Requirements Management in TFS: Part 3 (of 4): Integrations

In Part 2, I discussed how you can begin to manage requirements using the built-in facilities of Team Foundation Server.  While hopefully you can see how the infrastructure for a great requirements management solution already exists in TFS, the interface and client-side functionality isn't there.

Enter Microsoft's amazing partner ecosystem.  Several technology partners have provided integrations (or at least interfaces) to help fill the requirements management gap.  If your organization needs a more requirements-specific solution for your RM practice (and you don't want to wait for Rosario (Visual Studio 2008), you might want to take a peek at the below partner integrations.  They are listed in no particular order, and I have pasted abstracts from each products' respective web sites along with my personal comments (based on my exposure to the tools as well as comments from my peers and customers).  Also, I'm sure there are a few others, and I'll try to add more as they are brought to my attention:

CaliberRM by Borland Software

Abstract: Borland® CaliberRM™ is an enterprise software requirements management tool that facilitates collaboration, impact analysis and communication, enabling software teams to deliver on key project milestones with greater accuracy and predictability. CaliberRM also helps small, large and distributed organizations ensure that applications meet end users’ needs by allowing analysts, developers, testers and other project stakeholders to capture and communicate the users' voice throughout the application lifecycle.

About CaliberRM for Visual Studio Team System :  CaliberRM for Visual Studio Team System allows teams to manage requirements throughout the software delivery process.  By integrating Microsoft Visual Studio Team System and Borland CaliberRM, you enable the free flow of requirements between business analysts, developers, testers, and business stakeholders. Software developers are able to respond rapidly to requirements authored by analysts using CaliberRM, through traces from requirements to tests and work items such as Change Requests and Tasks.

CaliberRM is a client-server application that focuses on requirements management.  It's server is an object-oriented database (OODB) that stores requirements artifacts as uniquely identified objects in its data store.  It supports rich-text, document generation (think mail merge on steroids), requirement hierarchies, glossaries, and traceability.

TeamSpec by Personify Design

Abstract: Personify Design TeamSpec™ provides a rich project requirement management experience directly inside Microsoft Word. By making Team Foundation Server (TFS) project artifacts such as Scenarios, QOS Requirements, Risks, Issues, Bugs, Tasks, among others, first class citizens inside Microsoft Word, TeamSpec enables Application Lifecycle contributions by the Business Analyst, Project Manager, and Executive roles.  

MindManager by Mindjet

Abstract: Use MindManager to create software requirements documents and turn those requirements into work items on Microsoft Visual Studio Team System.  The requirements map then becomes a bi- directional link to the work items.

MindManager Pro 7 enables companies and individuals to work smarter, think creatively and save time by revolutionizing the way they visually capture and manage information.

With MindManager 7, you will:

  • Align organizational strategy and objectives by visually conveying information in a single, centralized and coherent view.
  • Empower people to accelerate business processes by enhancing strategic thinking, facilitating quicker project planning and increasing team productivity.
  • Engage and excite employees by engaging people in stimulating real-time interactions during process planning.
  • Bring better products and services to market faster by enforcing best practices and making existing plans, processes and ideas accessible.
  • Stay ahead of the competition and foster innovation by increasing team interactions during the early stages of strategic planning.
  • Win new business faster and improve business relationships by quickly capturing relevant information and improving communication with clients.

 

RavenFlow by Raven

Abstract: RAVEN is an automated collaborative solution for detecting requirements errors early. It enables enterprises to elicit, specify, analyze, and validate requirements. RAVEN produces functional specifications, both graphical and textual, that everyone can understand.

RAVEN automatically generates visual models of requirements, making errors easily visible to all stakeholders. Common requirements errors, such as ambiguous, conflicting, or missing requirements, can be detected and corrected early, reducing software costs and development time while increasing software quality.   stpBA StoryBoarding by stpSoft

Abstract: stpBA Storyboarding for Microsoft® Visual Studio® Team System allows a business analyst or analyst developer to capture, define and validate requirements and scenarios in a Team System project through GUI storyboarding. Requirements can be imported from stpsoft Quew. The tool seamlessly integrates with Team System process templates and generates screen flow diagrams, HTML storyboards, UI specifications, functional specifications, Team System work items and test scripts.  

RASK (Requirements Authoring Starter Kit) - MSDN Offering

Abstract: The Requirements Authoring Starter Kit (RASK) provides a customizable requirements-authoring solution for software development teams. RASK serves two purposes. It provides the basis of a Requirements Authoring solution and illustrates how to access Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Team Foundation Server programmatically from Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Tools for the Microsoft Office System (Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office). RASK has broad functionality that you can extend with minimal effort.

RASK integrates several Microsoft products into the solutions: Microsoft Office Word 2003, Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office, Microsoft SQL Server 2005, and Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services. In addition, RASK uses Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Team Suite and Visual Studio 2005 Team Foundation Server, which are part of the Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Team System.

RASK is not a complete requirements-authoring application and is not intended to compete with existing requirements-management applications.  

Optimal Trace by Compuware

Abstract:  Optimal Trace is Compuware’s business requirements definition and management solution, built to enable IT and the business to collaborate more effectively and improve IT project delivery outcomes. According to CIO magazine, ineffective requirements are the cause of over 70 percent of IT project failures. Compuware Optimal Trace addresses this problem with “structured requirements.” This approach captures software requirements from the perspective of the user, complete with visual storyboards and traceable relationships throughout the project lifecycle to business needs. Using structured requirements, IT organizations ensure that they are accurately and completely capturing the right requirements, communicating them effectively and dramatically improving their ability to deliver on the expectations of the business.

 

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