Functional dashboard of select measures which empirically provides strong indication of future growth and performance
Profiles whether an enterprise software producer is likely in, and to remain in, the top quintile of its peer group as it moves through the band from $10 million in annual sales to over $30 million (typically, from 40 to 100 employees and beyond)
Identifying how and where information technology can assist with improving an organisation's performance. Including statistics from IBM's latest Global CIO survey
Allocate capital to the most important project portfolios and programs
Specify measurable Strategic Targets
Prioritize based on data not "gut feel"
Optimise Project Resources across different strategic Scenarios
Drive accountability for both Execution and Results
Realize Results faster, by spending smarter!
Identifying how and where information technology can assist with improving an organisation's performance. Including statistics from IBM's latest Global CIO survey
Allocate capital to the most important project portfolios and programs
Specify measurable Strategic Targets
Prioritize based on data not "gut feel"
Optimise Project Resources across different strategic Scenarios
Drive accountability for both Execution and Results
Realize Results faster, by spending smarter!
This white paper discusses why small businesses are experiencing a decline in lead volume and quality, and acts as a step-by-step guide for lead generation in "the new normal".
This ISG white paper assesses recent trends in the mid-tier sourcing marketplace, and basic considerations faced by buyer organizations with
differing levels of outsourcing experience. Risks and opportunities are discussed, and potential sourcing strategy options and key success factors
are outlined.
The results have poured in from our 6th Annual State of Partnering research. This year’s study was the biggest and most comprehensive yet – with 98 global vendors and 250 solution provider participants.
This year’s study focused on several key partnering topics including enablement, cloud engagement models, field sales coverage and channel spending trends.
Accelerate to Advanced and Optimized Lead Nuturing and Lead Generation Practices. Take a look at this slideshow presented by VP of Digital Strategies, Bryan Ehrenfreund and VP of Marketing at Marketo, Jon Miller. Buying has changed forever and traditional marketing is in decline. Find out how advanced lead nuturing strategies can impact your organization's revenue today by visiting http://www.televerde.com
EY Growing Beyond: How high performers are accelerating ahead Nov 2012Stephan Kuester
Working closely with businesses across the globe we see an ever increasing gap emerging between high and low performers and have identified key approaches the high performers have been taking to achieve sustainable growth. Certain key strategies emerge that are at the heart of business success with four key drivers that remain throughout: customer reach, operational agility, cost competitiveness and stakeholder confidence. You may find these insights helpful when discussing your own strategy for future growth.
9 steps to building a business case for b2b integrationInternetEvolution
Putting together a business case does not rank high on most IT executives' list of favorite activities. But given the new emphasis on governance, the struggling economy and corporate decision-making, the ability to put together a compelling case is now a core competency.
Justifying a strategic B2B initiative that reaches beyond the organization's four walls is especially critical. It encompasses integration of your major information systems to give your company the secure foundation needed to collaborate effectively with customers, partners, and suppliers. With so much at stake, the business case will come under rigorous scrutiny from senior executives and business managers at your company. Following these nine steps will assist you in building a comprehensive business case for B@B integration which can help increase your chance of gaining approval.
If you’re experiencing indecisiveness about which projects to pursue, are overwhelmed by resource demands, stressed about executive requests, or just suffering from a generalized sense of panic, you’ve come to the right place. The portfolio management doctor is in, offering a consultation and proven treatment plan to address these symptoms:
*Too Much Demand – Dealing With A Key Stressor
*Conflicting Priorities – Taking Control
*Resource Optimization – It’s All Going To Be OK
*Financial Anxiety – Delivering Tangible ROI
*Planning for the Future – Where Do You See Your Portfolio In 5 Years?
*Reaching Portfolio Nirvana
Ever wonder how social business calculates ROI? this IDC white paper provides a perspective on the ROI of social media and how to calculate the business value.
Presented during the High Performance Marketing Conference 2012, organized by Accenture on February 9th 2012. This presentation discusses Accenture’s distributed consulting model
This presentation will explore how Celgene a global biopharmaceuticals company has connected talent management with technology to place large, complex and critical spend categories such as Marketing, SG&A, and R&D under management by procurement.
