XML technology usage continues to grow and is being incorporated in enterprise applications. Industry groups are embracing XML as a mechanism to encourage standard data interchanges within their vertical industry. XML is now common in Web applications, desktop software, services-oriented architectures, and application configurations. Learn about Hartford Financial Services Group’s challenges and successes developing and deploying an enterprise strategy for XML in all their application tiers. Find out how they use the same schema for business rules engines, Web services, and user interfaces and how XML has become an integral part of their enterprise's service-oriented architecture. Take away a practical approach to manage and secure your XML based applications.

• Changes in development practices when emphasizing XML implementations
• A structure and process for managing XML schemas across the enterprise

Fast development cycles, distributed architectures, code reuse, and developer productivity suites make it imperative that we improve our software test methods and efficiency. What process assessments are available? How do you conduct an assessment? How do you guard against incorrect information? How do you know what to improve first? And how can you make successful improvements without negatively impacting your current work? Learn the answer to these questions and more from Intel’s experiences using the Test Process Improvement (TPI) model as a basis for two assessments with resulting scores, improvement suggestions, and adopted actions. You will hear about the high points and low points of using this process and see a comparison of the TPI model with the CMMI® Level 3 key process area.

• The TPI and other models for test process assessments
• A first-hand account of two test process assessment experiences at Intel

Return on investment (ROI) is a widely used approach for measuring the value of new or improved technology and business processes. Rather than limiting the discussion on ROI calculations to cost cutting measures, the most significant opportunities often come from addressing the overall business objectives. You need to step outside the focus of the IT department and relate improvements to opportunities for increased business revenue and customer value. The resulting impact on revenues makes the ROI argument for process improvement a compelling one. Discover the myths and realties of software process improvement and how to build a business case for improvement initiatives. By aligning business goals with areas of leverage and improvement plans, you will find both business and IT management more receptive to software process improvement programs and initiatives.

• The real ROI from software process improvement

In this presentation Terrence Craft, a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt, provides an experience-based look at how to make the capability maturity model (CMM®/CMMI®) work most effectively with Six Sigma. While CMM®/CMMI® give us the "what" should be done for software development, Six Sigma gives the tools to answer the "how." The overlap of the two approaches provides an opportunity to leverage the best from each. And, there's a synergistic effect that happens when you apply the benefits of the CMM®/CMMI® models with the tools and techniques from Six Sigma. Whether or not you are using CMM®/CMMI®, find out what the Six Sigma approach is all about and what it can do for your company.

• The Six Sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) process and how it applies to software development
• An understanding of Six Sigma used with CMM® or CMMI®