Real-time and embedded systems face the same development challenges as traditional software: shrinking budgets and shorter timeframes. However, these systems can be even more difficult to successfully develop due to additional requirements for timeliness, safety, reliability, minimal resource use, and, in some cases, the need to support rigorous industry standards. In Real-Time Agility, leading embedded-systems consultant Bruce Powel Douglass reveals how to leverage the best practices of agile development to address all these challenges. Bruce introduces the Harmony/ESW process: a proven, start-to-finish approach to software development that can reduce costs, save time, and eliminate potential defects. Replete with examples, this book provides an ideal tutorial in agile methods for real-time and embedded-systems developers. It also serves as an invaluable “in the heat of battle” reference guide for developers working to advance projects, both large and small. Coverage includes How Model-Driven Development (MDD) and agile methods work synergistically The Harmony/ESW process, including roles, workflows, tasks, and work products Phases in the Harmony/ESW microcycle and their implementation Initiating a real-time agile project, including the artifacts you may (or may not) need Agile analysis, including the iteration plan, clarifying requirements, and validation The three levels of agile design: architectural, mechanistic, and detailed Continuous integration strategies and end-of-the-microcycle validation testing How Harmony/ESW’s agile process self-optimizes by identifying and managing issues related to schedule, architecture, risks, workflows, and the process itself

As the Fourth Industrial Revolution barrels forward and the pace of disruption accelerates, all organizations must operate with agility. But this urgent priority, now widely-accepted by senior leaders, presents a major challenge: In business, government, and warfare, agility is a buzzword. There is no common understanding of what it means, or of what it takes to be consistently agile. In this groundbreaking book, Leo Tilman and Charles Jacoby offer the first comprehensive assessment of the fundamental nature of organizational agility and then describe the essential leadership practices for achieving it. They show that agility is far superior to mere speed or adaptability. Pinpointing its distinctive features, they define agility as the ability to detect and assess changes in the competitive environment in real time and then take decisive action. They demonstrate that agility enables an organization to outmaneuver competitors by seizing opportunities; better defending against threats; and acting as a well-orchestrated collective of teams that are empowered to take disciplined initiative. Combining their personal experience of building and leading agile organizations, Tilman in the realm of business and finance and Jacoby in battlefield command and homeland security, they present a powerful approach to fostering agility up and down an organization, and out to its very edges. They show how to detect opportunities and threats by fighting for risk intelligence; how to pierce through complexity and unleash creativity by nurturing a culture of honesty and trust; how to meld top-down vision and planning with decentralized execution; and how to enhance strategy by recognizing organizations as dynamic portfolios of risk. In a world where leaders and their teams must brave the unknown and step confidently forward – or risk extinction – Agility provides a vital roadmap for seizing the unprecedented possibilities of the new age and dominating change instead of being dominated by it.

This practical new book provides much-needed, practical, hands-on experience capturing analysis and design in UML. It holds the hands of engineers making the difficult leap from developing in C to the higher-level and more robust Unified Modeling Language, thereby supporting professional development for engineers looking to broaden their skill-sets in order to become more saleable in the job market. It provides a laboratory environment through a series of progressively more complex exercises that act as building blocks, illustrating the various aspects of UML and its application to real-time and embedded systems. With its focus on gaining proficiency, it goes a significant step beyond basic UML overviews, providing both comprehensive methodology and the best level of supporting exercises available on the market. Each exercise has a matching solution which is thoroughly explained step-by-step in the back of the book. The techniques used to solve these problems come from the author's decades of experience designing and constructing real-time systems. After the exercises have been successfully completed, the book will act as a desk reference for engineers, reminding them of how many of the problems they face in their designs can be solved. - Tutorial style text with keen focus on in-depth presentation and solution of real-world example problems - Highly popular, respected and experienced author

Agile is becoming ubiquitous, but many agile environments still aren't running smoothly. Successful agile implementation remains difficult, and organizations keep getting stuck on the same issues. That's where Real World Agility comes in. Leading agile expert and Scrum trainer Daniel Gullo has identified and addressed nearly 60 widespread challenges faced by individuals and teams trying to drive value from agile. Each solution is presented with maximum clarity and brevity, while covering everything you need to act effectively. Throughout, you'll find vignettes that show exactly how agile problems manifest in the real world -- and how Gullo's actionable solutions help you overcome them. Gullo addresses agile methods ranging from Scrum to Kanban, guides you on scaling agile to larger projects, and offers indispensable insight on applying agile beyond software development.

Launch effective real-time communications to win in today's always-on world Gone are the days when you could plan out your marketing and public relations programs well in advance and release them on your timetable. "Real time" means news breaks over minutes, not days. It means companies develop (or refine) products or services instantly, based on feedback from customers or events in the marketplace. And it's when businesses see an opportunity and are the first to act on it. In this eye-opening follow-up to The New Rules of Marketing and PR, a BusinessWeek bestseller, David Meerman Scott reveals the proven, practical steps to take your business into the real-time era. Find out how to act and react flexibly as events occur, position your brand in the always-on world of the Web, and avoid embarrassing mistakes and missteps. Real-Time Marketing and PR will also enable you to: Develop a business culture that encourages speed over sloth Read buying signals as people interact with your online information Crowdsource product development, naming, and even marketing materials such as online videos Engage reporters to shape stories as they are being written Command premium prices by delivering products at speed Deploy technology to listen in on millions of online discussions and instantly engage with customers and buyers Scale and media buying power are no longer a decisive advantage. What counts today is speed and agility. While your competitors scramble to adjust, you can seize the initiative, open new channels, and grow your brand. Master Real-Time Marketing and PR today and become the first to act, the first to respond, and the first to win!

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Real-Time Embedded Systems" that was published in Electronics

As contrary as it sounds, "planning" -- as we traditionally understand the term--can be the worst thing a company can do. Consider that volatile weather events disrupt trusted supply chains, markets, and promised delivery schedules. Ever-shifting geo-political tensions, as well as internal political upheaval within U.S. and global governments, derail long-planned new ventures. Technology failures block opportunities. Competitors suddenly change their product or release date; your team cannot meet the pace of innovations in your market niche, leaving you sidelined. There are myriad ways in the current business environment for a company's well-considered business plans to go awry. Most business schools continue to prepare managers to be effective in stable and predictable environments, conditions that, if they ever existed at all, are long gone. The Agility Shift shows business leaders exactly how to make the radical mindset and strategy shift necessary to create an agile, entrepreneurial organization that can innovate and thrive in complex, ever-changing contexts. As author Pamela Meyer explains, there is much more involved than a reconfiguration of the org chart and job descriptions. It requires relinquishing the illusion of control at the very foundation of most management training and business practice. Despite most leaders' approaches, "Agility is not simply accelerated planning." Unlike many agility books on the market, The Agility Shift provides specific, actionable strategies and tactics for leaders at all levels of the organization to put into practice immediately to improve agility and achieve results.