Clarity Management Consulting - How To Select Innovative Suppliers Using a 5-...mjohns3500
It is critical to build relationships with suppliers who can help you create a competitive advantage and ensure your success in a turbulent business environment. This rigorous five-step project management approach provides tools for identifying innovative supplier partners and incorporating key business requirements into the selection process.
Predicting Customer Behavior - An Introduction to iSkyiSky
iSky helps companies and brand owners predict customer behavior.
Our industry experts and research specialists design fully-integrated customer engagement programs to capture the motives behind customer behavior, and analyze the financial implications of this behavior on brand health and enterprise profitability. Our solutions are designed to support customer acquisition and retention initiatives and impact brand strategy.
This white paper discusses why small businesses are experiencing a decline in lead volume and quality, and acts as a step-by-step guide for lead generation in "the new normal".
This ISG white paper assesses recent trends in the mid-tier sourcing marketplace, and basic considerations faced by buyer organizations with
differing levels of outsourcing experience. Risks and opportunities are discussed, and potential sourcing strategy options and key success factors
are outlined.
The results have poured in from our 6th Annual State of Partnering research. This year’s study was the biggest and most comprehensive yet – with 98 global vendors and 250 solution provider participants.
This year’s study focused on several key partnering topics including enablement, cloud engagement models, field sales coverage and channel spending trends.
Accelerate to Advanced and Optimized Lead Nuturing and Lead Generation Practices. Take a look at this slideshow presented by VP of Digital Strategies, Bryan Ehrenfreund and VP of Marketing at Marketo, Jon Miller. Buying has changed forever and traditional marketing is in decline. Find out how advanced lead nuturing strategies can impact your organization's revenue today by visiting http://www.televerde.com
EY Growing Beyond: How high performers are accelerating ahead Nov 2012Stephan Kuester
Working closely with businesses across the globe we see an ever increasing gap emerging between high and low performers and have identified key approaches the high performers have been taking to achieve sustainable growth. Certain key strategies emerge that are at the heart of business success with four key drivers that remain throughout: customer reach, operational agility, cost competitiveness and stakeholder confidence. You may find these insights helpful when discussing your own strategy for future growth.
9 steps to building a business case for b2b integrationInternetEvolution
Putting together a business case does not rank high on most IT executives' list of favorite activities. But given the new emphasis on governance, the struggling economy and corporate decision-making, the ability to put together a compelling case is now a core competency.
Justifying a strategic B2B initiative that reaches beyond the organization's four walls is especially critical. It encompasses integration of your major information systems to give your company the secure foundation needed to collaborate effectively with customers, partners, and suppliers. With so much at stake, the business case will come under rigorous scrutiny from senior executives and business managers at your company. Following these nine steps will assist you in building a comprehensive business case for B@B integration which can help increase your chance of gaining approval.
If you’re experiencing indecisiveness about which projects to pursue, are overwhelmed by resource demands, stressed about executive requests, or just suffering from a generalized sense of panic, you’ve come to the right place. The portfolio management doctor is in, offering a consultation and proven treatment plan to address these symptoms:
*Too Much Demand – Dealing With A Key Stressor
*Conflicting Priorities – Taking Control
*Resource Optimization – It’s All Going To Be OK
*Financial Anxiety – Delivering Tangible ROI
*Planning for the Future – Where Do You See Your Portfolio In 5 Years?
*Reaching Portfolio Nirvana
Ever wonder how social business calculates ROI? this IDC white paper provides a perspective on the ROI of social media and how to calculate the business value.
Presented during the High Performance Marketing Conference 2012, organized by Accenture on February 9th 2012. This presentation discusses Accenture’s distributed consulting model
This presentation will explore how Celgene a global biopharmaceuticals company has connected talent management with technology to place large, complex and critical spend categories such as Marketing, SG&A, and R&D under management by procurement.
Clarity Management Consulting - How To Select Innovative Suppliers Using a 5-...mjohns3500
It is critical to build relationships with suppliers who can help you create a competitive advantage and ensure your success in a turbulent business environment. This rigorous five-step project management approach provides tools for identifying innovative supplier partners and incorporating key business requirements into the selection process.
Predicting Customer Behavior - An Introduction to iSkyiSky
iSky helps companies and brand owners predict customer behavior.
