Comprehensive application life-cycle management (ALM) is vital as businesses demand improved software productivity, quality, and adaptability with faster turnaround. Robust tools and agile approaches for managing software project and asset portfolios are key to meeting these demands with non-IT stakeholder collaboration. IDC's Application Life-Cycle Management service provides insight to improve business and IT alignment via IT portfolio management systems, software quality and reliability, testing and verification tools, software change and configuration management, requirements definition and management tools, and agile processes. Application development groups also help ensure regulatory compliance and security, address licensing issues (including SaaS and open source), and seek ALM and software asset reuse in a world that encompasses Web 2.0, SOA, composite apps, virtualization, and increased outsourcing. Subscribers receive direct access to IDC's top experts for competitive analysis, strategic partnering, and market trends; to identify user RFP, process, and organizational strategies; to advise the financial investment and user communities, and more.

This service covers the following segments of the application life-cycle management market:

• Software life-cycle process and configuration management
• Software quality
• IT governance
• IT project and portfolio management software
• Developer trends

Throughout the year, this service will address the following topics:

• Trends in software configuration management (SCM), including connecting business to IT via requirements management and Web services demands on life-cycle management solutions
• Automated software quality (ASQ) tools evolution: hosted testing, Web services and SOA testing, testing virtualization, vulnerability and risk and value-based testing, and other emerging technologies
• Trends in collaborative software development
• The emergence of IT governance solutions to improve the alignment of IT with assets and business priorities

Our research addresses the following issues that are critical to your success:

1. How should IT demands for quality and adaptability be addressed?
2. What does the emergence of Web services and SOA mean for ALM?
3. What are the emerging trends in collaborative development, complex sourcing, open source, software as a service for ALM, and full life-cycle management?
4. What actions should be taken to respond to G2000 needs in the context of dynamically changing, integrated life-cycle management trends and international economic pressures?
5. What are the key components of an IT governance solution and core strategies for successful IT governance?

IDC's Application Life-Cycle Management service examines how vendors are positioning themselves to compete in the application life-cycle management and IT governance market. This service reviews the strategies, market positioning, and future direction of providers in this market, including:

AccordSQA, AccuRev, Acronis, Agitar, Aldon, Allen Systems Group, Axure, BEA/Flashline, Black Duck, Blueprint, BMC, Borland, CA, Cigital, CollabNet, Compuware, Coverity, Cybermation, Daptiv, Deltek, Digite, Electric Cloud, Empirix, Epicor, eProject, Euclid, ExpertChoice, Fortify/Secure Software, HP Software, HP/SPI Dynamics, IBM, Infosys, Innotas, iRise, ITM, Jaczone, Klocwork, Kovair, Lawson, McCabe & Associates, Meridien, Metier, Microfocus, Microsoft, MKS, Newmerix, OpenMake, OpenPages, Oracle, Osellus, Ounce Labs, Palamida, Parasoft, Patni, Perforce, Planisware, Planview, Polarion, Primavera, Quest, Radview, Rally, Ravenflow, Reasoning, Red Mojo, Robbins-Gioia, Sanctum, SAP, SAS, Seapine, Security Innovation, SERENA, Sixth Sense, Skire, Sofea, Softlab, Surgient, Tata, Telelogic, Tenrox, Thoughtworks, Trilogy/Artemis, Troux, UMT Consulting, VA Software, Visible Systems, VMlogix, VMware, Wipro, and Worksoft.

This service focuses on the following core research. In addition to the insight provided in this service, IDC may conduct additional research on specific topics, or emerging market segments, via research offerings that require additional IDC funding and client investment:

These studies analyze overall trends in the ALM market, including market size, leading vendor shares, trends, and market forecasts.

These studies provide in-depth analysis of the SCM market, including market size and forecasts, trends, drivers and inhibitors, and shares and strategies of the leading SCM vendors.

These studies analyze the ASQ market, including market size and forecasts, trends, drivers and inhibitors, and shares and strategies of the leading ASQ vendors.

These studies analyze the IT project portfolio management and IT governance market, including market size and forecasts, trends, drivers and inhibitors, shares, and strategies of leading vendors.

IDC offers a complete market intelligence solution customized to meet your business requirements. The array of products and services available to you includes:

• The opportunity to have your specific questions answered through personal interaction with industry experts who cover the topics and markets in your service
• Around-the-clock access to our market intelligence on idc.com, IDC's personalized Web experience
• A view of the market's future with 12 months of continuous intelligence about its direction and the reasons behind it, along with actionable advice for taking advantage of existing and emerging opportunities
• Special client discount pricing on purchases of research from other services
• Complimentary admission to IDC's annual Directions conference, where you'll hear our latest forecasts and network with IDC analysts and other industry professionals
• Complimentary invitations to monthly executive telebriefings, interactive forums designed to provide you with insights about research and strategies directly from IDC analysts

To find out how our flexible packaging options can meet your specific business needs, please contact your IDC sales executive.

As a privately held company, IDC believes that our customers are our primary constituency. A large percentage of every revenue dollar is reinvested back into our products, including more analysts, more geographic coverage, and extensive primary research.

Our steady growth over the past 10-plus years reflects our commitment to investing in our customers.