Companies are becoming more dependent on their IT departments to not only process project request offers, but also be a strategic partner in developing complex, financially sound plans to achieve specific business outcomes. That said, why is IT so hesitant to tell the business what something will cost?

Payson Hall writes that it is dangerous to describe or assess IT investments without context. As an IT professional, you need to work with accounting subject matter experts and take the time to develop more robust business proposals for your IT system that are explicit about costs and assumptions.

Estimating time for software development in groups can be tricky. The first person's response often plants an idea in the heads of the rest of the group, leading to an incorrect estimate. One way of getting around this is to play a few rounds of planning poker.

The more you know about the end-user, the more effective you will be as a tester. Here are some tips for adding value by thinking like your customer.