Our industry experts and research specialists design fully-integrated customer engagement programs to capture the motives behind customer behavior, and analyze the financial implications of this behavior on brand health and enterprise profitability. Our solutions are designed to support customer acquisition and retention initiatives and impact brand strategy.
5 Things B2B Marketers Need to Fear with Social MediaMarketBridge
Social media is rapidly shifting the way B2B marketers focus on demand generation, and stories of extraordinary successes have created something of a gold rush mentality. However, marketing professionals looking to expand their use of social media should proceed with caution – there are significant downsides to be aware of.
This presentation outlines the most common B2B social media pitfalls...
The event and trade show industry is getting refined, redefined and reinvented by face-to-face marketing departments around the world. Gone are the days of passive, tactical programs. Today’s events and trade shows are strategy-driven and goal-oriented. Translation: They’re getting stronger. This first-annual Trend Tracker, produced by Global Experience Specialists (GES), provides a rapid-release checklist of trends. Go through the list and check-off the ones you’re activating now. Circle others you know you should. And fill-in the ones you need to learn more about
Wonder how some businesses are getting value out of social media? Wonder how to calculate the ROI of social media? This paper will walk you through some of the fundamentals of looking at how to evaluate how social media changes a business and the resulting value it brings to the whole organization. If you want more information, go to www.drnatalienews.com
We create well-thought-out financial marketing tools that will sharpen your organization\'s identity, attract fresh opportunities and expand your business relationships.
Presented during Tshikululu Social Investments' 2011 Serious Enterprise Development workshop.
How do the objectives of enterprise development under B-BBEE codes compare to those in other countries? Dr Woolley will review the basis of ED qualification under the codes; ask how a company
might engage in value-adding ED in a way that aligns with business strategy; and consider what to do, and what not to do, during the implementation of ED.
Working in a startup environment can be an adrenaline packed rewarding experience, or a nightmare of struggles with no valuable outcome. Navigating a startup or small company through the obstacle course of cash burn, risk mitigation, hiring the right employees, staying focused and timely solution execution are the responsibility of EVERY member of the team. § \\
All too often in this environment there are misaligned expectations, poor accountability, no sense of urgency and inconsistent goals that needlessly add additional layers of risk. Large companies, small companies as well as startups suffer from these impairments.
A toolkit based on first hand learning experiences in this environment is valuable insight into your current or next engagement. To that end I have compiled a set of take-a-ways based on what I have learned working for technology startups and big companies. I use these critical success points as a filtering mechanism and a check and balance in my daily activities. I hope you find them as useful as I do.
MDM comparatively less mature; plans seem to be in place to transform further...Genpact Ltd
In BFSI, MDM is comparatively less mature; plans seem to be in place to transform further if needed. Know more: http://go.genpact.com/CFO-research-Advanced-Operating-Models.html
Similar to Gauging the growth stage enterprise software business litwiller - july 2012 (20)
Enhancing and Restoring Safety & Quality Cultures - Dave Litwiller - May 2024...Dave Litwiller
In an expanding range of tech, AI, and advanced manufacturing industries, there are growing issues and concerns for assuring:
- Product safety and safety-related quality
- User/patient safety
- Employee/contractor safety
As well as the wellbeing of other stakeholders
Optimizing C-Suite Dynamics - Nov 2 2023 - Dave Litwiller - Public.pptxDave Litwiller
In this presentation, Dave Litwiller explores the critical aspects of optimizing C-Suite dynamics in scale-up stage technology companies. Collaborative leadership dynamics are vital in influencing a company's performance during rapid growth and evolving markets. The core model for the C-Suite, inspired by Peter Drucker, identifies the roles of Outside Visionary, Inside Visionary, and Disciplinarian. The CEO team construct is discussed, emphasizing its strengths in reducing CEO isolation and maintaining defined roles.
Key vital sign indicators for C-Suite teams are highlighted, focusing on decision-making and diversity of thought. The distinct challenges of the Disciplinarian role are addressed, including the need for a deep understanding of operational realities. The presentation also touches upon interpreting C-Suite criticisms and common friction areas among team members.
