in any way please let us know. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=332 http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=332 If the weather here on the East Coast is any indication, we are in the thick of the Holiday Season. All of us here at ASPE want to thank you all for a wonderful year and tell you how much we appreciate your business. Not only has it been great to be successful as a company in these tough economic times, but it has been a thrill to work with so many individuals and have our training help them cover the lose of team members, increase their job security through additional skills, knowledge, and certification, and most importantly help some find employment through training that made the difference in their job hunt. We wish everyone a wonderful and safe holiday. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=323 http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=323 In a recent blog post we spoke with instructor Mark Weinstein about his new book Pro Project Management with SharePoint 2010 and got his feelings about the new 2010 release of Microsoft SharePoint. We asked him about the biggest improvements in the new release from a project management perspective, got his thoughts about adoption of the 2010 edition, what Microsoft missed in the new release, and where he sees SharePoint heading in the future. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=321 http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=321 In addition to all the other virtual courses we offer, we are excited to now offer Utilizing SharePoint Project Management as a virtual course. Experience live expert instruction, the same classroom courseware, hands-on breakout session labs, and peer interaction in our online courses. There is no need for you to travel to get up to speed. This course consists of daily sessions delivered over several consecutive days and is now scheduled for February 16-19, 2010. Earn the 14 PDUs online! http://www.aspe-it.com/vcl.php http://www.aspe-it.com/vcl.php Learn how the 2009 economy has impacted salary, raises, and bonuses for those in the Business Analyst and Agile Practitioner professions. On November 17th, attend our "2009 Demographic and Salary Report for the Business Analyst Profession" web seminar and see how the BA profession is growing rapidly. Our "2009 Demographic and Salary Report for Agile Practitioners" web seminar will be held on December 1st. Find out which types of companies are driving agile adoption. These survey results were also documented in two different white papers available on our website. Gain insights into the salary trends for your position and assess your real value to your organization. You will find some of the results very interesting and surprising! http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/webseminars/ http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/webseminars/ The Scrum Alliance(SM) has caused some confusion after announcing their launch of the online Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), then postponing it in September, and now moving forward with it on October 1st. The exam that launched in October is a 60-question online exam given at the end of training and there are 3 variations of it. After successfully completing the Certified ScrumMaster Workshop, participants will have all information required to take the exam and become certified. According to the Scrum Alliance, all students will initially receive a passing grade, allowing the Alliance to improve the test by observing and analyzing results. They would like to emphasize to students that it is important to answer each question based upon the student’s ability to provide credibility to the results and assure the Alliance will be able to effectively evolve the exam. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/courses/4400/ http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/courses/4400/ ASPE-SDLC now offers two in-depth study guides to help your certification goals. The Complete CBAP® 2.0 Study Guide and PMP® v4.0 Study Guide are developed on the most recent bodies of knowledge. Determine your strengths and weaknesses with over 500 practice questions and answers. Simulate the certification exam to get a thorough and detailed breakdown of what you should know. Familiarize yourself with the BABOK® or PMBOK® material. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/study_guides.php http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/study_guides.php Don't forget that all of our web seminars are recorded and available for playback. Visit aspeevents.webex.com and click on the View Event Recordings link. You will be taken to a page with links to the recordings of all our past web seminars. Currently the list goes all the way back to November 2007, so there is a ton of great material for your on-demand viewing pleasure. The list includes recordings from all the ASPE, Inc. divisions, so you can see presentations for IT, the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), Finance, and Healthcare. http://www.aspeinc.com/seminararchive.php http://www.aspeinc.com/seminararchive.php Training and education provide you the opportunity to extend your skill set and can be one of the strongest tools you can use to fight the difficult and evolving job market. ASPE, Inc. wants to provide a support solution for unemployed professionals looking to match their skills to the changes happening in the market place. We've put aside a $350,000 to provide unemployed professionals an opportunity to take ASPE courses as a way to effectively build the skills the market is requiring. The program is running from September 1st to February 28th. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/scholarship.php http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/scholarship.php Whether you are looking to move to Agile and want to be sure your first step is the right step, are looking to move your entire organization to Agile and want help getting started with support, training, and coaching along the way, or need something in-between, we have an Agile Assessment package that is right for you. Each program is meant to assess your team’s readiness to move to Agile and the actions you must take to make your pilot program a success. Find the package that is right for you and get started on your transition to Agile today! http://aspe-sdlc.com/agile_assessments.php http://aspe-sdlc.com/agile_assessments.php Based on the economic slowdown and the uncertainty that has transpired, both VersionOne and ASPE-SDLC felt it was time to develop a very specific/focused salary survey for use by the Agile community. We decided to publish the report because data we collected shows that the market sees Agile skills as extremely valuable, and employers are paying top dollar to get them. We shed light on the continued growth in need and value of professionals who work in Agile methods, and how these factors impact wages and opportunities. Thousands of our Agile training customers participated in the survey, and after third-party statistical analysis we present the results in this white paper. There are a few surprises, and many valuable correlations across different demographic and educational data. http://www.aspetech.com/sdlc/offers/survey_offer_agile.html http://www.aspetech.com/sdlc/offers/survey_offer_agile.html This week ASPE's SDLC Division has partnered with TenStep, Inc. to bring you three new specialized resources on project management topics. Learn the basics of a Project Management Office (PMO) and how a centralized PM infrastructure can be a powerful asset in your own organization. We'll show you how to get started. In our next white paper, we cover the contingency of "project rescues" and how you can bring a troubled project back from the brink while minimizing the risks associated with this sort of radical intervention. Finally, we present a general project management overview that will help anyone in a project role understand and communicate the general value proposition for project management. Visit our Free Offers section to learn more and download. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/offers http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/offers For three years now the Microsoft SharePoint team in Redmond has been developing new and very exciting functionality for the SharePoint platform. SharePoint 2010 will essentially be the fourth major version of the platform since the first version shipped in 2001. SharePoint Server is the fastest growing server product Microsoft has ever developed, with over $1Bn in revenue and over 100 million users and growing! We have partnered with BrightWork to hold a free web seminar on Oct. 28 to discuss the new features and capabilities coming with SharePoint 2010. BrightWork has worked closely with the Microsoft SharePoint team throughout the development of the new release, and knows firsthand what has to this point been a pretty closely guarded secret at Microsoft. Join us, and be one of the first to know about SharePoint 2010. http://www.aspe-it.com/webseminars/#seminar2 http://www.aspe-it.com/webseminars/#seminar2 Our 2-day Agile Project Management course has been updated with content for today’s SDLC professionals. In addition to the 2009 economic factors, we’ve seen a lot of development in the SDLC world in regards to Agile. Most significantly, PMI has recently embraced Agile, recognizing the significant positive impact it has had on delivering better project results for customers. You will learn more about this development, other recent changes, and how they may impact the industry in our newly update Agile Project Management course. http://aspe-sdlc.com/courses/4170/ New and Improved Agile Project Management Course LIVE Instructor-Led Training over the Internet is our online, virtual training option. This week we've added sessions for November and December of 2009 and even some sessions for January and February of 2010. On top of the courses we've been offering, we are adding sessions for ScrumMaster Workshop, Certified Business Analyst Professional (CBAP) Prep Boot Camp, Developing Requirements with Use Cases, Requirements Management Workshop, and some of our financial modeling courses. These sessions will use the same content and hands-on exercises used in our classroom training, but saves you time and travel expenses. They are great cost-effective alternatives for those on a tight budget. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/vcl.php New Virtual Training Sessions Added In today's economy of downsizing, doing more with less, dealing with change at mind boggling rates, being exceptional at managing others has never more challenging—and yet more critical! Whether you are just starting out as a manager, been in your position for a while and need a jolt to recharge, or been in your position for a while and never received any formal development, today's managers can not afford to leave it up to chance. You will never have more time; the only thing you can do is do better with the time you have. In our upcoming web seminar on September 30th we'll discuss the issues that are causing the most heartburn to managers and leaders of all organizational sizes and industries. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/webseminars/ The Exceptional Manager: Leading Teams through Challenging Times On August 13th we will be holding our next free web seminar, entitled "The Business Analyst Profession: An Update and an Outlook" and will take a look at where the profession stands today, and where it is headed. We'll examine the effects of the rise of the IIBA, the introduction of the CBAP Certification, and the continuing need in organizations for the effective business analysis. In addition, on September 11th we will be holding "Reaping Value from Global Agile Engineering." The event will look at how to utilize agility and also harvest the benefits of outsourced projects. We will introduce proven methods that create highly productive agile teams despite the lack of physical/cultural closeness or team cohesiveness often plaguing global teams. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/webseminars/ Upcoming Free Web Seminars From ASPE-SDLC Ravenflow and ASPE-SDLC have developed a specific, focused salary survey for the BA community. We shed light on the continued growth in need and value of business analysts and how they directly impact wages and opportunities. Thousands of our BA customers participated in the survey, and after third-party statistical analysis we present the results in this white paper (ASPE will also present an online seminar on the survey results). Learn a few surprises, and many valuable correlations across different demographic and educational data http://www.aspetech.com/sdlc/offers/survey_offer_3.html ASPE's 2009 Business Analyst Salary Survey Results A modern Project Management Information System (PMIS) is a collaborative solution that allows for the management of projects and the documentation and processes associated with them. Dozens of solutions exist; however, if you have implemented Microsoft SharePoint or plan to implement it, you may already have one of the best PMIS solutions available today. To help you understand how Microsoft SharePoint can assist you in implementing a collaborative PMIS, this whitepaper will step through the five phases of a project. While discussing each phase, suggestions will be made for how Microsoft SharePoint can be used to manage the processes within each phase. http://www.aspe-it.com/offers/#63 Using SharePoint for Project Management So you've been thinking about using SharePoint after hearing about all the amazing stuff it can do, right? Or you might be saying to yourself, "Yeah, I've heard of SharePoint...but what exactly is it?" In our newest white paper we'll explain what SharePoint is, what it does, and most importantly what it can do for your business. If you're new to the idea of collaboration, we will introduce the concept and show you why SharePoint is one of the premier collaboration server applications on the market today. http://www.aspe-it.com/offers/#61 What is SharePoint and what can it do for your business? Current PMPs who tested on the 3rd edition should make themselves aware of the changes in order to stay current with the process terminology that will soon follow in organizations that wish to be fully PMBOK compliant. Download our New White Paper Now for Free. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/offers/ http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/offers/ This week we introduced the new and improved ASPE-SDLC blog. The new blog allows for increased customer participation and commenting, and utilizes AddtoAny buttons for quick sharing over social media channels. We have also introduced a new section where you can Rate Our Courses and give your honest feedback about your experience. The blog is reachable from a new icon on our ASPE-SDLC site, which is accompanied by icons to also connect with us through RSS, Twitter, and LinkedIn. So take a few minutes, check out our hard work, and connect with us. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/ http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/ On July 16t,h we will be holding our next ASPE-SDLC web seminar, "The Manager's Guide to Agile Adoption." Presenter, Mike Cottmeyer, from our partner VersionOne, will explain why many organizations fail to become agile, and explore a roadmap to successful agile adoption. At each step of the adoption process, Mike will demonstrate how to choose the policies, practices, and metrics that create learning and drive sustainable organizational change. The following week, on July 21st, ASPE President David Mantica will present on "Product Theory, Real-World Innovation, and Creativity Enablement." His presentation will cover product theory, innovation, creativity best practices, and real-world management solutions. It will look at the lifecycle of how to set a team up to be innovative and creative, how to manage that team, and how to ensure the ideas of that team are viable go-to-market products. Each event will award 1-PDU for attendance. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/webseminars/ http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/webseminars/ In our blog post last week we did a follow-up to our June Agile Industry Watch web seminar. After the event we had so many questions regarding trends in Agile job titles and the adoption of Agile projects that we decided to dive a little deeper. The post takes a look at Indeed.com data on the number of job listings with SDLC, Agile, or Scrum over the period of Jul '05 to Jan '09 and its correlation to what we are hearing from our customers. It also discusses possible causes of these trends and its implications in the future. http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/agile-industry-watch-agile-jobs.html http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/agile-industry-watch-agile-jobs.html In our latest blog post we examine the PMP recertification and what to consider when earning your necessary PDUs. We look at the value of a PDU, what you should pay for a PDU, and ways to earn free PDUs. Additionally, we discuss why you should be focused on the education received because when you strip it all down, you can meet the PDU recertification requirements for free. http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/your-pmp-recertification-for-pdu-sake.html http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/your-pmp-recertification-for-pdu-sake.html Join us on June 11th for up Agile Industry Watch free web seminar. With over 50,000 people holding the Certified Scrum Master designation and with PMI making overtures to the Agile industry, 2009 is turning out to be a critical year for Agile deployment. In this 45-minute web seminar, get an update on the industry trends regarding Agile and how Agile methods are impacting SDLC management practices. We'll address Scrum's position as an Agile methodology, PMI and Agile, IIBA and Agile, and critical skills for Agile success. You'll earn 1 PDU for attendance. