How we got here

JPN Associates has been in the consulting and software development arena since its inception in 1994. In 1996, it pioneered the off-shore global delivery model with its wholly owned software development facility in Bangalore, India. In 2006, it divested itself of the facility and switched to an off-shore software development project management model where JPN consultants work on behalf of US clients and direct the work at one or more software development facilities in India. In the third quarter of 2009, JPN has acquired highly qualified IT security resources that form the core of JPN's new IT security practice. So now, JPN services are in two core areas:

• Software Development Project Management Services
• IT Security Consulting

Software Development Project Management Services

In software development projects, we believe in visible, tested, results. We bring our many years of experience and expertise in cross-border, cross-culture project management to your project. We take responsibility for your software development project so that you can spend less time on the project and more time on strategic technology issues.

A Software Development Project is a marathon - but a marathon made of many short sprints.

You don't want to put in a project plan based on the waterfall method to find, that eighteen months into the project, you have delivered what was originally required but it's no longer relevant; because business requirements have changed. Or more likely, you find that the last 20% of the project takes 80% of the resources to complete.

Project Planning.

When we undertake the marathon, we set up a series of sprints. Each sprint has a tape across the sprint finish line. This is similar to a milestone in a project with a whole lot more significance than a milestone in a project. In order to cross the finish line, the software must have functionality that is working, tested and deliverable. It may not have the all the functionality required, for the entire project, but it has working, tested results. Sometimes, the direction of the sprint may change while the project is in process and our method accommodates that. There may be a revision in charges if the project was originally priced on a fixed price basis but the effect is usually minimal since the whole project hasn't changed direction.

Project Status.

Measuring the consumption of resources, as in dollars, effort hours or time expended, is no way to measure project progress. Project progress is measured by delivering functionality in the form of working, tested code.

Test-driven development.

As part of our project management services, we help you write test plans for each sprint before you start the sprint. The key question is "How do you expect to test this functionality item?" How you answer that question is key, because you have the subject matter expertise (unless the domain is one in which we have our own expertise) and we want you to define not only passing tests but failing test scenarios. Failing test scenarios give us better information about the quality of the deliverable. The valuable by-product of this process is that the test repository is being loaded with large numbers of tests that make it easier to perform regression testing when ever a new sprint has ended. The automation of this testing process using automated test tools greatly reduces the test time required.

Global Delivery Model.

The JPN process is designed to adapt very easily to the use of off-shore resources. JPN's experience since 1996 and access to several independent facilities in India give JPN the ability to suit the development resources to the requirements of the project. JPN works on behalf of the client and can connect you with the right facilities or mix of facilities for the project.

For a man with only a hammer everything looks like a nail.

JPN is not a one-trick pony. Sometimes off-shoring a project is not the answer and JPN will help you determine the best way to deliver on your project. It may mean using resources that will work on site or augmenting your resources to get the job done.

And how would you like to pay for that.

Depending on the project, JPN can undertake fixed price contracts or time and material price contracts. Usually new clients go on a fixed price basis and later switch to time and materials.

IT Security Consulting Practice

These services are managed and delivered by senior US based consultants with the experience and expertise necessary. They bring their years of management experience with Big Four accounting/consulting firms. These projects require a strong on-site presence and close interaction with the client's subject matter experts.

Click here for more information