To resolve conflicts and enhance C-Suite cooperation, various mechanisms and strategies are explored, such as conflict resolution procedures, mediation, role changes, and alignment of goals and values. By understanding and addressing these dynamics, organizations can foster a more effective C-Suite.
Market Volatility Considerations for Scale-up Stage Tech Companies in 2023 - ...Dave Litwiller
Leading tools to help prepare for and to navigate increasingly turbulent times for scale-up stage tech firms:
- Scenario planning
- Productivity enhancement drivers, particularly for knowledge-based work
- Instrumenting and monitoring revenue generation dynamics for signs of significant market and customer changes
- Individual, group, and institutional methods to increase the velocity of learning and adaptation, as well as distributed action
- Increasing awareness and sensitivity to changes in customer value proposition and adoption decision mechanics
Improving AI Development - Dave Litwiller - Jan 11 2022 - PublicDave Litwiller
A conversational tour through some things I’ve learned in helping scale-up stage client companies improve their AI development practices, especially where deep neural nets (DNNs) are in use.
Leading Transformation and Accelerating Change at Scale - Apr 20 2021 - Dave ...Dave Litwiller
In response to a burst of requests from the scale-up community for help working through the issues with larger magnitude change initiatives, here is a set of highlight thoughts and preferred approaches.
Applying TQM and the Toyota Production System in Development of Software Arti...Dave Litwiller
Adapting TPS Tools and Techniques for Enterprise TQM to Software, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Deep Learning Development Organizations
The Agile Learning Organization - Dave Litwiller - Sept 17 2020 - PublicDave Litwiller
Adapting Organizational Capabilities in Scale-up Technology Businesses to Thrive in the Strategic Environment using the Principles of TQM
- Enhance organizational learning capacity and agility
- Build connective capacity across functions and time horizons, to counter tendencies toward silos
- Develop leadership bandwidth at all levels to expand institutional capability for productive change
Future Office Layout and Productivity Considerations for Startups and Scale u...Dave Litwiller
The Covid-19 response which moved much office work to virtual has created a natural productivity experiment in the knowledge economy. The favourable early results being reported by firms with employees working from home are challenging the widespread assumptions about the merit of extremely open offices as were frequently adopted in technology companies prior to the pandemic. For companies that will continue to have offices which are now designing re-occupancy plans, social distancing requirements offer an opportunity to revert to potentially more productive forms of office layout.
Elevating Tactical DDD Patterns Through Object CalisthenicsDorra BARTAGUIZ
After immersing yourself in the blue book and its red counterpart, attending DDD-focused conferences, and applying tactical patterns, you're left with a crucial question: How do I ensure my design is effective? Tactical patterns within Domain-Driven Design (DDD) serve as guiding principles for creating clear and manageable domain models. However, achieving success with these patterns requires additional guidance. Interestingly, we've observed that a set of constraints initially designed for training purposes remarkably aligns with effective pattern implementation, offering a more ‘mechanical’ approach. Let's explore together how Object Calisthenics can elevate the design of your tactical DDD patterns, offering concrete help for those venturing into DDD for the first time!
Why You Should Replace Windows 11 with Nitrux Linux 3.5.0 for enhanced perfor...SOFTTECHHUB
The choice of an operating system plays a pivotal role in shaping our computing experience. For decades, Microsoft's Windows has dominated the market, offering a familiar and widely adopted platform for personal and professional use. However, as technological advancements continue to push the boundaries of innovation, alternative operating systems have emerged, challenging the status quo and offering users a fresh perspective on computing.
One such alternative that has garnered significant attention and acclaim is Nitrux Linux 3.5.0, a sleek, powerful, and user-friendly Linux distribution that promises to redefine the way we interact with our devices. With its focus on performance, security, and customization, Nitrux Linux presents a compelling case for those seeking to break free from the constraints of proprietary software and embrace the freedom and flexibility of open-source computing.
Epistemic Interaction - tuning interfaces to provide information for AI supportAlan Dix
Paper presented at SYNERGY workshop at AVI 2024, Genoa, Italy. 3rd June 2024
https://alandix.com/academic/papers/synergy2024-epistemic/
As machine learning integrates deeper into human-computer interactions, the concept of epistemic interaction emerges, aiming to refine these interactions to enhance system adaptability. This approach encourages minor, intentional adjustments in user behaviour to enrich the data available for system learning. This paper introduces epistemic interaction within the context of human-system communication, illustrating how deliberate interaction design can improve system understanding and adaptation. Through concrete examples, we demonstrate the potential of epistemic interaction to significantly advance human-computer interaction by leveraging intuitive human communication strategies to inform system design and functionality, offering a novel pathway for enriching user-system engagements.
