Second Life: A Virtual Universe for Real Engineering
Matthew J. Traum, Contributing Editor -- Design News, October 22, 2007

First there was the drafting table and the pencil. Then there was 2-D CAD; next came 3-D drafting utilities like SolidWorks and ProEngineer. Now, San Francisco-based Linden Lab has evolved computer-aided design to its next plateau, offering free access to a computer-generated alternative universe called Second Life (SL) where users can build anything. Ironically, the SL developers did not intend to design a solid modeling tool. SL was just another massive multiplayer online experience until users spontaneously began utilizing it for engineering design.



First there was the drafting table and the pencil. Then there was 2-D CAD; next came 3-D drafting utilities like SolidWorks and ProEngineer. Now, San Francisco-based Linden Lab has evolved computer-aided design to its next plateau, offering free access to a computer-generated alternative universe called Second Life (SL) where users can build anything. Ironically, the SL developers did not intend to design a solid modeling tool. SL was just another massive multiplayer online experience until users spontaneously began utilizing it for engineering design.

“Some people call Second Life a game while others think of it as serious development tool,” says Assistant Professor Chang Liu (a.k.a. Chang Tuxing in SL) of the Virtual Immersive Technologies and Arts for Learning (VITAL) Lab. at Ohio University (http://rbi.ims.ca/5407-591). “The fun is still there, but Second Life can also be applied for useful ends.”

SAP to Kanye West "There's Only One of Me"

SAP is a Goliath of Epic Proportions. SAP is The Man. SAP is King. Basically, it's SAP's world, and the rest of are just living in it.

So says an article in PC World. Writes author, Thomas Wailgum, if you're wondering just how big SAP is becoming, IDC's Albert Pang has this nugget for you: "The recent rise of SAP as the leading enterprise applications vendor across multiple customer and product categories has created a booming economy whereby an increasing number of developers and resellers are jockeying for the attention of the market leader and its installed base of more than 41,000 customers," he wrote in a recent IDC report.

Is that over the top? Hardly. "We have read more ...

Business Analyst Tool

I found an interesting post on a Business Analyst blog. The blogger attended a Certified ScrumMaster training class delivered by Lithespeed.  He noted that the class was very valuable, and went on to share a tool, trade-off matrix, to help set customer and team expectations.    Go to the Business-Analyst-Blogblog to view the matrix.

By documenting items this way at the beginning of a project, the project sponsor and all project stakeholders (including project team members) have a clear view of what project success looks like.  In the example success is implementing all features, within a budget close to $500k and somewhere within 3-6 months.  In addition the sponsor is OK with 2 large bugs a month. 

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Filed under: General, BA Tips, Requirements — Kupe @ 9:00 am