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/webseminars/ http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/webseminars/ Our 2009 Interactive Electronic Training Catalog is now available. With 68 pages of page flipping content, it's worth your time just to see how this top of the line Nxtbook visually and functionally takes electronic catalogs to the next level. Our interactive catalog allows you to flip pages with just one click, bookmark specific content, even take your own notes. You can also choose to save or print the entire catalog or just the pages of interest to you. Our 2009 Interactive Electronic Training Catalog will be your top resource for training in 2009. http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aspe/trainingcatalog_200905/ http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aspe/trainingcatalog_200905/ SharePoint has fast become the most effective and useful collaborative tool that the business world has experienced in a very long time. But with this increased reliance on a growing platform, there comes a certain amount of risk. If mismanaged or not managed at all, there goes the effort, cost savings and benefit…right out the window. To meet this need, we have developed our new Mastering Effective SharePoint Governance course. In two days, the SharePoint Administrator and Manager will develop a clear-cut road map for controlled management and a game plan for future growth, future deployments and expansion of SharePoint tools. Both technical needs and management needs, seamlessly and effortlessly blended into a strategic, well thought out program that will have staying power that can help perpetually drive your SharePoint decisions in the future. http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/9505/ http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/9505/ Our latest blog post debates the current and future state of the PM and BA roles. We look at the IIBA and PMI, their influence, and how these organizations and things like Agile can shape project management and business analysis over the next year. http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/7-trends-in-project-management-and.html http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/7-trends-in-project-management-and.html Pre-Sale has started for The Complete CBAP v2.0 Study Guide. Reserve your copy today! With over 500 test questions and tips on studying and sitting for the exam, it will prove to be an invaluable resource in helping you focus and maximize your study time. To learn more about CBAP certification, and the benefits of using this incredibly valuable... http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/cbap_guide.html http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/cbap_guide.html Microsoft SharePoint Server 2007 can be a very useful tool for many organizations wanting to do their part in helping the environment. In our latest blog post we look at how Microsoft SharePoint can be used for document imaging and management, using InfoPath and Workflows to automate forms, telecommuting, and server virtualization. http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/ http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/ Courses now available include Business Analyst Fundamentals, Agile Project Management, Agile Requirements, ScrumMaster Workshop, Jumpstart in Project Management, and Financial Modeling in Excel Boot Camp. These classes have a limited number of seats, so reserve yours today. Early Bird pricing available for some courses. Save up to $200. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/vcl.html http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/vcl.html Tomorrow is our free one-hour presentation on Predictive Analysis in Excel. Last minute registration is available for a few more hours! We've also got a very handy web seminar coming up on the power of SharePoint as a project management tool - if you're running SharePoint, you shouldn't miss this one. Just added: ASPE's free presentation to walk you through the most important points of PMIs transition to a new release of the PMBOK Guide. There are some important updates here...PMI is always striving to maintain its professional certification criteria as the most current, consistent, and in-depth seal of confidence for Project Management Professionals. Earn a PDU while you familiarize yourself with PMI's new ANSI standard! For more information visit http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/webseminars/ http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/webseminars/ http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/webseminars/ Hurry! Time is running out to participate in our 2009 Agile or Business Analyst Salary Surveys. Visit www.ASPE-SDLC.com to take part. We will close the surveys and start compiling data soon. Look for the survey results to be released next month. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com http://www.aspe-sdlc.com One of the benefits of implementing Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 is the flexibility it offers to create custom solutions...but there's a lot to know. ASPE just finalized our latest addition to the ASPE SharePoint curriculum. Our new Hands-On Mastering SharePoint Customization course is complete and open for registration. This lab-intensive three day program will help you zero in on customizing SharePoint's look and feel, creating custom workflows, designing InfoPath forms, and accessing external data through the Business Data Catalog. With our new SharePoint Course, you will create real-word workflow templates for SharePoint-based business solutions, and learn how to program against the SharePoint Workflow API. For more information visit http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/9655/ http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/9655/ http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/9655/ ASPE SDLC Training is excited to offer you a new option in receiving our quality training. We now offer LIVE Instructor Led Training over the Internet utilizing Cisco's WebEx technology. The great thing about this tool is that, while you attend via your computer, the voice side is done over a phone conference bridge, which greatly reduces the technical hurdle a learner has to take in attending a class. These virtual classes will use the same content as our classroom courses, and offer the same labs and breakout groups through WebEx's technology. You get everything you would from our classroom course at a reduced price, while saving on travel time and costs. We currently have 4 sessions scheduled, including 1 FREE pilot session. We have sent an email out to the ASPE database about the FREE session. For more information on our LIVE Instructor Led Training over the Internet, visit http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/VCL.html or contact skoerber@aspetech.com for more information. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/VCL.html http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/VCL.html ASPE is happy to announce that we have joined forces with Alexander Hamilton Financial Technologies to enter the financial training arena. The partnership is built on common company foundations and principles. Visit www.hamiltontraining.com for information on newly available courses. http://www.aspetech.com/news/hamiltontraining.html http://www.aspetech.com/news/hamiltontraining.html ASPE has grown by leaps and bounds since its creation in 2004. To better serve our customers we are creating separate brands for our SDLC and IT divisions. As our first step, we have launched a new SDLC site that focuses solely on our Software Development Lifecycle training curriculums. Take a look around and let us know what you think. To show our appreciation we will give you a coupon for $300 Off. For details visit www.aspetech.com/sdlc/promo.html http://www.aspetech.com/sdlc/promo2.html http://www.aspetech.com/sdlc/promo2.html The newly created Hands-On Microsoft SharePoint Development course will debut in September 2008. The lab intensive, 3-day class will focus on custom workflows, InfoPath forms, the Business Data Catalog, and custom SharePoint applications.You will create real-world workflow templates for SharePoint-based business solutions, and learn how to program against the SharePoint Workflow API, as well as how to integrate input forms using both .ASPX pages and InfoPath forms. For more information visit http://www.aspetech.com/courses/9950/. http://www.aspetech.com/courses/9950/ http://www.aspetech.com/courses/9950/ Due to extraordinary demand for more classes, more sessions, more experts, and more training options, ASPE Inc. announces the unveiling of www.aspe-sdlc.com ! With new staff on hand, ASPE SDLC division will bring unparralleled training to the growing number of Project Managers, Business Analysts, Agile pratitioners, and Software Testers in the market today. Their new website has been created by the web design team at Knotts and Associates. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/ http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/ ASPE Inc. releases all its free webseminars to the public! IT and Project Management training, as well as Microsoft web seminars are now available for free downloads, no strings attached! ASPE is a nationwide provider of IT and SDLC training- we recognize the need for quality training, and we also understand that budgets are always a major factor. What better way is there to deliver that understanding than by giving away our expertise? Complete a short form, and the written materials for our past webseminars will be sent to you to read at your leisure. Check out our free technical offers, whitepapers, and webseminars today! http://www.aspetech.com/webseminars/archives.html http://www.aspetech.com/webseminars/archives.html Information released from the ASPE lists the top 10 training topics of 2006 & 2007. Learn which topics in the fields of IT and Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) have literally exploded on to the scene in the last 18 months! http://www.aspetech.com/news/topten.html http://www.aspetech.com/news/topten.html Projects are a huge cost to every organization and research reveals 51% of projects will fail. After resources, the largest cost in all projects are risks. The inability to identify, categorize, accurately assess impact, prevent, and control risks cost businesses billions per year. This course first identifies project risks, risk categories, and criteria, then presents and explains key definitions. Next, in an interactive "hands on" environment, participants learn tools and techniques for: 1) Qualitative and Quantitative Risk Analysis. 2) Risk Criteria. 3) Risk Response Planning. 4) Risk Monitoring and Controls. 5) how to prepare and test a comprehensive risk management plan to materially reduce and contain risks, thereby reducing costs and program delays. http://www.aspetech.com/courses/4870_details.html http://www.aspetech.com/courses/4870_details.html