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 4DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 4. In this session, we will cover Test Manager overview along with SAP heatmap.
The UiPath Test Manager overview with SAP heatmap webinar offers a concise yet comprehensive exploration of the role of a Test Manager within SAP environments, coupled with the utilization of heatmaps for effective testing strategies.
Participants will gain insights into the responsibilities, challenges, and best practices associated with test management in SAP projects. Additionally, the webinar delves into the significance of heatmaps as a visual aid for identifying testing priorities, areas of risk, and resource allocation within SAP landscapes. Through this session, attendees can expect to enhance their understanding of test management principles while learning practical approaches to optimize testing processes in SAP environments using heatmap visualization techniques
What will you get from this session?
1. Insights into SAP testing best practices
2. Heatmap utilization for testing
3. Optimization of testing processes
4. Demo
Topics covered:
Execution from the test manager
Orchestrator execution result
Defect reporting
SAP heatmap example with demo
Speaker:
Deepak Rai, Automation Practice Lead, Boundaryless Group and UiPath MVP
Removing Uninteresting Bytes in Software FuzzingAftab Hussain
Imagine a world where software fuzzing, the process of mutating bytes in test seeds to uncover hidden and erroneous program behaviors, becomes faster and more effective. A lot depends on the initial seeds, which can significantly dictate the trajectory of a fuzzing campaign, particularly in terms of how long it takes to uncover interesting behaviour in your code. We introduce DIAR, a technique designed to speedup fuzzing campaigns by pinpointing and eliminating those uninteresting bytes in the seeds. Picture this: instead of wasting valuable resources on meaningless mutations in large, bloated seeds, DIAR removes the unnecessary bytes, streamlining the entire process.
In this work, we equipped AFL, a popular fuzzer, with DIAR and examined two critical Linux libraries -- Libxml's xmllint, a tool for parsing xml documents, and Binutil's readelf, an essential debugging and security analysis command-line tool used to display detailed information about ELF (Executable and Linkable Format). Our preliminary results show that AFL+DIAR does not only discover new paths more quickly but also achieves higher coverage overall. This work thus showcases how starting with lean and optimized seeds can lead to faster, more comprehensive fuzzing campaigns -- and DIAR helps you find such seeds.
- These are slides of the talk given at IEEE International Conference on Software Testing Verification and Validation Workshop, ICSTW 2022.
Generative AI Deep Dive: Advancing from Proof of Concept to ProductionAggregage
Join Maher Hanafi, VP of Engineering at Betterworks, in this new session where he'll share a practical framework to transform Gen AI prototypes into impactful products! He'll delve into the complexities of data collection and management, model selection and optimization, and ensuring security, scalability, and responsible use.
LF Energy Webinar: Electrical Grid Modelling and Simulation Through PowSyBl -...DanBrown980551
Do you want to learn how to model and simulate an electrical network from scratch in under an hour?
Then welcome to this PowSyBl workshop, hosted by Rte, the French Transmission System Operator (TSO)!
During the webinar, you will discover the PowSyBl ecosystem as well as handle and study an electrical network through an interactive Python notebook.
PowSyBl is an open source project hosted by LF Energy, which offers a comprehensive set of features for electrical grid modelling and simulation. Among other advanced features, PowSyBl provides:
- A fully editable and extendable library for grid component modelling;
- Visualization tools to display your network;
- Grid simulation tools, such as power flows, security analyses (with or without remedial actions) and sensitivity analyses;
The framework is mostly written in Java, with a Python binding so that Python developers can access PowSyBl functionalities as well.
What you will learn during the webinar:
- For beginners: discover PowSyBl's functionalities through a quick general presentation and the notebook, without needing any expert coding skills;
- For advanced developers: master the skills to efficiently apply PowSyBl functionalities to your real-world scenarios.
A tale of scale & speed: How the US Navy is enabling software delivery from l...sonjaschweigert1
Rapid and secure feature delivery is a goal across every application team and every branch of the DoD. The Navy’s DevSecOps platform, Party Barge, has achieved:
- Reduction in onboarding time from 5 weeks to 1 day
- Improved developer experience and productivity through actionable findings and reduction of false positives
- Maintenance of superior security standards and inherent policy enforcement with Authorization to Operate (ATO)
Development teams can ship efficiently and ensure applications are cyber ready for Navy Authorizing Officials (AOs). In this webinar, Sigma Defense and Anchore will give attendees a look behind the scenes and demo secure pipeline automation and security artifacts that speed up application ATO and time to production.
We will cover:
- How to remove silos in DevSecOps
- How to build efficient development pipeline roles and component templates
- How to deliver security artifacts that matter for ATO’s (SBOMs, vulnerability reports, and policy evidence)
- How to streamline operations with automated policy checks on container images
Observability Concepts EVERY Developer Should Know -- DeveloperWeek Europe.pdfPaige Cruz
Monitoring and observability aren’t traditionally found in software curriculums and many of us cobble this knowledge together from whatever vendor or ecosystem we were first introduced to and whatever is a part of your current company’s observability stack.
While the dev and ops silo continues to crumble….many organizations still relegate monitoring & observability as the purview of ops, infra and SRE teams. This is a mistake - achieving a highly observable system requires collaboration up and down the stack.
I, a former op, would like to extend an invitation to all application developers to join the observability party will share these foundational concepts to build on:
State of ICS and IoT Cyber Threat Landscape Report 2024 previewPrayukth K V
The IoT and OT threat landscape report has been prepared by the Threat Research Team at Sectrio using data from Sectrio, cyber threat intelligence farming facilities spread across over 85 cities around the world. In addition, Sectrio also runs AI-based advanced threat and payload engagement facilities that serve as sinks to attract and engage sophisticated threat actors, and newer malware including new variants and latent threats that are at an earlier stage of development.
The latest edition of the OT/ICS and IoT security Threat Landscape Report 2024 also covers:
State of global ICS asset and network exposure
Sectoral targets and attacks as well as the cost of ransom
Global APT activity, AI usage, actor and tactic profiles, and implications
Rise in volumes of AI-powered cyberattacks
Major cyber events in 2024
Malware and malicious payload trends
Cyberattack types and targets
Vulnerability exploit attempts on CVEs
Attacks on counties – USA
Expansion of bot farms – how, where, and why
In-depth analysis of the cyber threat landscape across North America, South America, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East
Why are attacks on smart factories rising?
Cyber risk predictions
Axis of attacks – Europe
Systemic attacks in the Middle East
Download the full report from here:
https://sectrio.com/resources/ot-threat-landscape-reports/sectrio-releases-ot-ics-and-iot-security-threat-landscape-report-2024/
The Art of the Pitch: WordPress Relationships and SalesLaura Byrne
Clients don’t know what they don’t know. What web solutions are right for them? How does WordPress come into the picture? How do you make sure you understand scope and timeline? What do you do if sometime changes?
All these questions and more will be explored as we talk about matching clients’ needs with what your agency offers without pulling teeth or pulling your hair out. Practical tips, and strategies for successful relationship building that leads to closing the deal.
Enhancing Performance with Globus and the Science DMZGlobus
ESnet has led the way in helping national facilities—and many other institutions in the research community—configure Science DMZs and troubleshoot network issues to maximize data transfer performance. In this talk we will present a summary of approaches and tips for getting the most out of your network infrastructure using Globus Connect Server.
Accelerate your Kubernetes clusters with Varnish CachingThijs Feryn
A presentation about the usage and availability of Varnish on Kubernetes. This talk explores the capabilities of Varnish caching and shows how to use the Varnish Helm chart to deploy it to Kubernetes.
This presentation was delivered at K8SUG Singapore. See https://feryn.eu/presentations/accelerate-your-kubernetes-clusters-with-varnish-caching-k8sug-singapore-28-2024 for more details.
3. Sales -
New Rep Productivity
The average new sales representative achieves
productivity after two quarters
Productive is defined as generating period billings with gross
margin greater than 2* the rep’s fully loaded costs
Applies to on premise or I/P/SaaS offerings
Otherwise, there are usually issues with product-market
fit, the selling formula and collaterals have not been
sufficiently distilled, or the C-suite is still too involved in
winning deals to have a fully scalable growth stage
business
David J. Litwiller, 2012
4. Sales -
Win Rate
Win 90%+ of deals that reach a proof-of-concept
implementation or pilot in the top three verticals
Win 80% to 85% of deals that reach a similar stage in
other target verticals
Lower close rates mean too much time is being spent on
deals that aren’t well enough qualified, taking time away
from deals that are winnable
Higher close rates indicate the company isn’t stretching
enough, and winnable opportunities are being defaulted
to the competition
David J. Litwiller, 2012
5. Sales –
Forecast Accuracy
Over the trailing twelve months, the company has
largely met its sales forecast each quarter
Forecast visibility became progressively more
accurate as each quarterly reporting period draws
nearer
Accuracy relates both to the total revenue amount, as
well as the identity of major deals and customers
David J. Litwiller, 2012
6. Sales -
Reportable Pipeline
Reportable pipeline is greater than 5* the amount of
business expected to close over the forward twelve
months
Reportable pipeline = Opportunities rated at 50%
probability of close over the next year, and above
Provides enough buffer for the natural optimism of
sales staff self-reporting
David J. Litwiller, 2012
7. Sales -
Close Rate
Over 67% of deals close in the projected period which
were rated as 75% and above probability to close in
the period – broad indicator of sales funnel accuracy
and upstream funnel health
David J. Litwiller, 2012
8. Marketing -
Corporate
80% of marketing communication establishes and reinforces the
brand image of the company, its thought leadership, and ability to
drive revenue or save costs or risk for customers
20% is dedicated to particular products or features
Every marketing communications event has a quantified target for
active and accepted leads, which is then measured and reflected
upon – especially e-mail, trade shows, SEO and ads (on- and off-line)
E-mail marketing with sufficient tuned targeting to achieve
response rates above 5% - e-mail is typically the most productive
marketing channel for B2B, so high performance e-mail campaigns
correlate strongly with leading financial and strategic results
David J. Litwiller, 2012
9. Marketing -
Analyst
Analyst marketing is based predominantly on a steady
stream of reference-able - ideally, delighted - new
customers with measurable, multi-faceted Return-on-
Investment and softer benefits
David J. Litwiller, 2012
10. Marketing -
Social Media
50% of opportunities which reach 50% probability of
closing come originally from social media and word-
of-mouth
An unambiguous sign of thought leadership in a subject
matter that has currency
Filling the front end of the sales funnel with many low
quality leads is easy; filling the middle of the funnel is a
more discriminating test of whether the business has
real social media impact
David J. Litwiller, 2012
11. Marketing -
Product
Major new releases announced 70% through development, and APIs
50% of the way
Late enough that specifications will be relatively stable and freeze of
market for current release minimized
Early enough to provide partners sufficient reaction time to build
likelihood of strong interoperability at release
Internal roadmap looking out 18 months showing major new
capabilities to be launched at major trade shows or industry events
Marketing and sales regularly synchronize so that they are in step by
the time they are addressing the buying public
David J. Litwiller, 2012
12. Development -
Recruiting
Candidate developers write code during the interview
process – it is very difficult to B.S. code authoring, and
it shows a lot about innovation under
constraints, thinking style and documentation
training
David J. Litwiller, 2012
13. Development -
New Features and Functions (I)
Requirements, specifications and high level design are all
inspected, since about 50% of defects originate there
Related indicator of health: More defects are identified during
inspection of requirements, specifications, and high level
design, than during system test, because of the much lower cost
of finding defects early
Kanbans of two weeks – fast feedback, little scope creep
Work is estimated to half day increments – no exceptions
Development estimates of effort come in within 25% of actual
Work is visible through visual, self-reported status controls
Project managers have deep customer insight with which to
make trade-offs
David J. Litwiller, 2012
14. Development -
Features and Functions (II)
Code inspections are practiced for the most
difficult, sensitive, or defective portions of the code base
The proprietary and modified code base is under 250K
SLoC; productivity is best when the code is very tight and
limited to 50K SLoC
Daily builds with regression testing for unit and integration
test
Less than eight builds at system test to achieve shippable
product
Fewer than 10 defects per KSLoC are found at system test
David J. Litwiller, 2012
15. Development -
Maintenance
Less than 33% of development effort is spent refactoring and
sustaining legacy functionality
Average age of the proprietary and modified code base is less than
four years
Otherwise, internal and external architecture tend to become
outdated, impacting development productivity versus the highest
performing competitors
Maintenance changes to the code are inspected, because of the
high risk of regression setbacks, and, typically, only partial
maintenance programmer understanding of the involved module
David J. Litwiller, 2012
16. Developer Productivity
Growth of development headcount is one third or less
of the rate of revenue growth – strong sign of
scalability, technical wherewithal, and market
relevance
David J. Litwiller, 2012
17. SQA (I)
Tests and test suites are documented as vigorously as the
code, and link directly to use cases
Test plans and test cases are inspected
60% of test cases dedicated to regression, 40% to new
features
Fast changeovers of
environments, versions, configuration, and databases
Monitoring of defect yield by test case and test suite, with
regular pruning and renewal of the tests and test suites
David J. Litwiller, 2012
18. SQA (II)
Tracking of defects by code module
Defects reported in the first year after wide release
are less than 20% of the number found during system
test
Less than 0.5% of defects reported from the field take
more than one week to resolve
Over 70% of defects reported from the field can be fixed
in one day or less
David J. Litwiller, 2012
19. Product Instrumentation
Instrumentation of the product to identify high- and
low-frequency use paths, and why they are used
Watch and learn from best customers about
replicable best practices
Look at unusual cases for innovative product
expansion opportunities
David J. Litwiller, 2012
20. Implementation and Professional
Services
Achieve gross margin of 50% or higher, including
customer and channel partner training
Professional services generate less than 30% of
revenue, to promote ongoing scalability and drive
valuation
David J. Litwiller, 2012
21. Customer Support
Each full time support person supports more than 500
licensed end users (in B2B. Can be much higher in B2C)
Response to 90% of customer issues within 90 minutes
during business hours
Development spends 10% of its time doing direct customer
support, to maintain contact with customer challenges and
external architectural issues and trends
David J. Litwiller, 2012
22. Revenue Growth
On premise: Growing over 50% per year – if you’re
not, someone else usually is and winning share faster
*aaS: Growing over 100% per year – as
above, plus, lower growth means that the scaling
advantages of greater environmental stability are not
being realized
David J. Litwiller, 2012
23. Revenue per Staff
Over US$350,000 per full-time employee per year
David J. Litwiller, 2012
24. OpEx, Cash Flow
and Operating Income
Sales and Marketing expense is roughly two times
R&D expense (R&D includes SQA and Product
Management)
EBITDA over 30%
EBIT approaching 30%
David J. Litwiller, 2012
25. Growth Capital
Growth is funded through gross margin and timing of
working capital in- and out-flows, no longer with
investment capital
David J. Litwiller, 2012
26. Customer Acquisition and
Retention Margin
The cost of acquiring each new customer is known on a
real-time basis
First year gross profit exceeds all sales and technical costs of
winning and onboarding the customer
The cost of sustaining each customers is known on a real-
time basis
The long term portion of a customer’s revenue stream is the
most profitable, and above 90% gross margin beyond year
three of the relationship – a joint measure of customer
preference/satisfaction and technical stability
David J. Litwiller, 2012
27. Customer Satisfaction and Retention
Customer retention after initial contract term well
above 90% annually
Otherwise customer churn takes away too much of the
long term profit stream, and, too much of current selling
has to go to replacing lost business to sustain high
growth
David J. Litwiller, 2012
28. Culture
Every employee vigorously sells the value proposition of the
company’s products and services through their words and actions
There is deeply held and shared pride in what the company
does, and the impact it has for customers, partners and users
Firefighting and diving catches are seen as being caused by
something to be fixed, not an enduring source of heroics to be
lionized
Good and fast are not at odds, the best individuals and teams get
better results and better speed simultaneously by constantly
reflecting upon and improving processes , tools and techniques
David J. Litwiller, 2012